Snips from my report on nest box activity for the past two weeks:
Lots of activity! And as usual, not always the boxes one would expect. As of last Sunday, we have at least one egg in eleven of the boxes, although the single egg in #62 looks like it may be a dud.
10 March
Target species observed: Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal (30), Gadwall (8)
Water gauge: 0.28
17 March
Target species observed: Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall
Water gauge: 0.35
Eastern Phoebes were heard throughout the wetland. I heard Brown-headed Cowbird tinkling in the parking lot. Tiny, tight buds of Spring Beauty could be found.
Here’s the status of each of the boxes:
- #2: —
- #4: 3 WD eggs
- #10: at least 4 HM eggs; hen flushed 3/17
- #77: —
- #7: —
- #6: 1 WD egg
- #84: 3 HM egs
- #1: 17 HM eggs: incubating
- #3: —
- #13: 6 HM eggs
- #67: 7 HM eggs
- #60: 4 WD eggs
- #62: 1 WD eggs
- #5: —
- #61: 1 HM egg
- #68: 9 WD eggs, 1 HM egg; incubating
I think we should skip checking #1 and #68; it would be good to get a count for box #10, but the hen in there may sit tight.