It’s interesting to see how many of those babies survive. We have seen mothers with 14 chicks and others with only a single duckling. This one seems particularly successful, given the relative maturity of her brood. We can always use more wood ducks.
We do have some turtles, bullfrogs and minks. Raccoons are rare, though, which may explain it. We suspect people shoot them. I don’t recall ever spotting a gull on this lake. Sadly only one loon this year, after many chick-less years. There are also more adult or juvenile mergansers this year than other years.
It’s interesting to see how many of those babies survive. We have seen mothers with 14 chicks and others with only a single duckling. This one seems particularly successful, given the relative maturity of her brood. We can always use more wood ducks.
Any duck predators in this area have been hunted out long ago. Hunting is more popular than swimming.
I am happy to see wood ducks. Domesticated ducks far outnumber them, sadly.
Snapping turtles eat the babies.
Other predators that you have – mink, loons, raccoons, gulls, even bullfrogs. Life is precarious for a little duck.
We do have some turtles, bullfrogs and minks. Raccoons are rare, though, which may explain it. We suspect people shoot them. I don’t recall ever spotting a gull on this lake. Sadly only one loon this year, after many chick-less years. There are also more adult or juvenile mergansers this year than other years.