NATURE NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1929, Page 2

NATURE NOTES

(BY J. DRUMMOND, F.J.S. F.Z.S.)

A photograph, sent by Mr T. W. Bruce, Hokitika, of a pair of crested grebes looking for a nesting-place on Lake'Wailutpe, South Westland, brings to mind the If act that these graceful and stately birds, although they do not appear in public olten, are holding their own amongst native birds.: They cannot lie said to be rare. It is doubtful if any of Westland’s charming lakes lack the grebes’ desirable presence. “ When'we saw them from the car they were witliih seven feet of the bank, on the road side of the lake, Mr Bruce states. “We drove past them, and then I stopped the car, and told the driver to bring his caineia. Not being used to birds, he would talk, and before he snapped the female dived, leaving the male facing us. The female was seen about thirty yards away making lier second dive. In my forty years’ experience of the bush 1 never before got so close to a crested grebe as on this occasion. Like youiselif, I have spent many a lonely hour on Lake lanthe, but never had such luck as I had at Lake Wailiape on Sunday, October 14, last.” The grebes Mr Bruce saw, probably were looking for a suitable place for a nest amongst the branches of trees that had fallen into the water of the lake near the bank. That seems to be the crested grebe’s favourite site. The nest is larger than might be expected. It is solid in structure, with a basin on the top for the eggs, greenish-white at first, later, perhaps owing to discolouration Ifrom vegetation, yellowishbrown. Pieces of nigger-head are used. If these are not available raupo, reeds, or pond-weeds that grow in the lakes may be worked in. A nest may be a foot above the surface of the water, or it may be'only slightly above the surface. A picture of easy grace in the water, grebes are absurdly awkward on land. They cannot rise ifrom the ground even with the help of the wind; but they can walk, or toddle, up a slight incline, and when a nest is raised a foot above the surface, jt has sloping sides, which give ready access to the basin that holds the eggs. In some cases, on the borders of lakes, nests are permanent structures, occupied every season, from about the middle of October to December, year in, year out.

With bodies shaped like boats, grebes swim low in the water. They have incomplete webs on their feet. In a measure this is compensated for by the flattening of their shank-bones. They use their feet in the water with a “ feathering ” motion, and the. leg is brought forward with the narrow edge of the shank towards the front. The stroke is made with the broad surface flat, like the blade of an oar. Mr T. H. Potts has stated that grebes swim with an air of demure gravity, in marked contrast to the air of most swimming birds, with which by the way, grebes often associate. On Lake lanthe, referred to by Mr Bruce, one of tbe most beautiful lakes in New Zealand, one ’off the most beautiful lakes in the world for that matter, they share the surface near the banks with black swans£ and the swans are not more gracefihl and stately. Grebes have a peculiar habit of covering a nest and eggs with water-weeds when they are away from it. The general opinion is that this is done to hide the nest from the eyes of other birds, which might raid it; but another view is that the object is to keep the eggs warm. In England, grebes are believed to be very shy. They seem to have this disposition in New Zealand. On the other hand, grebes on Lake Guyon distinguished between persons who might be dangerous and those who were not. Young grebes are grey, striped with black. They are not seen easily when they swim. They take to the water almost as soon as they come out into the world. Both parents attend to them and food them with care. If fatigued, one of the parents carries them on its back. It immerses itself deeper in the water, and the young take up positions immediately behind where the wings are inserted.

If New Zealand’s crested grebe is not identical with the great crested grebe of the Old County, Asia and Africa, it is very closely related to it, and observations of the great crested grebe’s elaborate courtship, doubtless, may be accepted as applicable to New Zealand’s male and female, when they put on the courtship costume, have a handsome ruff on the neck, reddish, tipped with black, and a double crest. The ruff is displayed conspicuously in courtship, with neck stretched out, and with violent shakes of the head. This is the simplest part ’of the ceremony. "When it is gone through the two birds rest on the water, facing each other, close together. Another part of the ceremony begins with the female swimming alone, her neck stretched out horizontally and her ruff thrown forward, while she calls at intervals. The male, swimming a short distance away, is obviously attracted by the female’s display. He dives, and she immediately draws back her head between her wings, half-spread on the water. He slowly emerges beside her, seeming to grow out of tlie water. First comes his head, with the ruff almost in a circle, his bill pointing downwards along his neck in a stiff and peculiar way. Then comes the neck, straight and vertical; then the body; then the whole bird, except for a few inches. He then sinks slowly to the surface and a bout of head-shaking begins.

Another pSrt of the ceremony lias been described as the weed trick. The two birds, highly excited, separate and dive. They come up some distance apart, each with a bunch of waterweed in its bill. With these offerings swim quickly towards ©ach other.

“A thing devised by the devil.”— Shakespeare. That is what one might term a sudden change in the weather—which brings annoying coughs and colds. Be prepared. Have a bottle of Baxter’s handy. Baxter’s Lung Preserver is a rich, red, soothing compound, that gives relief from the worst cough or cold. Also effective in cases of bronchitis, influenza, asthma, and all throat and lung troubles. “ Baxter’s ” possesses unique tonic properties. All chemists and stores. Generoussized bottle, 2s fid; large, economical size, 4s fid; bachelor size, Is fid. Be sure you get “Baxter’s”.