If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)


1/14/06 Male Common Merganser at Oceano Lagoon Park, Oceano, San Luis Obispo County, CA (Event#35 at Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival)
1/14/06 Oceano Lagoon Park, Oceano, San Luis Obispo County, CA (Event#35 at Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival)
10/20/02 Female at Taylor Creek-Rainbow Trail, Taylor Visitor Center, South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Common Merganser

SPECIES: Mergus merganser

LIFE LIST DATE: 10/20/2002

LOCATION: Taylor Visitor Center, Taylor Creek, S. Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, CA

From Stokes Field Guide to Birds-Western Region & Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:

HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: Mostly on fresh water, favoring rivers and lakes in all seasons. In forested country in summer, often nesting in large tree cavities. In winter, sometimes in very large flocks on reservoirs. 

 IDENTIFYING MARKS: 25"; Long bill that is thicker at the base, making its forehead appear more gently sloping than that of the red-breasted merganser. Male: dark green head; creamy white breast and flank; dark back; red bill. Female: Gray; red-crested head sharply delineated from white chin and breast; red bill.

VOICE: Male's courtship call is a guitarlike note. Female gives harsh sound. 
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