Common Mergansers, Female and Male, John Heinz NWR
Feb 3rd, 2013, by Alex Zorach
This photo shows two Common mergansers in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge near Philadelphia. Common mergansers are a type of diving duck that are often found on fresh water in winter in this region. They are quite large and brilliantly colored. The male is on the right.
I saw quite a few mergansers, both common and hooded, on the day when I took this pic.
This is one of my favorite pictures that I've taken in this wildlife refuge, because of the ripples in the water and the reflections of the reeds and trees. I like how the ducks' clean, crisp, and bright colors and shapes contrast with the dull and more organic look of the rest of the picture.