Common Merganser - Charles van Rees
Report

Contributor

Charles van Rees Media from this contributor

Date

Location

Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Chattooga River Trail
Oconee, South Carolina, United States
Media from this location Illustrated Checklist
Map
Map Coordinates: 34.9748763, -83.1145661
Age
Not specified
Sex
Not specified

Observation details

Low quality pictures taken; available by email. One male swimming down the river along the main trail. The species was ID'd by myself and my mentor J. Michael Reed while looking for a calling louisiana waterthrush along the Chattooga river. We noticed a large, mostly bright-white duck with a dark head and back and bright red, thin bill swimming easily amongst the more fast-moving parts of the river. It let the current carry it past us so I had very little time to pull out my phone and snap a photo. The behavior and appearance matched my sightings of common mergansers in fast-moving, forested river waters in other parts of the country but I had never seen one this far South. Its appearance may be reflective of migratory movements this time of year.

Technical information

Original file size
2.16 MB