Chet Meyers writes: The common mergansers are back at their usual staging spots in both Brown's and Smith's Bay on Lake Minnetonka. They were at quite a distance but numbered in the thousands. Mixed in were a few common goldeneyes. This is on the northeast shore of Minnetonka along Highway 15. There are few if any safe places to pull over, but there is one boat storage place (I believe Minnetonka Marine)just north and east of Tanager Lake where I have pulled in and no one has ever chased me out. The other safe observation place is an ice fishing parking bay on the east side of Highway 15 just north of the Arcola bridge in Smith's Bay. Be careful! Naturally there were a few bald eagles cruising about looking for injured mergansers. Not much else. No scoters I could find. Chet Meyers, Hennepin Count