The wind pushed hard against the jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, churning the inlet into rolling gray-green waves. Ducks bobbed in the swell, gulls tilted into the gusts, and cormorants cut low across the surface like black arrows. It was one of those mornings when the shoreline felt alive with motion. Out in the chop, a Red-breasted Merganser suddenly shifted from drifting to determined. Head low, body forward, it began to run—feet slapping the water in rapid succession. Spray kicked up behind it as it paddled hard against the surface, wings beating but not yet free. For a few breathless seconds, it seemed almost impossible that something so streamlined could look so frantic. Then, with one final push, it broke loose from the water's grip. The merganser lifted cleanly into the air, red feet trailing and wings catching the wind. What had looked chaotic just moments before resolved into smooth, effortless flight. The entire sequence—from sprint to splash to soaring—lasted only seconds, but it was a thrilling reminder of the power packed inside even the most elegant waterbird. It was incredible to witness, and even more rewarding to photograph: a bird literally running on water before taking to the sky.
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