Red Breasted Merganser – Mergus serrator

I had a really nice encounter with this duck today. I decided to return to Turf at the end of Exeter Canal, well on the way to Powderham on the River Exe. Every time that I have been in the last week I have had the chance to see something interesting including Avocet, Grey Plover, Redshank, Dunlin and I had got quite very close to a female Teal. Then yesterday I had seen a Meadow Pipit which I queried as a Water Pipit. So, it was worth the effort to go back. As I cleared the path, there in front of me in the water was this magnificent Red breasted Merganser. I was stunned at its beauty. He was so dapper with a bright green head, contrasting black and white body and wings and the magnificent crest on it's head. The bird was as surprised as I was and we both stopped in our tracks so to speak as we decided what our next plan of action was going to be. Mine was to try to focus the camera on him while I could and try to get a good close photo of him because he was only 15 feet away or so. His plan was to explode away treading water furiously as he took to the air and flew away strongly. I managed this shot but only just. The word merganser is from the Latin mergus which means diver (from mergere, to plunge) and the Latin word ānser which means goose. Literally therefore "Diving Goose" which of course it is not!

These birds are fish eaters and have serrated bills to hold their prey. They over winter in coastal waters and the river Exe is one of the well known over-wintering areas for this species. I see them often but not as close as today's encounter.

We still have a bit of snow around and I took this photo of a Mallard which is a nice picture I hope you agree

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I have included it because I had an odd encounter with two Duck hunters…… yes really. They were walking along the canal towards Turf with their shotguns in bags over their shoulders and a lovely Black Labrador Retriever. My opening gambit was "Surely it's not legal to shoot here? " They said yes it was and said where they were headed and what they are allowed to target. I have not got a particularly sentimental view of wildlife but I have to say that I found it pretty odd that people can obtain a licence to wander on the foreshore of one of Britain's most important over-wintering refuge for waders and ducks and legally shoot birds that fly from the river on to the reserve.

Admittedly they appeared to by quite knowledgeable and said that they were allowed to shoot Canada Geese, Teal, Mallard, Widgeon and amazingly Goldeneye!!!! Can you believe that?