They're back! I first spotted a momma Merganser with 8 — no, 9 ducklings above the Brassworks dam on May 27. The following week a whole lotta rain turned the river into a swift torrent, and I wondered how the Mergansers were faring. A few days later, I spotted a mom with just 5 youngsters. Is that all that's left of the 9?? Nah, the river is surprisingly safe for youngsters, even in high water or when they get temporarily separated from the family. Later spottings showed that there are two families on the river this year, one with (as it turns out) 10 youngsters and another with 5. Click the picture above for more pictures of the ducklings growing up.
