Life Bird: Red-breasted Merganser

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation.

​Numbers 14 “The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land—very good indeed."

Red-breasted Mergansers at Sandy Creek Park in Athens, Georgia.

Saturday, 4:15 PM- Winter’s grip has loosened. Not that it is ever that tight in Georgia. But Wednesday morning I was off work and watching the snowfall, and today I’m hiking without a jacket and it’s 64°!
 
I suppose my level of bird nerdiness has reached a new high. Becoming more acquainted with my new iPhone, I’ve been exploring the sightings posted on ebird. Several people have recently posted a trio of Red-breasted Mergansers at Sandy Creek Park. With persmission from my wonderful wife, I make a short Saturday getaway and head for Lake Chapman.

Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park in Athens, Georgia, USA.

​Arriving at the park I had no idea where these birds would be on the 260 acre lake. So why not start at the main beach and walk the Lakeside trail north from there? Well, I didn’t have to go far. Just off shore from the main beach parking area I could see the three ugly ducklings diving in the water! Obviously they were the Red-breasted Mergansers I came to see: long pointy bills, and topped with rusty, scruffy bad-hair-day! Truly unique looking birds! I spent quite a bit of time observing this new quarry and making sure I would get some good shots.

Red-breasted Mergansers at Sandy Creek Park in Athens, Georgia.

​Having found my prize so quickly, I went for a short walk. The temporary withdraw of winter produced a good bit of avian activity. There were Robins a-plenty; a busy Downy Woodpecker; a singing Kinglet; and a Sparrow soaking the sunset. Eleven species on my eBird list. https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42102994 ​

Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, songbird perched in tree and briars singing. Sandy Creek Park, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Small Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula, passerine bird singing on brach in golden sunrise sunset. Photographed on birding hike at Sandy Creek Park Nature Center, Lakeside Trail, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Downy Woodpecker hanging upside down and pecking on tree. Sandy Creek Park, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park in Athens, Georgia, USA.

On the walk back I found the shell of a Common Must Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) on the trail side.

​Athens, Clarke County, Georgia
Sunny, high near 60°
Sunrise 7:37 AM, sunset 5:52 PM
Day length: 10 hours, 15 minutes
Moon: waxing crescent, 10% illumination