Mergansers low over the water

Common mergansers fly low and fast over water, wingtips nearly clipping the surface, rather than gaining altitude the way puddle ducks do. This group of four kept tight formation as they cut across the river, red-brown heads and white throat patches marking them as females or juveniles rather than the green-headed adult males.

Getting the shot

A fast shutter froze all four birds mid-wingbeat without any motion blur, timed for the moment their formation lined up cleanly against the dark tree-lined water. Panned to track their flight path along the river rather than shooting from a fixed position.