We installed today three new wood duck nesting boxes at Crow's Nest along French Creek. Our old ones had rotted and new ones were donated.
Wood ducks are cavity nesters, so they usually occupy woodpecker-excavated holes in forests with adjacent water. They are a shy species and rely on the cover of the woods and meandering creek.
Believe it or not the young are pushed out of the cavity before they can fly, land safely on the water or land below, and paddle away. Our boxes are mounted high to avoid predators. The boxes are filled with wood shavings just like a natural cavity.
Look carefully for two of them along the creek trail; the third is along a section of creek well away from the trail. We don't know for sure that wood ducks will use them; in the past I have seen squirrels and screech owls take shelter in them.
Wood ducks are also among our most beautiful ducks; I don't have a picture of them but here's a photo of a wood duck decoy carved by Steve Ayres, my predecessor here, and an artist.
