[obol] hooded merganser observations and frog eggs

[Ann Chamberlain]

This morning I watched the male hooded merg with a fish too big to 
swallow.  I estimate the fish was a good 6-7 inches.  He ran it back and 
forth from head to tail in his beak, holding is sideways.  Then he 
turned it around, and did this again, mashing the fish down with his 
beak on each turn.  In between, he would turn it around as though to 
swallow it, holding it lengthwise in his beak, and shake the fish 
violently. 

Then he would go back to mashing the fish.  Don't want to gross anyone 
out, but by this time, the fish was bleeding profusely from the mouth.  
I came in the house to get my husband and by the time we got back, the 
merg had finally managed to swallow the fish!  The head of the fish was 
as big as the merg's head!  I have no idea how he managed this, but he did.

Mom, on the other hand, is eating much more reasonable sizes!  She is 
catching fish about two inches long.

On another note, I found a mass of frog eggs, about the size of an 
orange, attached to a stem underwater along the edge of the bank.  It is 
a perfect ball and the eggs are not even to blastula stage yet.  From 
what I can read, it seems these are leopard frog eggs.  I also found out 
the leopard frog is very rare in OR.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks -

Ann outside Myrtle Creek