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37-402: The park features lighted baseball fields, lighted basketball courts and a children’s playground. There is a dedicated parking lot just off Pacific Avenue. Del Rey Lagoon (sometimes called “the duck pond”) covers six acres (24,000 m and is 1,250 ft (380 m) long and approximately 350 ft (110 m) wide. The depth of the lagoon circa 1959 was four to six feet (1.2-1.8 m). The lagoon

74-713: A museum program for the Smithsonian, requesting that the organization focus on natural history in the United States. His program also allowed him to create a network of collectors through an exchange system. He asked that members of the Army and Navy collect rare animals and plant specimens from west of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico . In order to balance the collection, Baird sent duplicate specimens to other museums around

111-662: A sentry, watching for predators as the others in the group dive in search of food. Buffleheads are amongst the last waterfowl to leave their breeding grounds and one of the world's most punctual migrants, arriving on their wintering grounds within a narrow margin of time. Buffleheads are monogamous, and the females may return to the same nest site, year after year. They nest in cavities in trees, primarily aspens or poplars, using mostly old flicker nests, close (usually < 25 m (82 ft)) to water. Nest competitors include mountain bluebird ( Sialia currucoides ), tree swallow ( Tachycineta bicolor ), and European starling . There

148-441: A “boating paradise,” with “28 small boats of all sizes and kinds” available for public use, including canoes , sailboats , rowboats , kayaks , outriggers and paddlewheel boats . In 1973, the city offered “children’s boating classes every Saturday morning at the lagoon, giving information on handling canoes and sabots . Boating is open to children only and there is no swimming allowed.” The dock has since been removed and boating

185-441: Is a place where “wild ducks swim beside the domestic varieties that are cast-off Easter presents for city-dwellers’ children.” Among the wild waterfowl is a “large population of bufflehead ducks , great blue herons and coots .” Del Rey and Ballona Lagoons were originally part of the same Ballona Creek estuary channel system. The lagoon played host to crew races in the first decade of the 20th century. The lagoon played host to

222-409: Is derived from Ancient Greek βουκέφαλος bouképhalos , ' bullheaded ' , from boûs ' bull ' , and kephalḗ , ' head ' , a reference to the oddly bulbous head shape of the species. The species name albeola is a diminutive of Latin albus meaning ' white ' . The bufflehead ranges from 32–40 cm (13–16 in) long and weighs 270–550 g (9.5–19.4 oz), with

259-1092: Is nine (range six to 11), and eggs average 50.5 by 36.3 mm (1.99 by 1.43 in). Incubation averages 30 days, and nest success is high (79% in one study) compared to ground-nesting species like the teal. A day after the last duckling hatches, the brood leaps from the nest cavity. The young fledge at 50–55 days of age. Predators of adults include the peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus ), snowy owl ( Bubo scandiacus ), bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ), golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ), red-tailed hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis ), great horned owl ( Bubo virginianus ), and Cooper's hawk ( Accipiter cooperii ). These diving birds forage underwater. They prefer water depths of 1.2–4.5 m (3.9–14.8 ft). In freshwater habitats, they eat primarily insects , and in saltwater, they feed predominantly on crustaceans and mollusks . Aquatic plants and fish eggs can often become locally important food items, as well. Because of their striking plumage, highly active nature, and proximity to humans on waterfront properties, buffleheads are one of

296-481: Is no longer permitted on the lagoon. Bufflehead The bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) is a small sea duck of the genus Bucephala , the goldeneyes . It breeds in Alaska and Canada and migrates in winter to southern North America. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Anas albeola . The bufflehead was formally described in 1758 by

333-573: Is today. Baird became the manager of the United States National Museum in 1872. Baird told George Perkins Marsh that he sought to be the director of the National Museum and that he had intentions to expand on the collections within the museum en masse. He was the primary writer of A History of North American Birds, which was published in 1874 and continues to be an important publication in ornithology today. He created all of

370-477: The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons . He returned to Carlisle two years later. He taught natural history at Dickinson starting in 1845. While at Dickinson, he did research, participated in collecting trips, did specimen exchanges with other naturalists, and traveled frequently. He married Mary Helen Churchill in 1846. In 1848, their daughter, Lucy Hunter Baird, was born. He

407-618: The Los Angeles Motordrome racetrack, “world's first board track built for race cars” that was located adjacent to the lagoon from 1910 to 1913. The lagoon had a tidal exit channel as recently as 1929, before the Venice Oil Field was discovered and the Ballona Creek delta was reworked, by the 1930s flood-control channelization as well as the 1960s creation of Marina Del Rey. In the early 1960's several undeveloped blocks south of

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444-639: The United States and Mexican Boundary Survey . In 1855, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society . He received his Ph.D. in physical science in 1856 from Dickinson College. In 1857 and 1852 he acquired the collection of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science . However, the objects did not join the permanent collection of the Smithsonian until 1858. Baird attended

481-515: The February 1887, Baird went on leave due to "intellectual exertion". Samuel P. Langley served as Acting Secretary. Spencer Fullerton Baird died on August 19, 1887. Upon Baird's death, the Arts and Industries building was draped with a mourning cloth. John Wesley Powell spoke at Baird's funeral. Baird is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery . Baird's sparrow , a migratory bird native to Canada, Mexico and

518-538: The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Anas albeola . Linnaeus based his account on the "little black and white duck" that had been described in 1747 by the English naturalist George Edwards in the second volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds . Edwards examined a specimen from Newfoundland provided by the archivist George Holmes (archivist) ,

555-481: The United States federal exhibits in the Centennial Exposition , many of which won awards. When the exposition ended, Baird was successful in persuading other exhibitors to contribute the objects from their exhibits to the Smithsonian. In total, Baird left with sixty-two boxcars filled with 4,000 cartons of objects. Owing to the large number of objects collected, in 1879, Congress approved construction for

592-648: The United States, is named after him. A medium-sized shorebird known as Baird's sandpiper is also named after him. Baird Auditorium in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is named in his honor. It is located on the National Mall side of the first floor of the museum. Baird's wife, Mary, donated his stamp collection to the National Museum. His papers are held in the Smithsonian Institution Archives . In 1946, Baird

629-529: The boreal forest or taiga habitat. From 1966 - 2015, the bufflehead experienced a >1.5% yearly population increase throughout its breeding range. Buffleheads have evolved their small size to fit the nesting cavity of their " metabiotic " host, a woodpecker, the northern flicker . Due to their small size, they are highly active, undertaking dives almost continuously while sustained by their high metabolism. They do not tend to collect in large flocks; groups are usually limited to small numbers. One duck serves as

666-408: The coast. Baird used the U.S. Fish Commission to limit human impact through a compromise by prohibiting the capture of fish in traps from 6pm on Fridays until 6pm on Mondays. The Albatross research vessel was launched during his tenure, in 1882. He was highly active in developing fishing and fishery policies for the United States, and was instrumental in making Woods Hole the research venue it

703-402: The commission sought opportunities to restock rivers with salmon and lakes with other food fish and the depletion of food fish in coastal waters. Baird reported that humans were the reason for the decline of food fish in these coastal areas. Individuals with access to shoreline property used weirs, or nets, to capture large amounts of fish on the coast, which threatened the supply of fish on

740-497: The country, often exchanging the duplicates for specimens the Smithsonian needed. During the 1850s he described over 50 new species of reptiles , some by himself, and others with his student Charles Frédéric Girard . Their 1853 catalog of the Smithsonian's snake collection is a benchmark work in North American herpetology. Baird also was a mentor to herpetologist Robert Kennicott who died prematurely, at which point Baird left

777-501: The deputy Keeper of Records in the Tower of London . Linnaeus specified the type locality as America, but this has been restricted to Newfoundland following Edwards. The bufflehead is now placed with two goldeneye species in the genus Bucephala that was introduced in 1858 by the American naturalist Spencer Baird . The species is monotypic : no subspecies are recognised. The genus name

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814-403: The drakes larger than the females. Averaging 35.5 cm (14.0 in) and 370 g (13 oz), it rivals the green-winged teal as the smallest American duck. The bufflehead has a wingspan of 21.6 in (55 cm). Adult males are striking black and white, with iridescent green and purple heads and a large white patch behind the eye. Females are grey-toned with a smaller white patch behind

851-532: The eye and a light underside. They are migratory and most of them winter in protected coastal waters, or open inland waters, on the east and west coasts of North America and the southern United States. They can also be observed wintering on the Great Lakes . The bufflehead is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe. Their breeding habitat is wooded lakes and ponds in Alaska and Canada , almost entirely included in

888-588: The field of herpetology to focus on larger projects. Eventually, he became the Assistant Secretary, serving under Joseph Henry . As assistant, Baird helped develop a publication and journal exchange, that provided scientists around the world with publications they would have a hard time accessing. He supported the work of William Stimpson , Robert Kennicott , Henry Ulke and Henry Bryant . Between his start as Assistant Secretary and 1855, he worked with Joseph Henry to provide scientific equipment and needs to

925-530: The first National Museum building, which is now the Arts and Industries Building . Joseph Henry died on May 13, 1878 and on May 17, Baird became the second Secretary of the Smithsonian. Baird was allowed to live, rent free, in the Smithsonian Institution Building, but declined and had the east wing converted into workspace. He also had telephones installed throughout the building. That year, he

962-522: The forest habitat to thrive. Spencer Fullerton Baird Spencer Fullerton Baird ( / ˈ b ɛər d / ; February 3, 1823 – August 19, 1887) was an American naturalist , ornithologist , ichthyologist , herpetologist , and museum curator . Baird was the first curator to be named at the Smithsonian Institution . He eventually served as assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian from 1850 to 1878, and as Secretary from 1878 until 1887. He

999-646: The funeral of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, alongside Joseph Henry. In 1870, Baird was vacationing in Woods Hole, Massachusetts , where he developed an interest in maritime research. He went on to lead expeditions in Nova Scotia and New England . On February 25, 1871, Ulysses S. Grant appointed Baird as the first Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for the United States Fish Commission . He served in this position until his death. With Baird as Commissioner,

1036-429: The lagoon were acquired and the park was expanded with additional fields now home to a Little League Baseball facility and playground. Circa the 1950s, a water-control gate refilled the lagoon at high tide . The lagoon had previously been a salt marsh “subject to tidal flow,” but Del Rey “suffered as recreational lagoon because of the great change in water level.” In 1979, a motorized gate was opened “monthly to flush out

1073-616: The most popular birds amongst bird watchers. The bufflehead, also known as the spirit duck, was added to the coat of arms of the town of Sidney, British Columbia , in 1995. Buffleheads are hunted and are considered a gamebird. In contrast to many other seaducks that have declined in recent decades, bufflehead numbers have remained relatively constant. Habitat degradation is the major threat to this bird, since they depend on very limited coastal habitat on their wintering grounds, and very specific habitat in their boreal breeding grounds. Although buffleheads do use man-made nest boxes, they still need

1110-674: The northeastern and central United States. Often traveling by foot, Baird hiked more than 2,100 miles in 1842 alone. In 1850, Baird became the first curator at the Smithsonian Institution and the Permanent Secretary for the American Association for the Advancement of Science , the latter which he served for three years. Upon his arrival in Washington, he brought two railroad box cars worth of his personal collection. Baird created

1147-467: The now land-locked pond.” Community members would remove grass and litter from the lagoon by hand to prevent a build-up of smelly algae. Sailing classes were offered at the lagoon by the city parks department as recently as 1991. The lagoon had “a little wharf where the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department launches its canoeing classes.” In 1959 “the oblong-shaped lagoon” was described as

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1184-573: The prominent Philadelphia Biddle family ; he was a nephew of Speaker of the Pennsylvania Senate Charles B. Penrose and a first cousin, once removed, of U.S. Senator Boies Penrose and his distinguished brothers, Richard , Spencer , and Charles . He became a self-trained naturalist as a young man, learning about the field from his brother, William, who was a birder , and the likes of John James Audubon , who instructed Baird on how to draw scientific illustrations of birds. His father

1221-586: Was also a big influence on Baird's interest in nature, taking Baird on walks and gardening with him. He died of cholera when Baird was ten years old. As a young boy he attended Nottingham Academy in Port Deposit, Maryland and public school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania . Baird attended Dickinson College and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees, finishing the former in 1840. After graduation he moved to New York City with an interest in studying medicine at

1258-496: Was awarded a grant, in 1848, from the Smithsonian Institution to explore bone caves and the natural history of southeastern Pennsylvania . In 1849 he was given $ 75 by the Smithsonian Institution to collect, pack and transport specimens for them. It was during this time that he met Smithsonian Secretary Joseph Henry . The two became close friends and colleagues. Throughout the 1840s Baird traveled extensively throughout

1295-455: Was dedicated to expanding the natural history collections of the Smithsonian which he increased from 6,000 specimens in 1850 to over 2 million by the time of his death. He also served as the U.S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries from 1871 to 1887 and published over 1,000 works during his lifetime. Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1823. His mother was a member of

1332-649: Was made a member of the Order of St. Olav by the King of Sweden. In 1880 Baird was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society He oversaw the building of the new National Museum building, which opened in 1881. In September 1883, he was unanimously declared a founding member of the American Ornithologists' Union even though his duties prevented him from attending their first convention. During

1369-420: Was one recorded instance of a female Barrow's goldeneye killing a bufflehead adult female and her brood. Smaller cavities are preferred because of less competition with the larger goldeneyes . Females may be killed on the nest by mammals, such as foxes ( Vulpes and Urocyon sp.), weasels ( Mustela and Neogale sp.) or mink ( Neogale vison ), and by goldeneyes over nest competition. Average clutch size

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