One way I use my own blog / website is I look back over past time periods to remind myself what might be happening in the Northland birding world at a given time of year. Thus, yesterday evening I used the “Archives / Timeline” feature of this website and reviewed “Junes” from past years. With that knowledge in tow I was reminded that it was time to check out the Lester River Ravine for Common Merganser ducklings, and this morning I was NOT disappointed!

Given the waves out on the big lake, and the fact the Common Merganser chicks were only a few days old, Momma Merganser was very unlikely to take her brood out of Gitchi Goomi. Thus, I spent over an hour with the merganser family this morning in the small confines of the river. The ducks spent their time between the mouth of the river and the first small rapids. I only left when it was nap time (for the birds, not me).

Lester River Common Merganser Family (10 ducklings)

Make certain you see the video at the end of the post!

Mergansers … the Movie! (watch one youngster climb up onto Mom’s back, and then get pushed off by Mom’s wing. No freeloaders!)

(video link for blog email subscribers)