Wood Duck Family. and more

This year sees a very much reduced number of Wood Ducks in the local sanctuary and for that matter a;; over the district.
But we have a small family in residence. Presumably they nested in one of our nesting boxes in the marsh. Judging by the number of (unhatched) eggs that are found in the winter nesting box clean-outs, three is the normal size. Far cry from the up to 12 for Mallards.

Here they stop off for "grooming"

then the little ones step aside as mother gets too vigorous

Time to move on.

Next picture is of a single female WD. She had been over-flying the area and "calling", landed and continued to call. Then moved to another area of the marsh. I got distinct feeling she was looking for offspring. No idea if she found them and was the mother in the previous group or no.

 

Still having no luck with suitable photos of males. May have to resort to a picture from last year.

Here's a beaver hard at work. Lugging fresh branches to do home improvements on the lodge.

 

Now and update on Mallards.

First. This group is now old enough to fend for themselves but still tend to group together, now that the mother has left. They are pictured downstream from the dam's outfall, heading down Sheriff Creek through the Tamarack Bog.

 

They were the oldest of the Mallard families.

Next group of pictures are of a later bunch. Started at an even dozen but were reduced to seven. Then I guess they got  large enough to discourage Snapping Turtles from dining 

picture yourself scratching your nose with your foot!


Another,usually frequent visitor but scarce this year. Great Blue Heron.
Here one is about to land.

Not long after settling down it makes a lunge for dinner

But resurfaces empty handed (beaked ?) and begins raising its wings out of the water preparing to takeoff.