Common Merganser Farewell Tour
It's been one of the mildest winters I can remember so far. One of the benefits (or disappointments for some) of this has been that the lakes and ponds have remained ice free. This is a mucky little city pond right next to the main road. It's not the prettiest pond you'll ever see but it does hold fish and is popular with some waterfowl.Common Mergansers, also called goosanders elsewhere in the world, have been guests at the pond much of the winter. We see plenty of these fish-eating diving ducks this year but most of them will probably be moving on soon so I thought that I would give them another look while I still can.
3 comments:
I recall all those years while I worked on the shores of the Mississippi and could watch waterfowl come and go. Pity I didn't learn wheat they were at the time.
I keep trying to plan an afternoon there watching birds, but just haven't done so.
A few years ago I remember seeing them in large number on the Minnesota Lakes. People would say they were loons and my friend Clarence, now gone, would say no they are Mergansers.
Well both loons and Mergansers dive and catch their lunch underwater. I could understand mixing them up.
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