At the park: 58

Excerpts from my report for 5 May, last Sunday:

We have hatching activity to report in 9 of the boxes, plus (unfortunately) one nest that completely failed. We have produced 82 ducklings so far, even though box #2 only hatched 5 of its 11 eggs. Box #1 is also a puzzle: I saw evidence of eggs hatched, but 11 unhatched and warmish eggs. We will have to check that box again in June.

We also have 3 nests newly started or still going: boxes #61, #13, and #77 (this is the one that Dave relocated to near the boardwalk).

So, of the 16 boxes we monitored this year, we have had nests in 13 of them. The beavers aren’t the only ones who’ve been busy….

Water gauge: 0.05 (how low can you go?)

Heard or seen: King Rail, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Common Yellowthroat, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Duck hen with ducklings…

Most common question from Wetlands Awareness Day: who dammed up all that water?