Mom and babies!

Mergansers and other ducks seem to have large broods. Three main reasons for this fact are the females lay eggs in other nests, some females “pick up” abandoned ducklings and some females actively “steal” ducklings from other females. The largest number of ducklings recorded for one female Common Merganser is 67! The lower photo is of the same, I believe, female Common Merganser a little over a month ago. Obviously as her brood has got older they have become less obedient.