Homes for Ducks at NCC – a Long Term Commitment
During the COVID winter of 2021, NCC member, Bill James along with Phil Klopak, put together duck boxes for the golf course. Bill also built additional boxes for his large backyard on the Seine River. However, one of the supporting trees in Bill’s yard fell during the fall. When he went out to remove the tree and find a new home for the duck box and change the nesting material, here is what he discovered:
Although the eggs had not survived, the success of the duck box for a nesting area was very clear. Wood ducks, common goldeneyes, hooded mergansers, common mergansers and buffleheads are all cavity nesting ducks. These ducks will use a constructed nesting box. Kestrels, tree swallows, great-crested flycatchers or screech owls are also cavity nesting birds. Nesting sites for these birds are limited in number. When they find a good nesting site, there is a very good chance they’ll return in following years.