Hi Jim,
I visited that spot on 4/13 and saw a female hooded Merg with at least 11 young...I imagine you're talking about the same bird. Here's the link to my eBird list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13737090 I'll process one of the photos I took and attach it to the list when I get a chance.
Mark Johnson
Aberdeen, MD
----- Original Message -----
From: jim green
To: mdbirding
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2013 12:43 AM
Subject: [MDBirding] Carroll County Hooded Merganser behavior
Hi everybody:
I just started posting my Union Mills wetland area sightings in e-bird from the morning of Wed. April 17th. I posted that morning from the field regarding hearing Sora, Va. Rails (2) and a Least Bittern. As I was putting my list into e-bird I wanted to post and share some interesting behavior sightings that I had of a female Hooded Merganser.
I arrived and started birding just after 7 AM on a fairly foggy morning. About 20 minutes into my birding a female Hooded Merg flushed from a primarily cattail wetland area about 50-60 feet away from my location. I was not really close enough to disturb it; it just seemed to fly up briefly on its own, then circled and returned to approximately the same location. At the time I made a note of it, thought nothing more and continued birding.
About 45 minutes later as I was walking around the perimeter of the same cattail wetland a female Hooded Merg flushed again a short distance from me (only 10-15 feet from me this time). It quickly landed in open water and immediately began doing a distress-type broken wing flapping for about 45 seconds. I have seen Killdeer do this on land before and also have seen Wood Ducks do it in open water numerous times previously.
This behavior immediately reminded me of a female bird's attempt to distract you from either a nest location or near-by juveniles. I have never previously seen this behavior from a female Hooded Merg before but have never knowingly come in proximity of a potential nest or young birds. I can only assume that she was on nest in the hidden cattails. No sign of any young.
I checked the MD Yellow Book and it shows the earliest Egg Date for Hooded Mergs is April 14th, three days previously.
Would be very interested if others that venture into this area observe similar behavior or eventually see any signs of young chicks down the road. Also would be curious if anybody has found previous breeding evidence at this location.
Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD
work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS !!!
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