With the kids out of school all day due to snow, I stopped by the Mayo/Shoreham area to let them play on the snowy beach.  I promised myself I was not going to make this a bird trip, just a kid trip, but while they were fully busy in their snow-adventure, I did take a minute to look at the big raft of ducks on the Bay.  

It looked like SCAUP and GOLDENEYE, primarily.  But with the bins alone, it was really hard to tell.  So yeah, I set up my scope ... just for a minute, just to get the ID ... and was glad I did.  There were, indeed hundreds of SCAUP, looked like mostly GREATER and some LESSER, although I didn't spend time sorting them out.  It was NOT a birding day. 

There were a small group of COMMON GOLDENEYE.  In one area, five or six males were seeking the attention of a lone - and apparently particularly attractive - female.  Two males swam alongside each other, neck stretched out in, I guess, a display of masculinity.  Meanwhile, another male came near her, pointed his beak to the sky, then pulled his head rapidly backwards, showing his brilliant white chest (and charming flexibility).  The first two scurried over and began to display to the female.  She swam away, but not too far, leaving the whole group of males to fluff and flex and display.  I hadn't see goldeneyes court before - and it was quite fun to watch.  And no, I didn't forget the kids (this was NOT a birding day) and put them on the birds to show them the cool display. 

As I took the scope back for one last look at goldeneye, I saw a large bird fly into the scope's view, just behind just the scaup.  I changed focus just in time to see a large female BALD EAGLE land on an empty osprey platform, followed by a male.  They sat wing to wing, agitated, the male mouth-open and apparently making calls we couldn't hear.  As we watched, the male lept on her back and they bred, right there on the osprey post, right in front of us. They sat together for awhile after that, and, since it was not a birding trip, I put the scope away and took the kids to a better sledding spot.  As I was leaving, I noticed the huge raft of ducks rise up and split in several directions - the eagles had gone airborne!  But they didn't stop to hunt, they flew off together south across Big Pond and kept flying until they were out of sight.  

For just a few minutes of birding, it was a great day!  

As I think about it, I find it VERY interesting that the arrival of the eagles didn't raise a feather on a single duck.  The raft sat there.  No one flew.  The Goldeneyes were displaying without stop.  However, after the eagle liason was complete, the first movement of the eagle sent the entire raft scattering.  It makes sense the eagles had no interest in eating scaup for supper as they come to the platform, just above and just behind the scaup, as their mind must have been on other things.  And it might make sense that afterwards the eagles could be hungry, and ready to hunt.  But what gets me is - how would the scaup know?  Why would they let two eagles fly down almost on them, without moving?  And if they would stand for that, why would they scatter as the eagles left? Do they have some sense that tells them when eagles are distracted by love, and thus safe? 

Always a new question....birding is so fun.  Even on a not-birding day. 

Joanne

Joanne Howl, DVM
 
West River, MD