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01 *RESCANOctober 04, 1979 - OUR MALLARD DUCKSPage 6 c Ilse $uffollt `Clitttes eiRaIiirNMEESNAINISISWINIEMENERNIVAIMFAI by for° eel critic Barbara Rader Newsday, Sunday 9/22/79 `'Informal, rnoderately- priced American- Continental Restauran r.vilh good food, friendly service." P: • f3 ^.P +. t.ss.2 SaI`urda.. Y n!, ;,nd 1)rinking �S;I f7litillmi'nf 3!1 ,St I )intl�[ 5s3(3 - {V4 @'.sf. ()pen Columbus Day, .!Monday & lia', Ave ,•npe. • ate. : Ready Third Annual aHoween Costume Party Sai.. Oct. 27 Food, Music, Prizes!! ISTrzDICh li1�illllll('Il• lVllll !nlli:l nr c kOII. y 7, cca. l�N fL ISTRAL 'TAI. FESTIVAL Cosine and explore the secrets of the world's most exotic gemstone at Rose Jewelers' largest collection of opals and opal jewelry ever assembled on Long Island. Included are -rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and loose stones, priced from $20 to many thousands. View a rough cut Opal weighing over two pounds and a finished opal weighing 150 carats. Name Address Town Zip Tele: l Any questions? Just ask Manfred Anson, one of the world's leading authorities on opals. He'll be in our Riverhead store on October 5th and 6th. Or ask any of our own knowledgeable staff members. 'You must see an opal to understand why they are called the most mysterious of gemstones. FREE: Plenty of free give -away items froln Australia and MORE. We're giving away a piece of Opal Jewelry valued at $150. Just fill in this coupon. Bring it with you when you come to see Rose's outstanding opal collection. That's all you have to do to be eligible to win a beautiful piece of opal jewelry. No purchase necessary. Drawing will be held on Saturday, October 13th. In our Riverhead store only, October 4th tyres the 13th. Jewelers We Make It Easy To Say I Love You •Main Street in: Patchogue • Riverhead • Southampton • East Hampton October 4, 1979 OUR MALLARD DUCKS DRAKE MALLARD -- Whether wooing a hen in the spring, sitting quietly on your lawn, or feeding in the shallows, this colorful drake mallard is a handsome sight to see. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Of all the ducks in the area, and we have quite a few, the mallard is probably the one we're most likely to be familiar with. It's a handsome duck with an emerald green head, whitish belly, russet breast`and a white ring around its neck. To top this handsome dress off he has beautifully curled tail feathers. An adult male is something to see! Mallards in my opinion •ave._become more and more abundant here on the island since I was a boy. It seems every creek has its nesting pairs and I even see many of them sunning themselves on neighbors' lawns along our waterways. For those who have this handsome fellow around during the summer, you're probably familiar with the complete change of feathers that we call an ellipse plumage. Our emerald green headed duck becotnes a drab, inconspicuous fellow for about a month in early srnnmer when he loses all his feathers and takes on these dull colors. Even the large wing feathers are lost and it. 6: during this time that he hides in secluded parts: of our creeks and marshes, where he is safe from predators that he otherwise could fly away from. This strange ellipse molt only occurs in male ducks and happens to no other birds in the world shat makes it even more in MaINA ds add lo wonder And heritage ,,%F Mgt / r }3-rtag'• our. teresting is that it o:.y happens in the northern hen: sphere. Other species, of ducks throughout the world, below the equator, have none of this unusual :1r ' t. rg change. Only the ducks, as I said• northern hemisphere have s phenomenon. Mallards "Spring From Water" Mallards are paddlers and usually can be found in shallow waters where they "tip up" tbeirtails as they prod the bottom with their bill. They sit high in the water and when surprised seem to literally "spring" from the water. Many of our diving ducks, on the other hand, seem, to have Co run along the water before taking off. All these bits of computer information help those interested in identifying birds to come up with the right answer. Ducks; like the mallard, usually travel north in the summer and south in the winter and' follow specific flyways. The Atlantic flyway, which we are a art. of, includes all the •ducks we see around here. The. other flyways are the Mississippi, Central and Pacific. The greatest number of mallards nest in the duck factories of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Dakotas and western Minnesota. As I said before, we're getting more and more birds attcl therefore more and more nesting mallards around our area. The ground nest is usually in the begin- ning made of grass and is usually found — close to water. As the bird incubates its eggs -it pulls down from its own breast and lines the nest. When it leaves the nest it covets the eggs with the down and grass and like a down jacket this covering keeps the eggs warm until the bird returns. Nest In Strange Places I've heard of strange places mallards have used for nesting sites, such as old dock pilings, the top of muskrat mounds, and for the last two years a window box outside a lady's home and .neighborhood have wat- ched this mother duck brood, hatch and take . off with her young from this most unlikely spot: Last year, when my wife and I stayed on Fire Island during the summer, a mallard hen made her nest on the ground in a tangle of shrubbery in front of our cottage. Each evening, as we were having supper, she would sneak off to feed and bathe.Then just before dark she would fly in and stand nearby. She was something to watch. Very alert, head outstretched and looking all about, she would slowly move toward the shrubbery, slopping every once in a while to carefully check the area Then, when she was satisfied no one was watching, in she'd go and we'd noised her until the following day. After about 26 days the eggs hatched. 11. was the busiest day of the summer. Boats were everywhere. Yet when nature called and 12 little ducklings wanted to go, mother moved them down the beach and out into t.ht water. Like a grand parade she looked. How we telt for her. ilere she was excited about the most important thing in her life.and was faced with an armada of boats. First this way. Then that way. Then uq;der the dock. Then .toward a sailboat. Then, over the waves of a speed boat. • Marshals Brain fn:t Into Say - In the meantime a crowd had gathered on- •the beach to wish her t, rcwcll With arm. waving and people scre..troin7:,nri hollerin and with the aid of lx,,fers, directions were given for a wide berth. Not having any marshes around or other ;areas to hide her little crev:. olie headed straight out toward the middle of the bay. G`; haLever happened to her we'll never know but she surely had our hearts with her. The mallards have brought much pleasure to many /of uit who live here on Long Island, and fortunate we are that the duck can still find a nesting site and suf. ficient shallow water . areas to feed. To watch the springtime foolishness and maneuvers of a drake mallard, or as a. matter of fact many drake mallards trying to woo a henjfull flight is one of nature's great spectacles (Ir perhaps to Just watch a pair sitting cluicilp on your lawn or feeding in the shallows along the shore is truly a ,treat to e'eryone. Mallards do add much to the wonder and heritage of our wildlife reservoir and as long as there are goodg nesting sites and feeding areas we shall always have them to enjoy.