[NatureNS] Mergansers and Deer at Conrad Beach

From: Paul Murray <murraypaul@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2015 07:24:54 -0300
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April 14, 2015
Conrad Beach, Lawrencetown

The three species of mergansers have been making quite a show over the =
past couple of days at Conrad Beach.   The numbers of each vary but =
generally, there have been 7 Hooded, 8 Common and 10+ Red-breasted =
Mergansers at the same time in the open water on the west side at the =
gate to Conrad Beach boardwalk.  On occasion there were also 5+ Common =
Goldeneye.  Having all tree species of merganser in one place at the =
same time during courting was very interesting as it afforded a good =
opportunity to compare how the different species behaved.  Over several =
hours observing, I noted the following:

Hooded Mergansers
Males are more gentlemanly in their courting displays.  Mostly head =
throwing, neck stretching and occasional half-hearted chasing of the =
competing males.  Generally, the group of seven (3M + 4F) kept =
themselves separate and grouped in the middle of the open water when =
resting.  They would mingle with the other two species when feeding near =
the edge of the ice though.

Red-breasted Mergansers
Males preferred to display with head throws, neck stretches, etc. but =
showed little real aggression towards other males.  When resting, they =
did not segregate themselves like the Hoodies, except when the Commons =
were charging around.=20

Common Mergansers
These guys are really aggressive.  They don=E2=80=99t just chase the =
competition away =E2=80=93 they attack them.  I got a few pictures of =
one male actually grabbing a competitor by the neck and dragging him =
under water!  They did not display as much as the Hoodies and =
Red-breasted, preferring I guess to use brute force to impress the =
competition and the females.  Even the females were aggressive =E2=80=93 =
they would chase and snap at unwanted suitors.   The other two (smaller) =
species stayed well clear of the Commons when they were in action!

There was two groups of White-tailed Deer around as well.  A pair =
crossed the road and then across the tidal flats and walked over to the =
trees behind the beach.  Another group of 6 were seen crossing the ice =
from the road westward towards West Lawrencetown.  The ice looks like it =
is getting rotten so they may not be able to cross this way much longer.

I had a lot of enjoyment watching these guys during the past couple of =
days!

I added a few pictures to my gallery at:  =
http://scranlocker.smugmug.com/Nature/Nature-2015/n-3GtBJ

Paul Murray
Dartmouth
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<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=3Dltr>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>April 14, 2015</DIV>
<DIV>Conrad Beach, Lawrencetown</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The three species of mergansers have been making quite a show over =
the past=20
couple of days at Conrad Beach.&nbsp;&nbsp; The numbers of each vary but =

generally, there have been <STRONG>7 Hooded</STRONG>, <STRONG>8 =
Common</STRONG>=20
and <STRONG>10+ Red-breasted Mergansers</STRONG> at the same time in the =
open=20
water on the west side at the gate to Conrad Beach boardwalk.&nbsp; On =
occasion=20
there were also<STRONG> 5+ Common Goldeneye</STRONG>.&nbsp; Having all =
tree=20
species of merganser in one place at the same time during courting was =
very=20
interesting as it afforded a good opportunity to compare how the =
different=20
species behaved.&nbsp; Over several hours observing, I noted the=20
following:</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><U>Hooded Mergansers</U></DIV>
<DIV>Males are more gentlemanly in their courting displays.&nbsp; Mostly =
head=20
throwing, neck stretching and occasional half-hearted chasing of the =
competing=20
males.&nbsp; Generally, the group of seven (3M + 4F) kept themselves =
separate=20
and grouped in the middle of the open water when resting.&nbsp; They =
would=20
mingle with the other two species when feeding near the edge of the ice=20
though.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><U>Red-breasted Mergansers</U></DIV>
<DIV>Males preferred to display with head throws, neck stretches, etc. =
but=20
showed little real aggression towards other males.&nbsp; When resting, =
they did=20
not segregate themselves like the Hoodies, except when the Commons were =
charging=20
around. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><U>Common Mergansers</U></DIV>
<DIV>These guys are really aggressive.&nbsp; They don=E2=80=99t just =
chase the=20
competition away =E2=80=93 they attack them.&nbsp; I got a few pictures =
of one male=20
actually grabbing a competitor by the neck and dragging him under =
water!&nbsp;=20
They did not display as much as the Hoodies and Red-breasted, preferring =
I guess=20
to use brute force to impress the competition and the females.&nbsp; =
Even the=20
females were aggressive =E2=80=93 they would chase and snap at unwanted=20
suitors.&nbsp;&nbsp; The other two (smaller) species stayed well clear =
of the=20
Commons when they were in action!</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>There was two groups of <STRONG>White-tailed Deer</STRONG> around =
as=20
well.&nbsp; A pair crossed the road and then across the tidal flats and =
walked=20
over to the trees behind the beach.&nbsp; Another group of 6 were seen =
crossing=20
the ice from the road westward towards West Lawrencetown.&nbsp; The ice =
looks=20
like it is getting rotten so they may not be able to cross this way much =

longer.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I had a lot of enjoyment watching these guys during the past couple =
of=20
days!</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I added a few pictures to my gallery at:&nbsp; <A=20
title=3Dhttp://scranlocker.smugmug.com/Nature/Nature-2015/n-3GtBJ=20
href=3D"http://scranlocker.smugmug.com/Nature/Nature-2015/n-3GtBJ">http:/=
/scranlocker.smugmug.com/Nature/Nature-2015/n-3GtBJ</A></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Paul Murray</DIV>
<DIV>Dartmouth</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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