Notes from Field and Study
Notes on the American Golden-Eye
The Golden-eye, or Whistler, is one of our most hardy Ducks, living here through- out the winter, sometimes in goodly num- bers, passing most of the time feeding and swimming about the air-holes and sitting along the edges of the ice, where they preen their plumage. They resort to one place at night to roost, that is, if swimming about in the water may be called roosting. The Ducks for several miles around congregate at one air-hole The Whistlers are not alone in roosting here, as they are joined throughout the winter by the American Merganser, and, later, by the Black Duck. When coming in to roost, they fly in low over the water, and against the wind, in flocks of from two to twenty, the time of arrival being from about sundown until dark. When disturbed, they come in later. The Whistler, although capable of seeing well throughout the day, is handicapped by being unable to see well after dark. Rarely in daylight can a man boldly approach within two hundred yards, un- less he resorts to strategy, yet at night, by noiselessly approaching in a boat, one may easily get within twenty-five yards. It is interesting to watch this species during the courting season, which begins here in central New Brunswick late in March and continues throughout April. Should one flock, consisting of males, old and young, and females be swimming about, and observe others approaching on wing or on the water, the adult males, which are really beautiful birds, swim out in advance from each flock and, as they advance, will occasionally throw back the head until the crest rests on the back and the bill pointing about straight upward, utter a note sounding like z-z-z-eet. It is a very difficult sound to successfully imitate, but when once heard, and the source observed, it is not likely to be soon for- gotten. After this introduction, as it were, the members all unite in one flock and pro- ceed to enjoy themselves in Duck fash- ion. The males also perform these antics after they have chosen a mate, and one may frequently see the male, when alone with the female, throw back his head and give vent to his feelings by uttering this pleasant note, which I have only heard in spring-time. In May, or early in June, when the female is engaged in incubating her half dozen or more eggs, the male is ever on the lookout for enemies, and is very suc- cessful in alluring man from the vicinity of the nest, which is placed generally in a hollow stump, or, it may be, in an old Crow's nest. Right well does the writer remember one day about the last of May, while walking along the tree-grown shore of an island, being accosted by an adult male, which flew near, making a piteous, whining sound, and alighting just about forty yards away, and so long as I fol- lowed in a certain direction all was right, but on returning to the place where he was first seen, he would again return and repeat the performance. After fol- lowing him for some distance, he took to flight and disappeared. This species breeds quite abundantly in the northern portion of this province, and the southward flight begins about the first of October. The adults molt in July and August, and at this time are often quite unable to fly, owing to the loss of a great num- ber of the flight feathers at one time. These Ducks feed by diving and tak- ing their food, which consists chiefly of small molluscs, from the bottoms of rivers and lakes, staying under water, generally, from one-half a minute to one minute and a half. — Willie H. Moore, Scotch
Lake, M. B.
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