Diane,
thank you. Cassidy is a very special member of our family and I cherish my time with her. This week, she is having surgery to remove a couple of small mammary tumors and to be spayed. While I'm concerned about the surgery, I know we've caught the tumors early because I examine her virtually every evening as she lays next to me on the sofa. And she's in excellent condition overall so she should handle it just fine. Still, I'll worry until she's back home with us .

As for the Mergansers, I walked by the pond one morning and there were none to be seen. Then, suddenly, they all came back up to the surface. I had no idea they dived for food. It was both strange and fun to watch. I'm still not satisfied with my images of them but because I walk the dogs past that pond almost every day, they're getting more comfortable with us being there. I'll try to get a really good close-up this week.

Thanks again for your kind comments. Cassidy sends licks.

Jim