Subject: Re: Nisqually sightings
Date: Sep 03 07:04:28 1998
From: Leslie Ann Rose - sylph at nwlink.com


What follows is PURE speculation. Wonder if it has anything to do with
feeding? Does anybody know if there has been a hatchery release
recently further upstream? Perhaps a run of other small species of
fish? Or perhaps they were playing Follow the Leader?

LeslieAnn Rose
Tacoma, WA

Kelly Mcallister wrote:
>
> Kevin and Tweeters,
>
Somebody please tell me what is on the minds of those mergansers. I was
stationed on the beach on the east side of the Nisqually River mouth
(below railroad tracks) today and I estimated the flock of Common
Mergansers to be at least 300, perhaps 400. But, they are possessed.
They act as though constantly in some kind of race to get to the next
location which appears to be a more or less random choice of direction.
But the don't fly, oh no, that would be cheating. They skuttle as fast
as they can under leg power, with necks stretched forward, churning a
great wake from behind. Once they cross the great Nisqually Reach, they
appear to have little better to do but turn around and head back. This,
all in a group.