The waterfront in North Vancouver on Wednesday

On Wednesday, a lone Canada Goose stood on a little sandbar, and watched some female Common Mergansers on a separate sandbar a short distance away.

The mergansers were putting on quite a show as they bathed and preened.

As one Merganser climbed ashore to dry off, the goose..

left its place to swim towards the Mergansers.

I think it felt quite sure it would be welcomed. Some of the Mergansers were waving...

and gossiping with friends as they went about their preening.

But, it turned out, they were not impressed when the goose joined them.

I could understand the goose's curiosity. The Merganser hairstyles were fascinating. I don't remember the day feeling windy, and somehow, the spiky look is one that I imagined might resist a breeze, rather like the Mohawk with Fringe look some humans favour, stiffened with copious amounts of gel and pomade to perfect the bristles . However, the Mergansers' topknots were blowing freely. I think the goose just wanted to take a closer look.

Then it did something that I thought was quite brilliant. Not to seem out of place, it began to preen, and the Mergansers immediately relaxed.

A pair of American Wigeons slept nearby, completely uninterested in the Mergansers or the goose. The male did keep one eye out, but I think that had more to do with my clicking camera.

Just around the corner, by the waterfront lookout, a crow looked heavenward, as if to say, "Puleeze, there is nothing any of those birds could do that touches the brilliance of my actions."

And, the seagulls were agitated over something. I'm guessing it had to do with a stolen meal. I took the opportunity to practice changing exposures, hoping to capture a bit more of the detail in their white feathers.

And, exciting news for me - a seal showed up, the very first I've seen in a couple of months.

Always something to watch and think about along the Waterfront Park in North Vancouver.