Mallard, Wood, and Hooded Merganser Ducklings!

Every time I go into Canatara these days, I seem to find a new Mallard Family.

We saw and heard a pair of lonely Wood Duck ducklings at the Pinery today. An odd noise soon started from within the culvert that goes under the bridge where we were standing. The noise grew louder and I knew it was a Wood Duck Mom calling her kids. If you've ever heard a Wood Duck call, they always sound somewhat frantic. When a Momma Wood Duck who has lost 2 ducklings is calling for her babies, the echoing sound from inside the culvert was even more frantic!

Mom raced across the water towards the pair with her other 5 ducklings.

I'm happy to report that the family was reunited and Momma Duck escorted all of her children to safety!

Earlier this week, Deryl found a family of Hooded Merganser ducklings near Sombra. Both Hooded Merganser and Wood Duck ducklings will jump from the nesting cavity in a tree to the water below when they are only one day old. They can survive falls of 50 feet, even if the nest is above land and not water!

 The feather flag signaling the end of Spring Migration has been raised!