角島, Tsunoshima 3

That’s a whole lot of mergansers on the blog!

We don't get to see them in big numbers very often. In spring they get together before heading off to their breeding grounds in the north. There must have been a hundred of them in a protected bay of Tsunoshima and they all needed to eat well before departure.

ウミアイサ  Red-breasted Merganser

Slim and elegant birds with bright orange-red bills

The males' black head gets a green shine when it gets a bit of sunshine.

Some females have black coloring around their eyes - a sign of breeding?

They swam back and forth near the boat-harbor, following a school of fish towards shallow water, which they would eagerly plunge into and get their fill. How much was hard to tell, they probably swallowed their catch mostly below the surface.

rush. rush

The hunt is on

Got one!

Heading back

Waiting for the next chance

 male

female

pair? 

There were many more female than male, about 30% male - 70% female

The Ladies Parada

Fish!!

One female venturing out of the water, inspecting a bit of  rock. Not a usual sight in winter, but they breed on the ground in the north of China and Russia

Another bird seen in smaller numbers:

ハジロカイツブリ  Black-necked Grebe

More of them in the next post.