The Mergansers

This is quite a trio of colorful ducks, the Mergansers.  These  saw-billed guys are long-bodied, and ride low in the water.  They like clear, deep lakes and rivers. 

 I was recently in Duluth, discovering what a great city it is -- Zillions of places to hike, in and out of the city. I was walking south along the beach that borders the lakeside finger of land, known as Park Point. On the other side is a small harbor, with Superior, Wisconsin bordering the far shore.  I was looking at Duluth in the distance, when up popped a Red Breasted merganser, pictured here.

The Common Merganser is the largest of the Trio.  The Red Breasted is described by Sibley as being smaller and more "spindly".  It is hard for me to imagine such a thing as a "spindly" duck.  The hooded is the smallest.  All three can be seen in Minnesota... especially during migration.