First Lifer for 2018

Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus

There is nothing more exciting for a birder than seeing a new bird, a lifer and doing so in the first month of the year makes it even more special, well for me at least.  On January 29^th I relived that joy when seeing my first ever Hooded Merganser at a small pond in the parish of Christ Church.  This female was at home in the pond, well, once she kept to her side of the watering hole, because the neighbors, a family of Common Gallinules of various ages, was not taking kindly to her encroachment on their side of the pond.  One of the adult Gallinules kept attacking and chasing the Merganser until it was back to its side of the pond.

Hooded Merganser in flight

Female Hooded Mergansers - upper parts are brownish- grey and dark brown with a reddish-brown crest, a narrow serrate bill that is dark with bits of yellow.  Underparts are white.   These diving ducks feed on fish, crustaceans and aquatic insects and breed in North America.

Recording a lifer this early gives me a good feel for the rest of the year, I wonder what will be my next lifer?