When I visit Berkshire Sanctuary in the fall, I often see juvenile common mergansers. I believe they are raised on the pond system there. Usually there are 3 or 4. In the fall of 2014 there were more like 12. It was really a merganser weekend, because I could hardly get shots of the large pond without them in the picture. But this particular morning was special. It was cool with lots of mist on the ponds, and the early morning sky had a pink glow to the southwest, interestingly enough. My mind drifted and I missed a heron flying over the pond. After being upset with myself I got re-focused in the present, and as I approached a smaller pond I was greeted with this sight:

Mergansers in Autumn Morning Mist

My approach was from a slightly lower elevation and there was vegetation on the edge that hid me well enough, and I spotted them before they saw me. I shot through breaks in the vegetation. You can see more of these in the new Berkshire Sanctuary gallery.

Moments like this remind me of a quote from photographer Minor White.  “When I photograph I don’t look for what I will take, instead, I look for what I will be given.”