The "girls"—I think they're all females, although I'm not a good enough waterfowler to be able to rule out immature males in the quartet— arrived at the farm pond today to join the definitive Hooded Merganser males that are already patrolling the waters. While the mature guys are certainly stiking, with their signature white crests, the females have their own beauty, albeit more subtle. What's fun and, I think, quite pretty, is the chestnut head crest the girls sport, a crest that can be opened and closed in all sorts of configurations. A couple of the ladies have adopted the punk look, and all without the need for mousse. Perhaps the style is designed to send a come-on message to the males. Perhaps the head spike carries the opposite message: I'm one tough bird... keep your distance.