Tuesday, July 31, 2001

Masked duck seen in Texas is a rarity

An e-mail on Texbirds, an National Audubon Society birding discussion list for Texas, told of Rockport birder Michael Marsden's discovery of a female masked duck. That night, a Rockport friend, Hilde Kaigler, called to be sure I knew. She said Rockport Beach was filled with birds too. A few skimmers are still there, along with least terns and tri-colored herons. It was a call I could not resist.
   "The masked duck reaches highest population densities," according to Blacklock and Rappole, "in central and northern South America." It is considered rare and elusive even in Mexico. Its presence in small freshwater ponds in the Coastal Bend is usually associated with wet cycles.
   It is a small relative of the ruddy duck, which it physically resembles. Both are small, chunky ducks with spiky tails, carried upright. Peterson says they cannot walk on land.
   Its name comes from the breeding plumage of the male, a black mask on its face. I have only seen a female. She resembles the female ruddy except, instead of one black mark crossing her face, she has two. Both sexes have white wing patches, concealed while swimming.
   The pond where she was seen is on the south side of A1 Hill Road, which lies between the 35 bypass and FM1069. It often has water when many area ponds are dry. Kathie Griffith and I went the next afternoon to find her.
   Sure enough, she was there, hanging out lazily, watching two lively least grebes fish.
   She cooperated, turning her face so that we could see both sides. On the fence nearby was an alert black-bellied whistling duck, guarding his family in the marsh. At the edge of the undergrowth by the water, a common moorhen was feeding.
   We watched a few minutes before I decided to try to take a picture. She read my mind and began to fish with the grebes. Head over, into the water she went, coming up for occasional brief breaths.
   We decided to see if we could find wood storks at Valero, several miles farther on FM 1069. The storks were roosting far away but we finally found them, white bodies and big black heads with heavy beaks. There were a number of brown young in the group.
   In the road there, sleeping, were lesser nighthawks.
   Donation for care
   I recently wrote about bird rehabilitator Rachel Wilkin, who wanted to remind readers that any baby is better off, and has a better chance of survival, with its parents. If you find a chick fallen from a nest, replace it if possible. If not, put it in a high branch and leave it until you are sure it is not being cared for.
   Wilkin is not paid by anyone. If you take a bird to her, leave a contribution if at all possible. Other contributions may be sent to: Rachel Wilkin, 3406 Brawner Parkway, C.C. TX 78411. She can be reached at 852-7008.
   Phyllis Yochem, a Corpus Christi resident, has studied birds in Texas since 1960.
  
  

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Phyllis Yochem, a Corpus Christi resident, has studied birds in Texas since 1960.

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