Ducks update

There are now 10 wood duck eggs and 2 hooded merganser eggs in the East nest. The merganser eggs were “dumped” there (see the topic “Eggs & Dumping” on my info page). It’s a wood duck that is claiming the nest box. One of the merganser eggs was just sitting out on the ground when I went to check yesterday. I think a duck must have laid it there because I don’t know of any way it could have gotten out of the nest box. I put it into the box with the others.

The wood duck who has been laying eggs in the East nest is starting to add down to this nest box so she’ll start incubating soon. I’m still not streaming video from any cameras yet -even in the active East nest she’s in there for less than an hour each day right now – but that will change soon.

A merganser was in the west nest for a while this morning and left an egg. First egg in that nest. I hope she chooses it but we’ll see; on egg doesn’t mean she intends to use it. The South nest has had only a few very brief visits so far; for example, a wood duck was in it for about 5 minutes today, kicking wood chips around. Hopefully all three will get used, but last year it was only two of the three.

Hooded merganser in the west nest box today.

The east nest box with the door open. On the left you can see the gray down that the duck has added; I’ve pushed it aside. One of the hooded merganser eggs is farthest to the right: it’s bigger and more round than the wood duck eggs.