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Family Patterns
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Flashy Fowl
The French call the wood duck “Canard branchu”, referring to its unusual nest-building in tree cavities close to the water. Wood duck nests can be found as high as 15 m. (50 ft.) from the ground. These birds feed on the seed of hardwoods, grasses and natural grains of the area as well as some insects. The hen (female) lays a clutch of 10-15 eggs that all hatch within hours of each other. Within days of hatching the ducklings will throw themselves out of the nest to follow their mother to the water. Soon after discovering the water, they begin to fly. Adult ducks’ diet is mainly vegetation such as duckweed and grasses, while the young are encouraged to eat insects for increased protein. The bold colours of the male don’t last forever! Like a tuxedo put away after a wedding, the drake’s colourful breeding feathers molt (begin to shed) once the hen incubates her eggs. This molting leaves the male looking a great deal like the female by late summer with a better camouflage coat for the fall. |
Certainly
the earliest blooming wildflower to give colour to Irving Nature
Park’s small hardwood and mixed wood areas is the dog-toothed
violet, also known as a trout lily (Erythronium americanum). This
yellow flower with green and purple blotched leaves is known as
“spring ephemeral”, meaning it blooms in the time between
the snow melting to the trees leafing. Timing is critical for
this plant. The dog-tooth violet must push its leaves up through
the cold ground (15-20 days after snow melt) and gather enough
of the sun’s energy in the short time before the hardwoods
leaf out, to feed the plant’s reproductive system. By early
to mid June, the flowers and leaves are gone and the hardwoods
are casting heavy shadows on the forest floor. If you look at
a patch of dog-toothed violets, less than 2% actually flower and
produce seeds. Patches expand largely through division of underground
bulbs, which incidentally do look like a canine tooth and will
eventually produce leaves that have identical purple patterns.
Count the number of “distinct” families within a patch
using this pattern matching technique.
Springtime
brings a revival of bold colours in the park, including the birds.
On the salt marsh and upper Manawagonish Creek some of those bright
colours belong to the drake (male) wood duck (Aix sponsa). This
Latin name means “water bird in bridal dress” a reference
to its colourful feathers. The drake’s bright orange-red
eye and bill, its white “chin strap” that seems to hold
an iridescent green hard hat (worn backwards) to his white-spotted
brown chest make this drake a flashy bird.  |
The Naturalist's Notebook is a regular publication. If you have any questions or topics that you would like to see addressed, please call John Gilbert, Manager, Fish and Wildlife, J.D. Irving, Limited, (506) 632-7777 or email honeyman.kelly@jdirving.com |