Hooded Mergansers are so uncommon in the West that only once before had I ever seen and photographed one of the handsome males, and that was at some distance. But a couple of weeks ago Sharon told me that some of these extravagantly crested little ducks had arrived at Lakewood’s Belmar Park, which I had most recently visited 2 1/2 years ago.

Yesterday, however, was the first good chance that I had to return. That was because I wanted a sunny weekend morning, in part to avoid the rush hour traffic on weekdays. Returning the 30 miles to Boulder on a weekday after an early morning hike could be frustrating, because this is a city park, just six miles from the Colorado State Capitol in downtown Denver.

A Male Hooded Merganser May Be Small, But We Can't Miss Seeing Him

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He's Even More Dramatic When He Displays by Stretching His Neck

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The Object of His Attention

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Among the many other species of birds that I found at Belmar Park was this one that seemed to be surreptitiously giving me the eye.

A Male Gadwall Studies Me or My Camera

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Like the Gadwall above, the Northern Shovelers below are much more common than Hooded Mergansers. But I always enjoy seeing these colorful birds with their spoon-shaped bills.

A Male Northern Shoveler in Breeding Plumage

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Finding two Northern Shovelers at different stages in their plumage seems unusual to me. But I captured these images less than a second apart (I have a fast-focusing camera).

A Male Northern Shoveler in Nonbreeding Plumage

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Kountze Lake at Belmar Park

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I went to Belmar Park yesterday to see beautiful birds in a lovely setting. I found what I sought.