Drake and Hen Wood Ducks

The drakes are in their full display of colors hoping to impress the ladies!

Another location, more Wood Ducks

For the last three weeks, I have had the occasion to see a pair of Wood Ducks at my cousins farm.  It has probably been 15 years since I have seen one in that location.  If I had to guess, I would say they are nesting somewhere.

I headed early this morning as I was only going to have a short opportunity for birding.  I had promised to help him in his garden center and with this being the first pretty weekend where the threat of a late frost has passed, he knew it would be busy.

Back to the ducks.  I was walking down the path and heard the familiar call of the ducks.  They circled several times and came to rest in a tree.  While they both landed on the same limb, the drake was closer to the trunk of the tree and the hen was further out.  The male weaved and bobbed its head and made some motions with the wings almost like a mating dance.  Very odd behavior to witness.

Hopefully seeing Wood Ducks now in three separate locations is a good sign that their numbers will be increasing locally.

Wood Ducks

I was pleased to see a group of Wood Ducks in this morning.  There were 5 drakes and 2 hens.  Of course they moved quickly in to the reeds but I was able to get a few shots.  Hopefully some successful nesting this year.











Clouds have move in today but we need the rain to wash over the yellow coating of pollen.  If you brush up against anything outside you get coated.