Bird broods observed on our lake: Hooded Mergansers: I refound the brood that launched from our boxes or that of one of our neighbors. I found 15 ducklings. They are half grown and true to form, they were on their own. There have been at least four hens in our part of the lake, but these guys are doing fine without the matronly influence.
Wood Duck: I saw three broods of 7 +/- 1. And yesterday another hen led a group of about 12 brand new hatchlings away from our shore. Interestingly, of all the ducks, these are the ones that have the lowest probability of fledging. While others seem to all make it, these seem to loose half their number, probably to predation. Mallard: I have only seen one small brood of two. Canada Goose: Numbers way down. We had one brood of four on the regular early timing. But Sunday I saw a late brood of 7. Usually we would have at least four or five broods out there, but several of the nest sites are underwater. Steve Weston On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN [email protected] ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
