Hunting Forum

Had a shot at a bird this morning but did not take it. It was close enough for me to get a good look. It was really dark, no color with a hooked beak. My buddy was on my right, he had no shot, he asked why I didn't shoot and I told him I could not tell what it was. He said it was a Red Breasted Merganser. I have looked everywhere and could only find them with color, most noticeably white markings. Is it a merganser or not? Any info is appreciated.

Try this http://archive.org/stream/ducksatdi...1/mode/2up

Not sure where you were hunting. Here in Maryland on the Chester River and Chesapeake Bay we have cormorants. They are very dark or black with hooked beaks. Those are protected birds. Google cormorant and look at the pictures, I suspect that is what you saw fly by. Wings flap slower compared to a merganser or any other duck for that matter. The Red Breasted Merganser does not have a hooked beak either. It is long and thin, but no hook on the end like a cormorant.

jack

Jack, That is exactly what it looked like. Thanks for the heads up on the Cormorant.

Ol Abe has hunted so many times in SE LA that he don't even follow a Commorant in flight....he often recognizes it is not sumthin to shoot before we do!