Pinebrook Park is my go-to park for a quick, birdy walk during the spring and summer months. Songbirds are not the only draw to this park – the Brodhead Creek runs along side it, which brings a great variety of water-loving species. I often see Common Mergansers around the creek from a distance or flying by, however, late in August, they gave me a couple of nice photo opportunities.
Common Merganser after a dive
During my first photo op, I only had one subject who was busily fishing close enough to my side of the shore. This was in the morning, so I did not have a ton of time to photograph it.
I returned the next evening and had an entire cooperative flock who swam right by me and perched on some rocks. The lighting was perfect!
I was able to slowly creep closer to them behind the vegetation and get some nice views of them resting, preening and stretching.
I was very happy with the results! I left as soon as I lost the sunlight and the birds remained on the rocks behind me.
