Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

Records of Hooded Merganser in the UK are tainted with the possibility of being escapees from captivity, as was certainly the case of the first one I saw, on the River Test in Hampshire (it had clipped wings). Some argued that this splendid drake at Radipole in Dorset had better credentials but it still wasn't accepted as being wild.

Hooded Merganser, Radipole (Dorset, UK), 2nd May 2009

An unexpected find of a bird in the wild involved a female flying along the river Wensum at Great Ryburgh. This one dropped into the river, out of view. I only got the briefest glimpse of it on the river (only a very short section of which was visible from my viewpoint) and after about half an hour it flew off again. However, as this site is just one mile downriver from Pensthorpe, and it flew from and back to that direction, I have no doubt that this was one of their (ex-)captive birds. Here are some of their birds still in captivity.

captive Hooded Merganser, Pensthorpe (Norfolk, UK), 5th February 2022

captive Hooded Mergansers, Pensthorpe (Norfolk, UK), 9th March 2014

This is the only photo I got of a genuinely wild bird in Canada.

Hooded Merganser, Cordova Spit (British Columbia, Canada), 10th September 2006

The only other photos I have are of more captive birds.

captive Hooded Merganser (with Red-crested Pochard), St James's Park (London, UK), 16th March 2018

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th March 2011

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 13th February 2010

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 16th May 2016

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 17th September 2011

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 18th January 2017

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 24th September 2018

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 26th October 2016

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 27th February 2016

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 3rd December 2016

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 21st February 2017

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 7th December 2015

captive Hooded Merganser(s?), Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 28th February 2009

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 12th April 2004

captive Hooded Merganser (with Mallard), Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 30th May 2016

captive Hooded Merganser, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 7th February 2016

captive Hooded Mergansers, Blakeney Quayside collection (Norfolk, UK), 18th March 2019