Hoodies!

I spent some time watching a pair of hooded mergansers paddling around Pyatt Lake.  

They're such interesting looking birds with striking markings - and awesome hairdos.

They were shy, so I didn't manage to get close enough for really detailed pictures, but you can get a pretty good idea of the wing markings as they face away in this photo.

One of the really cool things about Pyatt Lake, especially at this time of the year, before the lily pads and other types of vegetation take over, is the way the trees paint the water with their reflections.  It's almost like an artist's canvas with that streaky, painterly effect.

Baloo was amazingly quiet and attentive - he just watched right along with me.