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Above: Hooded Mergansers, Toms River.
When the hooded mergansers arrive each winter, the courtship begins. In this photo, the female
has three potential partners trying to impress her. They seem to break up in small groups during
the selection process. After a few weeks, they will pair up for the mating season ahead. On this
day during the snow, I was able to get relatively close to photograph these four.
Opposite page, top: Mute Swans, Seaside Park.
During winter, many mute swans will gather together on Barnegat Bay. I noticed these two along
the eastern shore of the bay ducking under for some aquatic plants. Their long necks allow them
to reach the plants growing on the bottom of the bay. Mute swans will pair up for life. They can
become very aggressive during the nesting period.
Opposite page, bottom: Mute Swan, Toms River.
This is one of the resident mute swans that live on this estuary off the Barnegat Bay behind my
townhouse. I have observed this pair for several years. In this shot, the swan swims in one of the
few areas not frozen. A few gulls attempt to occupy the same space.
