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June 2012

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From:
robert lane <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
robert lane <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:54:59 -0400
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Yesterday morning, Sunday, Jeff Harvey and I, journeyed forty miles south from home in Mahoning County, to check on the the previously described, new Common Merganser family at the Carnahan property on Yellow Creek in Jefferson County. At about 8AM, after an hour of searching, we found mom and nine little ones in a nice sheltered pool, protected on one side by a sandstone shelf overhang. The doting parent appeared to be showing her offspring how to feed in the shallows. The sandstone bottom creek bed is presently mostly exposed, with the water level of Yellow Creek being extremely low. Shortly after our arrival, we noticed a Great Blue Heron stalking nearby. All of a sudden, the heron took quick flight, and made a try at snatching up one of the very small youngsters. Fortunately, the attempt was a miss! Mom, now alert, with the kids huddled in one tight mass, went into a wild looking defensive posture. Wings completely outstretched, shielding her brood, her reddish crest flared out like an alarm flag, all the while her serrated bill snapping, and her giving the merganser barking sound. What an amazing, memorable sight, to see her performance actually detract the Great Blue Heron from his potential tidbit quarry. I have seen female Common Mergansers doing their bark before, but always assumed it was used in gathering the kids together, or when she seemed to be in distress mode. After the heron threat had ended, the merganser family, the kids in tow at mom's tail, swiftly swam upstream and out of view. What a totally entertaining experience, nature at its best, and a happy ending. The Yellow Creek visit also provided some other great birds, highlights were Northern Parula Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Louisiana Watertrush, Kentucky Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, lots of Belted Kingfishers, and a three female Wild Turkeys with twenty-two poults, just to name a few.
 
Bob Lane
                                          
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