Getting our Ducks in a Row

 What is that saying about 'getting all your ducks in a row?'   Let me tell  you, it's not an easy task.


We did pretty well yesterday, when the merganser duck and the two mallard drakes lined up quite nicely.



The mergansers are among our favourite ducks.  At this time of year, the drakes are in the most spectacular breeding plumage.  Lumina Resort, right next door and a great choice for those looking for a meal-plan and activities program vacation, caught this image of our drake paddling past.


They can be tough to photograph -- quite shy of people, they tend to simply leave before you can get close enough, and all that sparkly white on the drakes when set against water tends to be a real 'meter cheater' for the camera lens.


 The ducks have the most marvellous mohawk hairdoes.   When the drakes are finished with the breeding season, they too will don this gray and russet colouring.  These are fishing ducks -- those long sharp beaks have serrated edges to help grab minnows.


Like loons, mergansers look down into the water to find their lunch.  When the little ones are hatched, it is a common sight to find the whole fam-damily, which can range up to 20 birds, fishing along in the shallows. When they find a school of fish, they all dive at once, until the water is boiling with diving ducks.

 The mallards don't fish, and are more sedate in their food gathering techniques, although you'll often find them 'bottoms up' checking out the lake bottom.

This time of year, they too are splendidly arrayed in full breeding plumage, including the wonderfully curled pintails.