High Drama on the Duck/Owl Front

[Alfred Maley]

Over the past three days, three separate wood duck broods have made it past the nesting Barred Owls in the yard by taking a circuitous route. Today was different.

Today's jumping ducks were in the box closest to owl nest - 60 feet, and faced the mother owl that guards the box. After the usual ritual of chattering (too loudly) to the ducklings to get them to jump, all ten of them managed to drop to the side of mama duck. That's when the first attack occurred, out of nowhere. Nine baby ducklings now. The mother panicked. Instead of telling the kids "lets run for it" she began to squeal and mill around. Zass! Another attack. Eight ducklings now. Finally momma decided to run for it, with all the ducklings in tow. Down to the street behind us they went,  working the vegetation at the edge in the direction of the Sawmill Swamp.

About 50 yards down the street they came to a house and lawn situation. As they started out to cross, Zass - another attack and the mother put on the broken-wing act and scrambled across the road, with the owl behind her. The ducklings went into hiding somewhere. Momma flew off towards the swamp, calling loudly. At that point I left, since however it turned out, it could take hours. Either the mother came back later and rescued the ducklings, or they got bored and wandered into owl territory, a one-way street.

Later today the first owlet fledged, a good long flight of some 80 feet or so. The next one is testing his wings now that the runway is clear.

Another bit of trivia. Yesterday a Wood Duck fledged 12 young, two of them Hooded Mergansers. Those two ducklings jumped before the hen went down to the ground. Obviously they listen to a different drummer.

Al Maley, Hampstead