Local birding report

On the afternoon of March 2 I spotted a flock of black and white ducks along the Spurwink River. Before I was able to get a good look the ducks took wing, retreating deeper into the salt marsh. Seen in flight, I observed several of the duck’s white bellies distinctly contrasting with their black breasts. I also noted the way these ducks took off from the water. This led me to believe that I had seen a flock of Greater Scaups. Unlike a Mallard or Black Duck who springs into the air, the Greater Scaup must tread water for some distance while furiously beating its wings to get airborne.

As the snow fell the following day along the Sawyer Road section of the Spurwink Marsh I came across a lone Greater Scaup hunkered down in a shallow salt-water pond. Known by some as “bluebill” the Greater Scaup is the only circumpolar diving duck to visit Cape during the winter months. This shy medium sized duck breeds in the treeless tundra wetland regions of North America and Europe. At this time of year Greater Scaups can be found in salt-water ponds, bays and estuaries along our coastlines. The males have a bluish bill and black head, neck and breast that, under the right light conditions, gives off an iridescent green shine. Females are brown overall with a white facial patch next to the bill. Both species have bright yellow irises.

Interestingly, during the winter months these ducks often feed well after sunset, departing its daytime estuary resting haunts and flying to open ocean where they forage on offshore mussel-beds in search of crustaceans and mollusks.

Unfortunately, the Greater Scaup is a species in steep decline. Specifically, there has been an estimated 50% loss of population over the last 40 years and the total current breeding population estimate is only 780,000 ducks. Factors likely contributing to this bird’s decline according to scientists include: warmer waters in Alaska, human disturbance, habitat degradation, contaminants and hunting. Because nearly 70% of the population along the Atlantic coast spends the winter in relatively urbanized areas, they are subject to contaminants including high levels of heavy metals such as mercury. Although hunting of this duck is regulated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, upwards of 60,000 Greater Scaups are taken annually.

A bit further down the road I caught sight of another early March migrant, two Hooded Mergansers tucked away in a secluded nook of the river. Every time I come across these little ducks in their elegant spring plumages I get excited. Females flash a warm cinnamon colored sail-like crest atop their head and the male returns the gesture with a pumping of his equally dapper black and snow-white patched semi-circular crest followed closely by a froglike croak.

Smallest of the three native Mergansers and lesser in size than a Wood Duck, “Hoodies” breed in wooded swamps and forests near water, like that of Cape’s Pond Cove Brook Corridor. The swift noiseless flight feathers allow these stealthy ducks to effortlessly thread its way among the branches of trees and into its hollowed tree cavity which can be 70 or more feet off the ground. Interestingly, within 24 hours of hatching the mother duck will call her ducklings from the ground and they will make the leap from the nest. In many cases the ducklings then must walk a half a mile or more to get to the security of water. Fortunately, this duck’s population is increasing which is in part due to nest boxes put out for Wood Ducks. Other reasons include reversion and reforestation of cleared land along streams and rivers.

Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey was an American Ornithologist that I knew very little about until recently. Florence was an instrumental activist in bird conservation during the late 1800’s through 1948, a time period when killing birds for sport and for fashion was normal. In 1886 while attending Smith College she formed the first local chapter of the Audubon Society, encouraging field study of birds not by shooting them but rather by “how the birds look, what they have to say, how they spend their time, what sort of houses they build and what were their family secrets.” In 1890 Houghton Miff-lin published a collection of her writings in “Birds Through an Opera-Glass,” which is considered by many to be the first field guide to American birds. In stark contrast to the dense scientific ornithology writings within what was a male dominated field, Florence’s book contained physical descriptions of the birds’ appearances, songs, habits and often included an illustration or musical notation. Florence was also first woman to be elected as a Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union and was awarded the William Brewster Memorial Medal - given biennially to an author of an exceptional body of work on birds.