Live shots around the yard
Other great pictures of various birds caught on camera around our yard. Merganser and Wood Ducks hatching.
The Seasonal Evolution of a Duck Box
I have had this Duck Box on the edge of the East Fork of the Eno River in my backyard for 7+/- years. This is the first year it served as a successful nest site for 2 species, Wood Ducks and Eastern Bluebirds. Red Shouldered Hawks on the other hand have always found the Duck Box a productive hunting perch.
Breeding birds of Boulder
Various capture of young birds with parents from the past summer.
Wood duck dining
We have several feeders for the locals, and we were pleasantly surprised to have a female wood duck frequent the platform feeder, as well as the squirrel feeders full of corn.
WOOD DUCK BABIES BAILING OUT
Wood duck box #3 had 17 eggs, all 17 fledged!
Double Dipping?
This is an image on our TV captured by the camera in our nest box. These are two Wood Duck hens usingg the same nest to lay her egg. The 1st one in had been ietting comfortably in the nesting material/down mixture when the 2nd hen plopped in unannounced. Many times when this happens (we’ve observed this before), the two birds will really battle for rights to the nest. This time, though, the 1st hen just looked very confused, tried to sit on the other hen and gather her under her wings. Duck #2 wasn’t having any of that, though, so Duck #1 just simply allowed her to have the box and left! We wish we would know which duck will end up incubating all the eggs but we’ve found that they’re reluctant to wear their name tags…
First wood duck eggs of 2020
Wood Duck Nestbox Photos
Wood Ducks have claimed box number D1 for the past four years. This year there are 21 eggs being incubated. Other wood duck females have added there eggs to this nest. A second box was monitored on April 14, and a small female wood duck was observed sprawled across many, many eggs. It appeared she was even trying to incubate them with her wings, head and neck because there were so many and the floor area was so big.
Wood Duck
Wood Duck swimming In Pond
wood ducklings
Wood Duck
Female Wood Duck has been busy laying eggs and now lining the box with her downy feathers. Incubation should begin soon. Currently, there are 10 eggs in the box.
Female Wood Duck
Female Wood Duck nesting in backyard box near creek. She is not yet incubating, but has spent 2 nights in the box this weekend. She is currently busy lining the box with her downy feathers. There are 10 eggs in the box so far. Incubation should be soon!
Wood Duck Nest
There is a path that goes behind my Grandmother’s house that leads to a very large lake. There are two duck houses that were already set up (Who knows how long they have been sitting there) and I saw that one contained a nest.
Wood Duck
Female Wood Duck nesting in our box.
Wood Duck Nest Box 2016
This was the first year for this nest box. 8 of 8 eggs produced off-spring. April 17 was jump day!
Wood Duck Box
Wood Duck Box over lake with 9 eggs. Noticed door jutting out at bottom so went to secure the latch but wood had swelled so latch wouldn’t keep door closed. When we opend the door, one egg fell into the water. We were able to secure the door so no more eggs would fall out and no predators could get in.
Wood Duck Breeding Pair
My first sighting of a Wood Duck in 30 years in Summit County. When I reported it to ebird I was given a warning re: unusual for this area, etc. so it’s gotta be UNUSUAL for this elevation. I have a breeding pair of Mt Bluebirds nearby so stopped to check on their nesting progress; then turned my attention to the nearby pond and was stopped dead-in-my-tracks. Very little human encroachment in the area; the Wood Ducks spent 2 days resting (thurs & fri may 15 & 16). Checked on them Fri night; they were still tucked-in the willows; installed a Wood Duck nestbox Saturday afternoon. When I arrived, they were GONE. Heartbroken, I finished the installation and went home with a heavy heart.