June 8th – the wood ducks have hatched and flown. No dud eggs, either. I am happy for that. It means they have safely made it to the wetland or the lake. I've tried to check only every 2nd or 3rd day. This was my last view of her, Sunday, June 5th. By Wednesday they were all gone. They only stay in the nest for 24 hours after hatching, then take off in the afternoon, bouncing out of the nest. You can see that the native phragmites have grown over the pond.
wood duck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
This is from 2017, when I thought they had all gone and I was prepared to clean out the nest! I scared us all!
We went into town for gas for the lawn tractor. I noticed the invasive phragmites had been mown by the county, at the side of the road. It's only mown as far as the county owns, and there is a large patch beyond it to the creek. They are working on this stuff. They are making progress, around the county with little robot tractors.
I noticed something white on the last slab at the end of the sidewalk. It looks like a phoebe egg taken from the nest. I wonder the story there?!
There was yolk. I don't know. It could be nest theft. It was peculiar.
It's sad to document damage, but noticed this lovely lily, lower left, and a bug of some sort had rolled the leaf and snapped off the flower bud to make a home. The one beyond, and on the right are still intact. I cross my fingers. I've wrapped my chicken wire around it, and hope to actually get a bloom.
Bambi ate them several years in a row until I figured out the idea of putting up a fence!
During Tuesday's rough weather, Caitlin went to Toronto for a two-day leadership conference. I live vicariously through my children, and I watched the plane online. I checked the radar and, sure enough, more storm clouds. It had to veer around the storm. This was the 23 mm rain day!
It was funny that JB having traveled a lot for work (i.e., Montreal once a week, Frankfurt quarterly, etc.), just commented that he didn't miss the travel, but sure loved seeing clouds. I know he'll like to see these, Caitlin's photos! Her iPhone takes snappy photos.
The Devil's Paintbrush are starting up. This is why I don't mow too much.
I managed to capture 17 videos on the trailcam, after hauling myself down there with bugs flying madly. There were 15 videos of crows, one of a blue jay, and one of the young buck.
young buck 2 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
13 comments:
...wood ducks are among my favorites.
Thanks for braving insects to collect videos. And how grand the wood ducks have hatched and gone on their way!
Too bad the baby Wood Ducks are gone without a portrait.
I agree with RedPat about the lack of wood duck pics. That was very quick.
Flying is not my favourite way of travel, but the clouds are fascinating, loved the young buck, and the lilies, I hope they get to show their blooms.
I love how you are in tune with what nature is doing.
I love the video of the deer.
Wood ducks are lovely, we don't get them over here normally, but some people keep them in collections and occasionally they escape into the wild.
It's good that you don't mow too often!
I love your bunting and flags! And I would have been watching the planes, too.
It's good that the wood ducks have hatched and gone, but a shame you were not able to get any pictures.
Your bunting and flags are very colourful.
All the best Jan
wow, I would have loved to see the baby ducks. We have a similar duck but I have never seen where they nest. :(
I spray my lilies with soap. I just found the little beggars today.
Jenn - I like your new header! I can't get over the fact that wood duck hatchlings exit the nest in 24 hours! Compared to owls, which don't leave the nest for 3 - 4 weeks! We have done a fair amount of flying lately, and it seems we have had more turbulence than normal!!! Not my favorite aspect of flying!
Devil's Paintbrush is an odd name for a pretty plant.
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