
Page 11 
VINTER DUCK WATCHING ON THE CHICAGO RIVER 
——$$ —_ EE ECAGO RIVER 
Uhenever there is a heavy snowfall or ice-cak 
1inded of the BIG SNOWS of 1967. Soon after the Big Snow the Chicago River iced 
ip rapidly with floating bergs, and probably due to the vast amount of clean 
snow the water, at least on the Surface, looked rather clear and clean. In 
she month of February a number of migrant ducks chose to move in from the lake 
ind spend their time on the open water between the bergs in the river just beyond 
the Michigan Avenue bridge (and sometimes the birds sat on the ice floes). So 
ach morning after I alighted from the bus near the bridg 
the river to see who was down there; and then at lunch ho 
‘ailing from the Equitable Plaza to observe the birds. 

es in the Chicago River) beam 1re- 

e, I would quickly scan 
ur would hang over the 
‘here usually were from four to eight to ten Scaup grouped closely together with 
tale and female paired off. The male gave the appearance of black head, neck 
wnd chest with grayish back and white undersides. The female had the white band 
.t the base of the beak. Occasionally they would dive and come up with a tiny 
fmsh to eat. 
‘ f : is ; ' 
jut what intrigued me was the Goldeneye duck an impressive looking bird, I 
ink. His largish head appeared a velvety black with prominent white spot be- 
ween beak and eye; his black back patterned in snowy white; underside also a 
triking white. Always exclusive, he stayed in his own pool, often alone or 
ith another goldeneye; if my Scaup showed any inclination to swim close to the 
Oldeneye, the latter would rapidly swim to the next DOO tes iNen tooeit was in= 
eresting to watch his diving and swimming capacity. The duck never swam directly 
eross the river, but always went ona diagonal. I venture to say that he swam 
aster than we would walk the same distance on dry land. Sometimes he would dive 
nderwater and come up quite a distance, maybe 10 - 20 - 30 feet; when crossing 
he river, he would swim awhile and then dive again and again. Some dives lasted 
O seconds; another 40 seconds, another 60. He would also dive to come up with 
small fish and feed. For about three weeks I observed these birds and then 
hey decided to return to the lake at Navy Pier and rejoin the other ducks there. 
Opefully, each winter I watch the river at this Same point but none of the 
ucks move in, probably because the stream is too dirty, and finding the harbor 
t the Coast Guard Station more to their liking. 
F, Kraemer 
AXPAYERS FOOTING BILL ON PUBLIC GRAZING LANDS 
y eee es : Se RO CIING | LANDS 
ander laws that trace their history back before the turn of the century, the 
»S. government now administers some 283 million acres of federal land for live- 
tock grazing. The fees charged for this grazing are far below cost. A com- 
Mative handful of ranchers are getting grazing rights for only a fourth or va 
tird of what it would cast elsewhere. In all, this amounts to an unintended 
wbsidy of about §24 million a year to these ranchers. 
Tealistic fee schedule is being fought by the livestock interests and are 
»eking a vested interest or TAgnt to these vast areas, freezing them as grazing 
Inds regardless of America's future outdoor needs. 
1¢ present "subsidy" is a scandal that should annoy any taxpayer, but to the 
Mservationists it is worse than that. Over-grazing can have disastrous effects 
1 natural beauty, watershed values, erosion and wildlife production. 
Preston Davies 
: 
'IF YOU PLAN TO MOVE IN 1969, PLEASE LET US KNOW. ADVISE THE IAS OFFICE 
: OF YOUR OLD ADDRESS AND YOUR NEW ADDRESS, SO YOU DON'T MISS OUR MAIL, 




