Ballet of the Mergansers

The mergansers are gathering for their long migration south.  Everyday the number of them in the river increases.  I love the entertainment that they provide.  It is nothing short of a water ballet. First the flock spreads out in formation.  Then they gracefully move across the water in perfect formation.  They are trying to school the frys in the water.  The baby salmon that are migrating into the ocean.  The all of the sudden in perfect time they will run across the water and dive down to catch the fish.  Today there were 20 mergansers in front of the lower platform performing this beautiful manuever over and over.  It is amazing to see the timing and the ability of such a large group of ducks move together as they had been doing this all along.  Yet during the summer we only saw one or two mothers and chicks.  And no, not all the mergansers were this years chicks.  Most of the chicks are eaten by ravens, eagles, bears and other predators.  Even a gull will eat a baby duckling.  We had one mother that started with 12 chicks and only one made it through to this fall.  We watched two taken by ravens.  Mother nature taking care of her own.  I feel sorry for the chicks when they are eaten.  I don't however feel sorry for the baby fish.  I guess it is because they are not as cute and cuddly.