Temperatures throughout the day are first beginning to climb. New England is experiencing the return of spring. As the open water makes its way back into the cove, it does so in a gradual but steady manner. As the ice line continues to retreat, an increasing number of waterfowl begin to return to the area. Because many birds are taking flight and beginning their lengthy journey to the north, this is unquestionably a wonderful time to be on the lake because species that have been hibernating come back to life. One morning, as the fog begins to lift, there are a number of pairs of common mergansers swimming about in the cove, engaging in playful behavior. Undoubtedly, two days later, hooded mergansers joined them in their territory. Over the course of this time of year, both the common and hooded mergansers will stop by for a few days on their journey to go farther north. Both of these species are simple to identify. Easily identifiable by its blackish green head, black top feathers, orange hooked beak, and pure white breast, the male common merganser is a bird well known for its distinctive appearance. The majority of the time, they flock together in small groups and may be seen in our rivers and lakes. She has a vivid reddish brown head that is often fluffed up, while the colors of the female are far more subdued. She may be doing this in order to make sure that the men are also taking notice of her. There are hooded mergansers that are often seen traveling alongside the ordinary merganser. The common merganser is the biggest of the merganser species, whereas these dapper birds are the smallest of the species. When they are swimming and playing together, the two represent a size difference that is extremely striking. It is not difficult to identify the hooded mergansers, just like their bigger counterparts. The male has a number of distinguishing characteristics, the most notable of which are a black back and a black bill, a white breast with broad vertical bars, and a black and white head with spikes. When the male lifts his crest, the thin white stripes that run horizontally transform into a stunning white fan that makes it impossible to overlook anything. Like the common merganser, the female hooded merganser is considerably more subdued, with brownish gray sides and a reddish crest. Their appearance is similar to that of the common merganser. She will also spread out her crest, much as her spouse does, which will make it simple to identify her. Both of these stunning species, sadly, do not remain in this region for very lengthy period of time. They go farther north in search of breeding spots and colder weather. When it comes time for the mergansers to breed, they choose to nest in tree cavities or nest boxes, depending on the availability of either option. There are other regions of the globe where it is possible to find them breeding in holes in cliffs or on steep banks that are located a great distance away from the river. When compared to the hooded female, the common female normally lays between 6 and 17 eggs. For each season, both will only produce a single brood. Almost soon after the ducklings have been hatched, the mother will grab them in her beak and go to the closest body of water, whether it a river or a lake. In this area, they consume tiny fish and invertebrates that live in freshwater. The children remain under the care of their mother until they reach the ripe old age of sixty to seventy days. Their first flight is scheduled to depart at around the same time. In the following two years, the young females will have the opportunity to socialize and play with one another before they begin their own brood. The question is, what are the men doing when the mother is sitting on the nest and later tending to the young? However, in general, they are a bird that is cautious. notably during the mating season, when one or more of them remain on guard duty to alert the remainder of the flock to any potential threats that may be coming. The remaining ones may be spotted hanging about in a manner that is comparable to that of ducks, floating around casually. Their ability to swim deep into the water, similar to that of cormorants, feeding and pushing themselves ahead by stroking with both feet is a fascinating aspect of their natural behavior. Once again, similar to the cormorants, while they are resting, they may often be spotted perched on a rock in the center of the lake or stream, with their wings partially spread out to allow them to get some fresh air and to take use of the sun’s rays. When the time comes for them to take flight, they emerge from the water and flail around the surface for a considerable distance, until they are airborne. After then, they take off with a sudden burst of speed and a speedy and powerful flight. For those of us who live on Webster Lake, neither species remain on the lake throughout the mating season. They will only be remain for a little period of time. It is impossible for us to tell whether or not we are seeing their last takeoff of the season until they have left. After then, we are just left with the memory of these stunning birds until the next spring, when they again make their appearance. Gregory James is a veteran of the United States Army, a father of six children, and a nature enthusiast who has been a longtime fan of the outdoors. Because of his affinity for the natural world, he has launched a website that sells supplies for camping cookery. The address of his website is http://www.campingcookwarepro.com where you may find it.
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