There was a special and rare treat waiting when B and I went out to feed the North Creek ducks by the ballfields. We came across a Hooded Merganser pair floating along. I’ve only ever seen them on Lake Washington before, never on our smaller ponds or creeks.

I love these birds. They’re so visually arresting – few birds look as cool.

The last time I’d seen any, the boys were showing off for the girls at Lake Washington. I like to think these two maybe paired up there, and eloped to North Creek for a quieter life on their own.

The boy was doing some diving. The girl was just happily swimming along.

They’re definitely more shy around humans than the other birds on the creek. I wonder where these particular ones summer? It doesn’t seem like it’s in an area with a lot of people.

Lovely, isn’t she? And she made a good choice as far as mates, it appears:

I’m naming them Harry and Hermione due to the lightning-shaped marking on the boy.

Let me know which of these you’d like to see offered at my Red Bubble store, and I swear I will get round to putting them up there.

Also, in answer to the speculation going on in this thread: yes, I’m pretty sure the battling birdies are Green-winged Teal, as Trebuchet said. There weren’t any mergansers at the pond. I can see why some thought mergansers, though. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get you better birdie vids when I finally get a real video camera.