Wednesday, March 29, 1989 ert re PAIR OF PINTAILS (DRAKE IN FRONT) _Time for the birds and waterfowl is already well under way and soon our bays will exhibit many fewer marinc birds as a result of their leaving for often distant breeding ranges. The slim swift pintails and the stouter mallards are the first of the surface feeding ducks to arrive from the south and the first. to leave for more northern nesting arcas. The former, the hardy pintail, has more extensive breeding range than any other North-American duck, breeding principally from Central B.C. to James and Hudson’s Bay and from California to the Arctic coast and well into Alaska, especially on the west coast: These intrepid migrants will arrive at their northern destinations when the rivers and lakes are still partially ice-bound. The pintail is well Tepresemted throughout i ils brad range and hence known to: “many. In many regions; pintails arrive ‘from the south and iene again ~~ for more. northern rendezvous in three successive waves, many. of : them: from the southern limits of the continent having begun. their : long: journeys as carly as January. While: the first wave of. birds - “continues ‘on to the. northern-most limits, the third nests ‘more’. _. ‘southerly,/principally in southern Canada and in the United States. ' manatees FORE, Sesecse s ‘es meas ereeor rene ror een&, ‘fee CR EEK OEE S Pintails arc‘most readily’ recognized i in flight by their long, slim, greyhound build. The neck is long and the pointed tail extends well to the rear, particularly. in‘ the drake. ‘When swimming; the drake tends to hold his long central ‘tail: feathers at‘ an upward. angle. - ~ Unlike the mallard: with which they. often associate, pigtails have smaller dark bills and the females lack the white-bordered blue and come to resemble ‘the rather: dull coloration of their mates.» - This is the eclipse plumage, so common in ducks. However, later in speculum in the wing. so conspicuous in the female mallard. When feeding in water, they tend to tip up vertically, foraging for bottom dwelling organisms. ‘The conspicuous white breast and fore-neck of the drake contrasts sharply with the chocolate-brown head. The courtship flight of this’ species is spectacular, ~A female will take to the air, quickly followed by a. closely pursuing drake who secms to anticipate every move of the bird up ~ front. Round and round they go at breakneck speed, often gaining 248i BEACON: ‘AVE: 686-09) adecuite cover rage ” Did Ye You: iPad Maw ot extreme heights at which the pursuer may be joined by four or five arrdent rivals. At length, they set their wings stiffly and plummet. - carthward at breathtaking speed: with the air rushing over. their -- pinions in a miniature roar. By the time the original pair have swiftly leveled out a few fect above the ground, the rivals have discontinued the chase. Few birds other than jJacgers can match the marvelous acrial evolutions a the pintail in its nuptial flight. Strange as it may seem, the surface feeding pintails icnd 10 nest farther from: the water than any other duck. On numerous occasions, | have found their occupied nests more than half a mile from the nearest water, The nests may be cither ina shallow cavity “Dov you hi we ttt. 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CY HAMPSON photo beautiful flight of the pintail The spring migration of shorcbirds, warblers, sparrows, black- - excavated by the duck ¢ or-in slight natural depression, should the ve | . bird ‘be nesting. in. a region where. permiafrost prevails. a ~. Inany case,.the duck draws together a:limited quantity of dry grass and:.weeds and: then adds. dark, -white-flecked down and “brownish: feathers from her breast.:Cover seems of litte. impor- oe tance, since the birds often nest'in-very open-arcas of sand or gravel a in-the. virtual absence of: rooted : plants. _. Eggs are laid about a day: apart: with incubation besinnthe only : afier the clutch-has been ‘completed. Hence, the pale. buffish-gray ducklings .with gencrous brown markings all, hatch: at about the same time and are soon teady to be conducted to the water by’ the: “female. About this time, the drakes begin to moult their éourtship garb August, the birds will moult all of their flight feathers almost ‘simultancously and are therefore flightless until these feathers are: regrown, At such times, they. tend to frequent rather large bodies of . water in goodly numbers, One summer, Mary and I hada very interesting experience i in this. regard on the Arctic coast..We were hiking across an-arca of — open grassy tundra when a pintail suddenly flushed at Mary’s foot, “Whew! I nearly stepped on it!””. Mary exclaimed: As usual, ie pintail rose. abruptly, climbing almost vertically, ” “Look!” Mary said, “It’s coming down again!” The pintail was |. certainly dropping, out of control, And then we noticed the flight. ‘feathers spiralling downward from about where the bird had been when it so abruptly reversed its course... ; ; The bird had moulted all its flight feathers: at once, They must ~ have been loose in their sockets and about ready to-drop out and the sudden strain’ of bursting into the air had precipitated their release. The pintail was unin jured and we were able to catch it, The long : wing feathers were missing. | Dial- A- Purchase. has eS - conquered the one big problem Of high-priced merchandise... : ~ HOW DIAL*A-PURCHASE WORKS FOR YOU 1, Firat shop around fo got an idea of stylus and modals of any Hom you may want lo purchase, Gat your bost pn from the: dolar (haggle). 2. 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