Common Mergansers

Three common mergansers, a drake flanked by a hen on each side, spend a rainy day swimming around Smith Creek in north Idaho's Boundary wildlife management area. These birds, like most waterfowl species, are rather flighty when approached. To get this photo, I belly-crawled through several meters of tall, wet grass and was able to observe and snap a few shots before they let the current carry them out of sight. Thankfully I had my full rain gear with me!