As I was hiking on the trail from Lower Lena Lake on Thursday, July 6, I
came across a female Common Merganser walking on the trail with her very
small ducklings. I assume they had just left the nest and were trying to
get to the creek, but she was following the trail down the switchbacks,
away from the water. I was finally able to get past them when she took them
into the trees. Hopefully they were safe and eventually got to the water.
They were several hundred feet way from Lena Creek. Here are some pictures:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/64943435 at N07/cc247109t3
Valerie Anderson
Olympia