NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

THE GREY DUCK

INCIDENTS IN ITS LIFE

(By R. H. D. Stidolph.)

. The grey duck, New Zealand's most abundant- water fowl, is a familiar bird to most people. It is the southern representative of the' English mallard and-enjoys a fairly wide range, being found (besides in New Zealand) from the Celebes, Pelew Islands, and.;N.ew: Guinea,', to; Australia and Tasmania; and also' in many Pacific islands-as far east as Fiji and as far south-as the Macquarie Islands. It is not particular asj to what kind: of locality- it inhabits as.long as there is water.,of some kind, and for that reason it.rriay be.encountered in mountain streams,.on. lakes, rivers, lagoons, drains, swamps; or in the sea around the coast, being equally^at home in the midst of settled districts as it is in remote bush-clad areas. As the grey duck is New Zealand's principal sporting bird, .it is of some importance from the sportsman's point of view- that its numbers should .be maintained or increased.This is possible by paying due regard to to prevent any excessive slaughter, by providing areas''in which the bird' may -breed without molestation, and. by increasing the food supply. So many lagoon and,lake shores have been almost denuded ot food by the depredations of cattle that the grey duck; in'common with other water birds, has suffered considerably. . - ■ '. "' ■••"-' ■ . '' • ' • : • .■-. ■ '•■' . '".-:."'" CAREFULLY HIDDEN NESTS. " ■ 'Areas from \yhich cattle are-ex-cluded are a boon to the grey du'cfc.A,.month or two ago the writer inspected a small plantation reserve, fenced off from a domain visited by many hundreds of people. The area in question was no more than a quarter of an acre in extent, and the trees planted therein were only small.- ■ In the midst of the thick, mass of 'grass growing in this fenced-off area' the grey duck found admirable conditions for its nest. There, carefully hidden under a canopy of grass, the nest of a duck was found, in which the young had just hatched. While we were looking'at this nest, another grey duck suddenly flew away almost at our feet, and disclosed a second nest containing eight eggs. This nest, like the first-one, was well hidden in the middle of long grass and was built of. grass : stems and lined with' the bird's own down. The eggs were cream coloured. In this same area a pipit's nest was under construction in soiri'a short grassland right at the foot Tot a;small pine tree a yellow hammer was sitting on a nsst containing four, eggs, which were much more boldly and clearly marked- thar others seen earlier in the season. A greenfinch also had' a nest in a :Pinir" radiata tree, five feet from the ground. One egg had just hatched and there .wera two others just chipped :,"'.! ' DTJCK7 ; n R^'RTH. '■" jt. is apparent that if comparatively small areas of land adjacent .to water were" fenced off in various.; parts of the, country good'breeding places would be provided for the grey duck, which often has to £ ■ a considerable diSr tance from wa fcer to find a suitable spot. .Sometimes the grey duck builds its , nest ,in a. tree. Many years ago, when the writer was walking along the banks of a river in the early morning, a grey duck was .disturbed; from a large j'white pine tree. It flew rputid quacking ..in a rather, concerned ,w.ay : ,. but not great, importance was; attached to that fact at .the moment; Suddenly, a sharp- squeaking, pipewwars r hea.rd> followed by- a thud,' like •; something Striking ■ the ground. Turning round, the writer was amazed to see several little''ducklings falling to the ground'from"a limb of a" white pine tree, : forty-five feet above. It wa3 most ludicrous to see the' duckling? tumbling- down-to earth, with .thjeir tiny.-wings sticking out like flippers. The writer iwas still more amazed when, it wasfoundthat the youngsters suffered no injury. All of them were caught, and examined to. see, if "they were hurt, and upon being liberated again they quickly made their way off to; a nearby backwater, to which, the adult duck had directed them. It seems almost impossible to believe; that they could fall such a distance without .suffering injury but such certainly was; the case. ■ : -, • , ■ '• ■■ • : • ■ •'. '■ YOUNG CARRIED BY ADULT. Some authorities are rather sceptical about ducks; carrying their young in their bills from nesting trees, but it seems to be established that this mode of removing the young is employed on occasions. Mr. A. S. Wilkinson, of Kapiti Island, has related an instance that came under his notice some years ago. in the Solway College grounds, Masterton. He had a contract for clearing - away some trees adjoining the play grounds and used a traction engine for the purpose. One day, while he was assisting to pull out a wire rope with the object of attaching .it to'a large branch that had blown down, he was surprised- to see a grey duck fly from under the branch. He was still more surprised when he noticed that the' bird had a young one in its bill.. The bird flew for about four chains and settled close to a creek. On examining the nest he found several" broken shells and an addled egg. Apparently the duck had carried : all" the young ones away without being noticed. The nest, he states, was on tKe :ground amorigst grass, within -a chain'of. the main' drive. There must have been" ab6ut, a hundred girls attending the school, and some of them, must have often been within a few feet of the nest. ',- .. * " ' • • '♦ . ■ ■-.- ■• A SEA JOURNEY. Mr.-Wilkinson had another interesting experience with the grey duck on Kapiti Island. One bird became somewhat attached to the island and regularly visited the custodian's house, for food.' If there was no food put' out for it the duck promptly entered the house and proceeded up the hall to make inquiries. In the breeding season this duck had a nest somewhere near the mouth of the Waikanae River, and, while sitting, came every night and morning to the island for food. Its flight was watched through a. pair of binoculars, and' the three and ;.a half miles across water were accomplished- in as many minutes. The dudk flew straight up to the custodian's house for food,; and, after satisfying its hunger, returned to its nest on the mainland. The next incident of interest was the arrival of the duck,at the < island with three ducklings. As the ducklings could not fly, how did the, young ones reach the island? Did they swim across or were they carried? The grey duck, like many other species, of water fowl, on intimate acquaintance is found to be an interesting. bird that is quick to recognise kindly treatment. This confidence,.unfortunately, is sadly misplaced when so-called sportsmen . feed the bird throughout the year and slaughter.it when -the shooting season.opens, when it unsuspectingly returns for its usual feast. .. .• ' . , ....';•'■

The exposure for sale at the Johnsonville yards of. sheep affected .with lice cost Arthur Kilmister, Lawrence Victor Kilmister, and John Todd McCaw, sheepfarmers, 10s. Court costs when their.base's were;-heard in th' 9 Magistrate's Court'before; Mr. J. Mopling, S.M., ' "• :. ■..: