Hooded Mergansers

On the South Fork of the Teton River west of Rexburg in the Hibbard Community two pair of Hooded Mergansers are working hard a finding a place to nest.  Large mature cottonwood trees line the bank of the twisting and turning river, making an ideal place for the Hoodies to set up housekeeping.  Search as hard as I can, I have not found where they have had or will have their nests.

  

Just east of St. Anthony a few miles northeast of Hibbard, they have successfully raise young before but on private ground in nests build for wood ducks.  I continue to see more each year in these areas.  Eventually I will find one of their nests.

The male is very beautiful with the female almost a dark brown to a gray.  Here crest never gets wet when she dives.  Here she dives while he stands watch over her.

Many times he will watch while she dives.

If another merganser comes close to them as they are feeding, he will hiss and chase them off .  See that story on my http://wildinidaho.blogspot.com/  blog.

But at other times he is the perfect gentleman escorting here around his area, making sure she get enough to eat.  That is until she starts nesting.  Then he is off with the other men-folks, sheding his coat of many colors, drinking, eating and doing what most men do when their are off with the fellas - fishing.