What a pleasant surprise to see Common Merganser chicks at the Marshall Springs ponds this Spring. I'm pretty sure this didn't happen there in either of the two previous Springs/Summers (2020 or 2021), as I spent quite a bit of my time observing the wildlife during both.
At the time these photos were taken (over a two day period) I observed two separate mothers raising chicks, one with four little ones, and the other with ten.
It's got to be one of the cutest things in nature, imo, seeing little ones riding on the backs of adults!
From what I've seen so far, it would seem that the male doesn't have any part in the raising of the chicks.
At the time these photos were taken (over a two day period) I observed two separate mothers raising chicks, one with four little ones, and the other with ten.
It's got to be one of the cutest things in nature, imo, seeing little ones riding on the backs of adults!
From what I've seen so far, it would seem that the male doesn't have any part in the raising of the chicks.