April 23, 2023: Ducks in a Tree

They're called "Wood Ducks" for a reason.  A large bird flying high through the forest caught my eye on my morning walk.  It was about the size of crow and landed on a branch high in a tree.  I knew it wasn't a crow, but what else is that size?  When it started calling I recognized the call as that of a wood duck, and soon a second started returning the call.  Tracking the sound, I was able to find both ducks through the leafless branches.

Mrs. (above) and Mr. (below) Wood Duck in search of a nesting site.

I never think of ducks in trees.  But wood ducks make their nests in holes in trees, as high as 50 feet above the ground and up to a mile away from water; this pair was about a tenth of a mile from the lake.  

I saw them early in the morning which is the time that wood ducks search for nesting sites.  They can't make their own holes, so they search through mature forests looking for existing suitable holes to use.  They occasionally will use an old woodpecker cavity, but usually they find a natural hole left where a branch broke off and the wood around the wound rotted away.  

I was tempted to try to get closer, but decided not to disturb them from their search and went on my way.  Maybe we'll have baby wood ducks on the lake this summer - incubation time is four to five weeks so watch for them in late May.

On this early morning walk with no leaves out yet I was also able to see two beaver lodges that have been improved this spring with fresh mud and new sticks.  

The second lodge is hard to see - it's on the left, just in front of large rock on the shore.

This is the time of year when two year old beavers are kicked out the lodge to build their own home.  Unfortunately, this results in beavers crossing roads in search of new territory, and one was killed on Meredith Center Road right by the dam where it was probably crossing between the lake and the marsh below the dam.

Last week's warm weather convinced the red maples that it was time to bloom and out popped their small red flowers.

Red Maple flowers on Tuesday, April 18th.

Red maple are the first of the large deciduous trees to put out buds, and soon, leaves.

Finally, the first woodland flowers are blooming - the Trailing Arbutus - which are always the first I see to bloom.

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) bloomed on Monday, April 17th.

It's a sign that many plants will soon be showing their spring colors.

Late breaking news, just before this went to press:  We have confirmation from Amy Wilson that our "northern" pair of resident loons is back on the lake.  If you look carefully you can see the white band with black dot on the male loon, and a green band on the female loon.  

Male with White band with black dot.  Photo by Amy Wilson.

Female with green and silver band.  Photo by Amy Wilson.

Amy reports several other loons have been on the lake, but no observations of bands that would confirm the "Harris Cove" pair is back.  Stay tuned....