THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 17, 2025 Page 15 Saugus Gardens in the Winter Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener T he hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is a species of fish-eating duck. Like a lot of “Latin” names, the scientific name in this case derives from Greek rather than Latin, translating approximately to “crested diver,” which gives an idea of their appearance and behavior. These intriguing little ducks have frequently been seen this winter along the Saugus River and in Birch Pond. Charlie Zapolski of North Saugus has taken some great photos of them swimming in the Saugus River. Because of their crests or hoods, their heads look large in proportion to their bodies, especially when swimming. Unlike most ducks, though, they have narrower beaks. As with many duck species, the male and female are noticeably different, with the female having more subtle brownish color in their heads and crests, while the adult males are all black and white. I would describe the male as having a sort of yin/ yang pattern on their heads The shadow of a maple in the snow was cast by the full Wolf Moon on Monday night. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) – or you might see it as white paisley shape on the sides of their mostly black head. Males have pale golden eyes, while females have brown eyes. They tend to migrate to northern areas for the summer, and nest in tree cavities. Since they dive for fish to eat, they have trouble finding enough food in winter in the coldest areas. We usually see them come The distinctively hued female hooded merganser (left) and male hooded merganser (right) have been seen swimming in the Saugus River recently. (Photo courtesy of Charles Zapolski) down from Canada while we still have open water in ponds and rivers. Here near the coast when a pond becomes ice covered, they may head over to the river mouth, where the salt content and tidal movement keeps some water accessible for fishing a little longer. Once the ponds have become more completely and consistently frozen, they will head still farther south. My niece and I were delightfully surprised by a sighting of three white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginicus) crossing Birch Pond across the ice at its narrowest point Monday afternoon. There were some tense moments, as the ice is very thin in most places due to the varied currents and the changing temperatures over the past few weeks. I was driving along Walnut Street, so when we spotted them it took a few minutes for us to safely pull over. By that time three had already reached the woods, while the fourth had been much more hesitant and dashed across later. Miraculously, the ice held up and they all made it to shore. I’ve never seen such a sight there before, but we were looking out for the mergansers and instead saw deer! Last Saturday’s snow and the What looks like icy claws outside the window is a line of icicles on a branch growing sideways due to the wind. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) freezing and thawing of the ponds and river edges have created some unforgettable winter scenes. The view of Birch Pond from Walnut Street is one of my favorites in every season. I drive by it three or four times on an average day and fairly often will take a walk near its shores. On sunny afternoons there are reflections in the water if it is not iced over GARDENS | SEE PAGE 22 One of the four deer we saw crossing Birch Pond on Monday afternoon stopped long enough for a picture. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) Three snow figures in Lynnhurst seemed delighted to have more snow for company last Saturday! (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener)
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