Cougar Creek Park is full of Mallards ...

... at any time of the year. But the first time we were there, in March of last year, we saw buffleheads, wood ducks, and widgeons, as well. By April, they were gone. So when we went for a short walk there, yesterday, I was hoping they'd be back.

Yes and no.

At the bottom end of the pond, where the creek exits, we found new building going on; a fair start on a beaver dam, already raising the water level of the pond. It's an ambitious project. All around the lake, trees have been cut, most of them dropped into the water, a few on land; some of these have already been cut into manageable sections.

Work in progress.

No sign of the busy beavers, though. At the upper end, a mass of sticks and trees may be the beginnings of a lodge. I'll be checking this out later on.


The resident heron allowed himself to be photographed from a distance. One step closer, and he took off. As usual.

The mallards were out in force, a great squawking mass mobbing a man feeding them on the opposite bank, then fanning out into the pond again when his bag was empty. And we saw a foursome of widgeons.

Three of the widgeons.

I was looking for buffleheads, so when I saw this white head, I jumped to the conclusion that I had found them. Until I looked more closely.


No white sides?


They're hooded mergansers, in breeding gear. Tiny, neat ducks, and the females have the cutest "hairdo" ever!

Pair, with reflections.

So: no buffleheads, no wood ducks. Maybe next time. But the hooded merganser females are a first for me. (I had seen males at a distance, I'm pretty sure. Although I thought they were buffleheads.)

Such a tiny park this is; a spot on the map surrounded by housing developments. But the birds love it. And so do we.