I saw several hooded mergansers eight years ago in Florida and have wanted to see others since. The Florida birds were very distant, so I did not get a great view, but they were so odd and bizarre-looking that I've been intrigued with them since.
I recently looked at both iNaturalist and eBird sightings nearby to find locations where hooded mergansers had been seen recently. It worked - I visited those locations and found them.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpdEesUFmdtmKLB-WbHOshU2e-biQuYwzkVLGfbUspQFtY_1ptIHSA5TlcWtIgXBdaKu0iNSrtQ5ChTJOBKa-Aqy3VgbzjmUdezidEFa2mfjPM_Hsp2sYxdQzwWY1s9Sx5IlNZZW4591NwXVA5M3iW81DMuezAfU-VHNaqnGsZsXrdzyCn8SK-DSlW=w400-h310) |
This male hooded merganser was at the San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA6xNpXPB8CqatnN3156pUmT2lLSjG5r0sm0znx0KcAhI95ePMJMunhEcUvgzptdY_q9gcqlYypczhq04AnldKhTLgJWuOG1w6LrBL9YdJzPrQ724uSqaQMYxqZoAE0pkKQ2dl4HPrhVIZMTVR5mXMJxWZHTFxTbogkFxSXMqtB_qwDAiOLWdQ-AXm=w400-h285) |
These hooded mergansers, both male and female, were at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. These were by far the best view I've had. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1QMfiSCyfebMwWEQgu94s4-siXHU7hgFyF5w7vFd_D3hRV6rVJZXve00PfoYpBGQOEfxoxnqVb2HMbp_eqz-k2RZ9s_G-0V0ITAsByyh15qunEJLRY65bS4I1HY_xvq0ga17uJ5AuEoTCMvwMieq9SJzp6NXx3Av_BrgwGDgLuHdjMWD5sDMRGZaF=w400-h219) |
A female eating a crayfish. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRrA2BgtUjRUL0aMNiSWQOasX3BicCSXRGUG9xBdJ4JzGLoseD_BhWIbhjbcU7S38FPvEUVs2YKsbNmOkTFk6BKn_zuxaATJ9YPEcH1bIf6B8H7sufsRAz7vtEIHtB7hUxTj1ebGYIy84VcodA3ntwQ_3dy4je61R7iTw0jSdYLZQ5KuWVa5n9OwvI=w400-h189) |
These hooded mergansers were at Lake Silverwood, near the Cajon Pass. They were my poorest view. |
I would like to touch that hood. It seems to be variable in shape, so not a hard skull under it. So weird.
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