Hooded Merganser

I was astonished and delighted to see this trio on the little farm pond we pass on our regular walk. It's a good way from the road, so to the naked eye they just looked like a bright white dot on the pond. With the camera at full zoom they were clearly ducks, and I assumed they were Wood Ducks, since I've seen them there before. But! When the photos were uploaded to the computer it was immediately apparent that they were Hooded Mergansers. One with his head puffed up as big as it can go, the other not so much. And the female getting all their attention. It certainly made my day!

Much of the rest of the day was spent shifting three pick-up truck loads of mulch to the vegetable garden enclosure where it is spread around the raised beds. It was heavy work, but it's nice to have that sorted. And it's very nice to have #2 son here to help his aged parents.