Coming up from a dive, a male Red-breasted Merganser has dark green, shaggy head feathers, a red eye about half covered with a nictitating membrane, and a long and narrow orange bill. He has a white ring around his neck, rust-brown color on the breast. His (tucked) wings are black with white patches, and his sides are finely patterned gray with white. He's in water and there is water dripping from his bill.
Bye-bye, Red-breasted mergansers — we'll see you next winter (I hope!). Weird duck season is drawing to a close in Southern California & these beauties are headed back to Canada. 🇨🇦 #divingducks #Birds