Luck was with me and I got close enough to catch this female Hooded Merganser close up. These birds have been a challenge to get close to and this is only the second shot I've gotten this winter. I'm still trying to get a good, clear shot of the male of this species. All mergansers have slender elongated serrated bills tipped with a hooked nail. These bills are ideally suited for capturing and controlling the fish that make up a large part of their diet