The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge.
We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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January 25, 2020
Salish Sea, PacificNorthwest
We had a lucky afternoon sunbreak a few days ago and as a bonus, no wind to speak of. And an even bigger pleasure, a few ducks lounging around in the corner of the bay near shore. When the weather gets stormy, the ducks generally go offshore a bit to stay out of the surf or else decamp inland to sheltered ponds.
On this occasion there were two pairs of Harlequin ducks variously foraging, scuffling, grooming and just paddling around. Like most ducks, the drakes are have a brightly colored pattern while the hens are more camouflaged brownish.
Ducks dedicate some of their daylight hours keeping their plumage tidy. That’s not a discretionary or casual activity. Their warmth depends on it, and these waters are cold, in winter 48°F or less (9°C). Why they choose to start grooming when they do, I don’t know, but often if one starts, others will too. This video clip shows the hen harlequins balancing on drifting bull kelp to groom. There are two young mergansers nearby grooming even more assiduously.
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The drakes engage in periodic scuffling. I think about their scientific name when I see them doing that: Histrionicus histrionicus. It’s highly unlikely they are competing for mates. According to sources like Cornell Ornithology, “Harlequin Duck pairs are monogamous and long-term. They maintain pair bonds through the winter and from year to year. “ I guess the drakes are just socializing, in their way.
Harlequins are usually out in rough water, their preferred hunting ground, but occasionally they’ll cruise into this quiet bay. There’s a wealth of crabs and clams here. Surf scoters, Buffleheads and mergansers also hunt here, along with otters and seals. I rarely see Harlequins in a similarly quiet crabby bay around the corner though. That’s a mystery too.
While a sunny calm afternoon in winter means life is more low key for a short while, most of their day is spent foraging for food, as always. Like other shallow diving ducks Harlequins make short excursions under water searching for invertebrate prey. Since they swallow crabs and clams whole, and mostly underwater, it’s impossible to tell how many dives are productive. When in foraging mode, they’ll make one dive after the next. How long are the dives? You can time that here:
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Fairly calm this morning currently, overcast, with rain and wind on the way again here in the PNW islands today.
What’s up in nature in your area today?
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