Accomplished outdoorsman Larry Grimard of Jefferson builds a few wood duck nesting boxes in his spare time each winter, and generously donated one to the club in March. The boxes have to be built according to specifications, with an entrance that will allow a female wood duck to get in and out of the box, and to be deep enough to safely keep the eggs out of reach of marauding mammals or birds of prey.
Not only did Larry donate the box, but he drove down on March 10th with his ice sled and all the equipment needed to install it on the west side of Wiley Pond. He and club secretary Barry Gibson carefully crossed the pond on the ice (which was getting pretty thin), and found a suitable tree directly across from the club dock. They cleared some brush and branches out of the way, and attached the box with two lag bolts some five feet above the ground. Once installed, Larry placed several handfuls of cedar shavings in the bottom of the box and screwed the side panel shut. Project completed!
The female wood duck will normally lay a clutch of between 9 to 14 eggs from late March through April. The eggs will incubate for 25 to 35 days, and on the morning after the eggs hatch the female will leave the box and call for the ducklings, which will scratch their way up the inside of the box to the entrance (Larry puts horizontal grooves in the wood inside to make this easier.) Then the ducklings will jump out of the box into the water (or the ground and make their way to the water), where the mother duck will tend them for 5 to 6 weeks. They will be able to fly in 8 to 9 weeks.
Wood duck populations declined sharply in the late 19th century due to loss of habitat and market hunting, but protections were implemented in the 1920s, boosted by the use of nesting boxes starting in the 1930s. Populations of this very pretty duck continue to increase today due to ongoing nesting box programs and better protection of their pond and marsh habitats.
Club members can view the box with binoculars from the fishing dock, or take a closer look from a canoe or kayak, although it’s best to stay far enough away not to disturb the mother duck.
The club extends its sincere appreciation to Larry for his gift, and we have given him a one-year membership as a thank-you for his effort
