Red-breasted Mergansers are common and easily found around here at this time of year, but until now I have never been able to get a decent photo of one. The only photo I have was taken in 2006 and it wasn't very good because of several technical mistakes I made with the camera. Since then I have been hoping to have another close-up encounter with this species so I can get a better photo and that finally happened today, some four years later! This guy calmly paddled around in the water with a companion not too far away from me while I was standing along the shore of the river enjoying a rare morning of calm winds and warm sun. Tomorrow will be even nicer, but then it is back to cold and crummy weather.