My wrapup reports for the Wood Duck and Hooded Merganser nesting season are sliding into the fall:
This report can’t be late, because it’s still hockey season, eh? Here’s our season totals.
Our Wood Ducks started fewer clutches than 2025 (11 vs. 8) and lost 3 of them (2 to predation, 1 to the unexplained death of the hen). 91 eggs laid, 52 hatched and fledged, 57% estimated fledging success.
Our Hooded Mergansers started one fewer clutch than last year (3 vs. 4). 28 eggs laid, 27 eggs hatched and fledged, 96% estimated fledging success.
It’s a typical pattern year-to-year that the HOMEs start fewer clutches but achieve better fledging success on a percentage basis.
Of the 16 boxes, 10 were used. We had a double clutch in one of the boxes. Our latest fledge date was 24 June.