unframed oil painting

12 x 14 (image size) oil on board

Pitt Street Mergansers ~ a small study!  

Hooded Mergansers have been hanging out around the Pitt Street Bridge in Mount Pleasant, SC, all winter long. Each time I visit the bridge I watch the flock feed, sleep and play, and I take as many photographs as time allows.

I’ve always loved the look of Hooded Mergansers, male and female. In breeding plumage the males sport a black and white crest and the females have a reddish-brown crest. Both can inflate their crest to attract the other.  

The inspiration behind this 12” by 14”, oil on board, study was seeing them in action. These ducks are fast to take off and are a challenge to photograph. I like the formation of the two pairs and the variety in the way their wings are set. 

I’ve never painted a merganser before so I thought I’d start with a small study. I’ve priced it accordingly and it is now available.