Pond Charmer

4 x 4 inches - Oil on Panel

     Male Hooded Mergansers have interesting mating dances, they're worth a look on youtube and may make this bird memorable if you've never seen one. This particular lone merganser visited my neck of the woods just after 7 am on Monday, April 29th. I was able to take several photos while disguised in dark clothing hidden behind a tree. The noise of the wind, rain and rushing creek helped me approach this duck, even though I'm quite sure it was well aware of my presence.
     Lo and behold, I blended in so well with the tree that soon, two gray squirrels were at my feet. Not wanting to get squirrelitis (is that a thing?), I was going to have to move. I didn't want them to start climbing my legs in the midst of their randiness, but that meant sacrificing my cover. But it was either that or my life. Okay, I'm being dramatic, but a sorta thought that at the time. The bottom line was that I wasn't going to allow either of those squirrels to touch me, no matter what. So, I nudged my right shoe ever so slightly. The squirrels bolted and the merganser flew away. I was exposed. This came as no surprise. Had nothing happened after moving my shoe, this would've been the tallest tale ever.
     Stay wild, my friends.


 
References

Leff et al. (2023, Mar. 17). The International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Putin. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/17/1164267436/international-criminal-court-arrest-warrant-putin-ukraine-alleged-war-crimes 

Skaife, C. (2018). The Ravenmaster. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Wikipedia contributors. (2025, January 1). Ravens of the Tower of London. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ravens_of_the_Tower_of_London&oldid=1266675506


Copyright notification: The internet is a scary place. I have seen my artwork on unauthorized websites. This is called stealing, also known as copyright infringement. The only authorized websites allowed to display my artwork are www.beccamulenburg.com, www.beccamulenburg.blogspot.com, and galleries currently showing my work. Any other website, posting, sales of my work, or the like, is illegitimate and operating under copyright infringement which is against the law. This includes Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon (worldwide), and more. Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statutory damages up to $30,000 for each work infringed and, if willful infringement is proven by the copyright owner, that amount may be increased up to $150,000 for each work infringed. Please be aware. Copyrights do not transfer with the sale of any of my artworks.

Location: Duluth, MN 55811, USA

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