May 27th – jump for freedom

7:38 a.m.

I've had to process this event a bit. I also have to remember that 10 ducklings are alive with their momma. She will work hard to care for them. She'll have to work hard. Their mortality rates are high. It takes another 60 days for them to be able to fly to escape predators. They really don't know survival rates. Estimates are between 10 - 70%. They are susceptible to predation, cold, disease and parasites. Predators in the wetland must be fewer than elsewhere. We don't have large fish, snapping turtles, and the mammals don't tend to be in the deeper water in summer. There are hawks, owls, gulls, herons and crows who will take them.

It's been terribly cold. Only 10 C. overnight. The other two nesting boxes are warm and cozy.

They went from eggs to hatchlings in one day. I cleared out the debris, and replaced it with fresh bedding.

The camera captured them leaving the nest. You have to watch carefully. (This isn't expensive equipment!) At about 27 seconds they fly out, and only a couple were on camera.
The next part is the lonely duckling looking for momma. 

ducklings from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It was a tough day for us. The ducklings broke free at 7:38. Mom sat on the water, calling to them in the video above. I noticed the duckling roaring around the pond at 10 a.m., which means she didn't follow the momma into the wetland where they take off to.

She should have followed momma into the depths of the wetland where they are safe.
She roared around the pond cheeping. I last have her on tape at 12:00, and then nothing. I hope it was swift.

I managed to capture a video of an egg hatching. First you can see the various eggs in the other boxes, finally, box #1. They are born fuzzy, dry off, and ready to go.

Ducklings! from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Meanwhile, May 28th, on the dock, he was either mushy, or thought there was a bug on her face!

duck love from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This female duck was chasing a male. This is unusual.
 
duck chase from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Ducks are busy!

Saturday's Critters #228
We've been living here beside the swamp since fall, 2010. It took me a couple of years to buy cameras, and install the first, second, and then third wood duck boxes. Last year we had 12 eggs hatch in one box. I count the eggs, record the data, the number of live ducklings, and watch for hatch day.



 Every year, I watch for the frog pond to thaw. Once that happens, the ducks move in. Prior to this, I clean out the nesting boxes. This includes removing old shells. They hatch, and take off within 24 hours.


On the trailcam, I spotted 3 male wood ducks, one of them guarding his female. Also, it appears to be a hooded merganser and a female with him. This is the first time ever! The mergansers nest in cavities, as well. I don't have high hopes, but we shall see!

The photos aren't great. It is a record of our events! It's been a momentous capture on the trailcam, with the date (which was a day off), the time (off by 10 min.), and the temperature.

I am unable to manage a good photo of the ducks, as they are (wisely) quite wary. We have coyotes, barred owls, that can take a duck, and many species who will eat the eggs (raccoons, fishers, snakes). This is my only excellent photo of the male, from a park in Vancouver!

Mama wood duck, May, 2017 

Male and female wood ducks

female hooded merganser, Bala, 2008

Wood duck, Vancouver, 2015

We have mallards on the pond, as well.
They do not nest here.

Miracle of nature: wood ducks

This could be my nesting pair

I've been watching my Wood duck nesting box. Regular readers will know.

This duckling was left behind in 2013

They hatch, and then 24 hours later they leap from the 6' nest onto the ground. I predicted that they would hatch on or after June 20th. This turned out to be right! The last day I saw her with her mate, then he didn't appear again, was 27 days later.

My next job is to open up the box, clean it out, and put in more shavings! Those mosquitoes are so bad, though!


Wood ducks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
They've hatched! It was a coincidence that I went down to the pond at 3 in the afternoon. I could hear frantic momma calling for them to get in line.

I visited at various times, recorded it at BSC,
with the Snake Scope

Info from Bird Studies Canada

My Wood duck photo from Stanley Park

My nesting box

2013 Momma kept going into the wetland.
I don't know what happened to it.
I left nature take its course.

This is the male.
Never got a photo of my female!

Eileen's SC #29
I designed her logo!