Wood Duck
“Smallest of the three native Mergansers and lesser in size than a Wood Duck, “Hoodies” breed in wooded swamps and forests near water, like that of Cape’s Pond Cove Brook Corridor.”
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Ten of the 18 passages, oldest first.
I also was very pleased to observe an Osprey sitting quietly, high upon a snag in Pond Cove, intently watching a male wood duck that showed up with a splash.
On the 22nd my wife spotted a stunningly handsome Wood duck couple on the pond in Robinson Woods.
As more of a general observation I am also seeing more Wood duck couples this spring than the last two prior springs.
A mother Wood duck who sensed my presence one evening let out a “oo-eek” to alert her clutch.
Similar to the wood duck, these bird nest in hollow trees which are often very high above the ground and the young in many cases jump from the nest when they are just one day old.
Observations over the first two weeks of September include, on the 5th within Robinson Woods, six American Redstarts, three Wood Duck youths, a Belted Kingfisher, two Eastern Wood-Peewees, one female Black-throated Blue Warbler and several Cedar Waxwings hawking insects over Pond Cove.
On March 26 in the same vicinity, I noted a male and female Wood duck, a single Golden-crowned Kinglet and many singing Song Sparrows, Brown Creepers and White Breast Nuthatches.
A mother Wood Duck who sensed my presence one evening let out a “oo-eek” to alert her clutch.
Lastly, on September 11 in Robinson Woods III, I noted a total of twelve Red-breasted Nuthatches, six Cedar Waxwings, a Belted Kingfisher fishing and four young Wood Ducks, their bright red eyes and red and white bills illuminated by last rays of the setting sun.
Smallest of the three native Mergansers and lesser in size than a Wood Duck, “Hoodies” breed in wooded swamps and forests near water, like that of Cape’s Pond Cove Brook Corridor.
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On the morning of March 24 the frog-like croak of male Hooded Mergansers pursuing mates intermingled with the shrill little whistles of Wood ducks concealed along the pond’s fringes.
A mother Wood Duck who sensed my presence one evening let out a “oo-eek” to alert her clutch of seven ducklings.
Similar to the Wood Duck, these dabbling ducks nest in hollow trees which are often very high above the ground and the young in many cases jump from the nest when they are just one day old.
On March 18 I noted seventeen Cedar Waxings and four Wood Ducks along Shore Road.
As I stood momentarily enamored by the experience the ‘oo-eeks’ call of a Mother Wood Duck echoed through the old pine forest... quite possibly a warning that danger was about.
…highlights include a Yellow Rumped Warbler, Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspur, Horned Larks, a Rusty Blackbird, an American Pipit and particularly noteworthy ducks include, American Widgeon, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Northern Pintail, Hooded Merganser, Lesser Scaup and Wood Duck.
From the woods beyond the orchard, the toy-like squeaks of Wood Ducks—also known as “Squealer Ducks”—echoed through the dusk.
The “wheet wheet” calls from Wood Ducks echoed through the forest just beyond me.