The flames were leaping out of the fire pit. We'd eaten our supper. We had no plans other than to read our books and stay warm. Then Gary hear a splashing on the shoreline and went to take a look.
What he saw was an entire family playing in the water. A family of common mergansers. There were seven of them, red heads flashing in the setting sun as they fished in the shallows.
One of them came up with a sizable pan fish. The others went after the catch and they all fought about it. They weren't starving, they were healthy looking birds, but it's what they do.The mergansers are common only in that there are more of them than the other varieties of mergansers. They are pretty impressive birds. Unlike most birds, the females wear fancier feathers than the males. The males have smooth green heads. The females have a red crested head. Sorry, I couldn't get any closer and the sun was setting so the picture is what it is.
Gary says the mergansers usually hang out on the eastern shore of the lake, he sees them over there when he paddles his canoe around the lake. Now that most of the campers are gone, they feel free to come over here.
We watched for a while then went back to our warming and reading. The sun went down and the stars came out, brilliant and sparkling as they never are in the city. Gary lit the propane lantern. We stayed by the fire for another hour or so.
These forest nights are so precious to us.
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