Hooded Mergansers

[Griggs]

I'm wondering if anybody has any experience with locating these ducks? I'm interested in finding some for photographs. I saw one pair this spring at a small pond when I was not prepared but haven't seen any since.

Do they regular a certain area, stop by for migration, certain time of year when I should be looking. Any other info would be helpful. Thanks!

[B. Amish]

They decoy pretty easy. Your best bet will be bigger water. Lakes and rivers.

[Steve Foss]

I find mine along riverbanks in spring migration. In full camo, with a camo sleeve over my camera/lens, I lay prone in the dead cattails and photograph them as they swimg by.

[jonny_redhorse]

Griggs...I second Steve here....the spring migration certainly is the way to go ...I saw dozens of "hoody's" along the ditches of highways and creeks/rivers just as the snows were melting this spring...great photo ops for sure!....

[micpic]

Griggs, Hooden Mergansers are about the first ducks I see on the river even before all the ice is out. They nest in wood duck houses and after hatching you won't see them again until fall when the migrate. I haven't a clue where they go for the summer.

[Griggs]

Hmmm, thats interesting. I have the camo but not really the knowledge on what lakes I could try. Has anybody had luck during the fall migration? I suppose I'll have to watch out for hunters that time of the year...

[Steve Foss]

Griggs, smaller rivers are better for hooded mergansers in particular, and they are good for many other ducks as well. Not to mention they are easier for the photographer, because the ducks tend to be closer in.

I don't generally shoot ducks with a camera during fall migration. Those spring plumages are gorgeous, and I end up competing with duck hunters in the fall for space where I live.

[jonny_redhorse]

The "Hoody's" I've come across each spring all were on a smaller body of water along with patches of spring melt ice....some let me get quite close and one could tell that they were tired by how close they'd let you get....I'm sure they flew for hours from some remote southern area to get to northern Minnesota ...certainly are a very beautiful and unique bird!...but....I've never took a pic of one in the late summer or fall...here's a few images from this last spring taken of a few hoody's along hwy#7 (Sax-Zim Bog)...images were digiscoped from about 50 yards with a window mounted tripod

[Griggs]

Nice pics. I dont really have any smaller rivers around here, just the MN River. I have a quite a few smaller lakes and some are connect by creeks or streams. Where along Hwy 7 were those found?

[Paul]

Griggs, Since you are along the MN river, I don't know if you are east or west but I have seen lots of hoodies on the Lac Qui Parle river growing up. If you on the east side of the state, try Black Dog lake in the winter.

[micpic]

Here is an image of a Hooded Merganser duckling that hatched out of one of my Wood Duck houses. It was one of eight ducklings, and as soon as they reached the river, they never were seen again.

Mic