January 18, 1979 - Winter DucksGOLDENEYES -The oldtime gunners called them whistlers because on quiet days you could hear their "whistling" wings across
Because we live here on Long Island. and
particularly the North Fork, we are in
constant visual contact with the Sound, bay
and our creeks. One would have to be
wearing blinders not to see the variety of
activity on these waters. Whether its
summer boaters or clammers or fishermen
or gulls or ducks. something is always going
on.
Last week I had occasion to take part in
another type of bird count. The 1979
Federation Waterfowl Census. This, unlike
the annual Christmas Bird Count, only deals
with waterfowl and covert all the water
areas, not just select ones.
My area was from Mattituck Inlet east -to
Orient Point. The target date was the
weekend before, but because of the snow
and rain we were forced to use this weekend,
still Acluded in they census period. The
choice was not much better, but at least the
rain held off 'til afternoon when we had
gotten most of our walking behind us.
The most common group of ducks we
found were the scoters. These big black
ducks that move into our area each
winter, to feed on the mussels and
crustaceans that abound, are rugged in-
dividuals. Ice has taken over much of their
breeding area now and so, like many of us,
they move south to a more palatable
climate.
Basically there are three types of scoters
that we see in our bays and the Sound. Very
seldom do we find them in our creeks, as
they are deep water divers and so stay
outside the shallow creek areas. At first
glance they all look the same, big and dark
on the water, but like people when we get a
closer look, we then see the individual dif-
ferences.
The most common of the scoters is the
white- winged scoter. As the name' implies,
the male has a patch of white in its wing that
can be seen very clearly when it flies. The
female is a bit more difficult to distinguish,
for it has a small white wave above the eye
which is a bit more difficult to see unless we
have our binoculars out.
Other Scoters Identified
The second scoter is the surf scoter, or
skunk head as the old -time gunners called it.
It has a large white patch on the back of its
head and a large, flat,gaudy,orangish bill.
Up close it's a handsome duck with that
snow -white cap and colorful bill.
The last of the scoters is the common or
_American scoter -an all blackish-brown-bird
with no distinct markings. All theselsirds
are cold water ducks that spend most of
their lives gleaning the bottoms of the sea
for fish, crustaceans and algae. Like all the
sea ducks, rough weather has little effect on
them, as most of the time they are under
water in a quiet, serene world of semi-
darkness. Gardiners Bay, Orient Harbor,
Shelter Island Sound, Southold Bay and both
Little and Great Peconic Bays are where
these winter transients can be seen almost
any time.
The other sea duck you'll find in these hay
areas is the beautiful and stately goldeneye,
or as the gunners say the whistler ". This
duck can be identified by its sound, for on
quiet days you'll hear its wings "whistling"
across the bay as it speeds off to a new
location to feed. Again this is a duck of our
bays and Sound and not generally a creek
feeder.
The goldeneye is easily identified visually
if you have your binoculars -with you, for it
has a greenish -black head with a big round
white spot on its cheek. The back also has
white markings on it. Of course, if you are
close enough you can actually see the golden
eye the bird is named for. But this is so in-
conspicuous it is easily missed. Immatures
and females appear smaller and have
brownish heads 'and grey -white bodies,
rather nondescript. Look for the male with
his gaudy markings and you'll usually find
females about. Here again ee have a true
cold weather duck. As a young person years:
ago I can remember looking up in the classic
volumes, Birds of Ne‘.v ;'ors, and finding the
Fuertes`solnr plate picturing the male and
females sitting' in a field of ice floes. its a
classic picture and represents them well. Of
interest is the fact that these ducks are tree
nesters when we. generally think of most
ducks nesting on the ground e: :cept, of
course, for the well -known tree - nesting
woos. duck. This gaudy black-and-white
duc':, along with the oldsc;uaw, -are my two
favorite choices of winter ducks. Get to
know them.
Protected By Nature
Nature has done a remarkable job of
giving these birds extra protection against
the weather with heavy layers of fat and a
thick coat of feathers. This added to the
warmth of the water in comparison to the
cold air temperature. has made the sea an
ideal habitat for them. Knowing this and the
feeding habits of these wonderful birds. We
would think their future to he quite bright.
But alas they are being threatened every
day. not by the natural elements but by
man. But alas. they are being threatened every
day. not by the natural elements but by
man.
Oil spills are the real danger. We've all
seen oiled birds and it is a pitiful sight. but
I'm afraid. like the tip of the iceberg. its
only a small part of what really is happening
to much of our wildlife. Forget the hunting
pressure, that is minimal. It's the
destruction of habitat that is continually
going on. almost unnoticed. throughout the
world, that is the problem.
Scientists have told us that the visible oil
from an oil spill is only a small part of the
Story. The oil that has dissolved in the sea
water and the heavy particles that have
h settled to the bottom to mingle■ith the s_ea's
delicate food chain is really the disaster.
Like the buffalo - take away the range
they feed on and you can almost eliminate
the species. This availability of food has far -
reaching implications -- not only to the
wildlife that we speak of here but to man
who is at the top of the food chain. And so
when we read of people concerned about
birds being killed by an oil spill. remember
it goes deeper than that. Its the whole
concept we're concerned about. much of
which we don't even understand or know
about in today's world of modern
technology.
These oil spill disasters are true and
immediate disasters to wildlife and they
should ring a clear message to all of us. Like
the bell for Adano. let's remember they're
really ringing for us.
MERLON WIGGIN
by ROBERT WINTERNITZ
__.Interestingly - enough, one of the most business. Meanwhile- his sltoolEteacther
crucial jobs at Plum Island is not held down mother, author of historical books. is still
by a scientist, but by an engineer, the man writing.
responsible 'for the design, operation, Merlon Wiggin started in the lumber
maintenance, and construction of all business too. The first 25 cents he earned at
laboratory and support facilities. It is up to the age of five was for bundling shingles in
him to insure that all laboratory supporting his father's sawmill. where he continued to
functions, from marine transportation -to- wor{ci$iring off hours while going to school.
electrical generating equipment and
laboratory air and filter systems, are fully
operable. The effectiveness of the Island's
safety program is dependent on the systems
this man designs, operates and maintains.
The man in question is 48- year -old Merlon
l.i Wiggin, chief of engineering and plant
management, who carries out his respon-
sibility with the assistance of more than a
hundred engineers, marine personnel, and
expert craftsmen in all trades; and, oh yes.
he added, most important of all, an efficient
secretary.
He hails from a small town in Maine and
has an interesting background. His father. a
farmer and lumberman, retired a while
back but found he could not stand it. So
father bought himself a sawmill to replace
the one he sold and is back in the lumber
Merlon was among the lucky young ters
who, instead of being turned off by high
school, reveled in it -- studies and sports
both. He was on the baseball team and was a
track star, setting a record for the 1.000 -
yard run: he excelled in studies too.
Young Wiggin went to the University of
Maine in the class of 1953. Working his way.
influenced by his father and the high school
principal. he majored in agricultural
engineering and minored in civil
engineering. Another one of his activities
was to get married the summer of his
sophomore year.
Here is what occurred. He was on a bus
going from Providence. R.I. to Portland.
Maine. where he had a date. Also On the bus
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