Red Breasted Merganser are sawbill ducks. They feed on live fish which they dive for, the bill comes in useful to hold on to the slippery fish which is their exclusive diet.   They are absent from our region as a breeding bird but a resident in parts of Wales, Northern England and mainly Scotland. They over winter on the Exe Estuary where they can usually been seen quite easily in the winter, but usually because of the size of the estuary, distant.  On occasions I have seen them on the canal but only briefly as they can be quick to take flight like most truly wild ducks.  Yesterday I had a magical 30 minutes watching a pair…. well actually, two males……….. on the canal.  When I saw them I approached cautiously until they were used to me and they remained right in front of me. They carried on fishing and one eventually caught  a nice plump perch after repeatedly diving.  My patience, and his, paid off.  I was thrilled to watch him and really satisfied with myself because I had predicted the great photo opportunity that his success would present.  Apart from that,  they are lovely to see , so comical and very handsome.

As you can see in the sequence, there was quite a struggle to get it down.  Perch are a spiny fish with very rough scales and it is obviously really important with a fish like this , that it is swallowed head first. hence the struggle. The Canal is 20 feet deep with very steep banks and the perch, at this time of the year are going to be on, or near the bottom so they take a bit of catching.  

Eventually, they were disturbed by a canoeist which was a real shame and put an end to a great half an hour.