On Fri, 5 Mar 2010 10:08:40 -0800, "Bill McKee"
wrote:


"Larry L" wrote in message
...
Just looked out the kitchen window and a pair of Wood Ducks is walking
around in a small puddle left from several days of heavy rain. WDs
look at the Cottonwoods in the yard as potential nests nearly every
year, but this is the first time I've seen them actually walking
around under those trees, 30 feet from the house.

Cool

Build a nesting box or two. Lots of wood duck nesting boxes along the Sac
river and probably the San Joaquin. Have them around for awhile. We have a
pair of mallards that like to use the swimming pool part of the year.

A buddy of mine uses old "privacy fence" panels for this (he is a big Audubon
Society guy, so he builds them for that as well as his own property). When he
comes across someone replacing or just removing one, if there are any usable
panels (or parts thereof) he gets a coupla-three panels takes the pickets off
the rails, and has a goodly supply of "pre-weathered" wood. IIRC, he has it
figured that one picket makes one box (maybe it's three makes two, but there's
little waste). Also, if you build some, it's not simply a perfectly square cube
with any ol' hole - IIRC, there are some guidelines to make it more likely
they'll use it (and obviously, things like a slanted, water-shedding roof to
make it longer-lasting). If you decide to build some and can't find anything on
the 'net, or simply want his "recipe," let me know.

TC,
R
....and if you find yourself with an oversupply of the ducks, I know a few good
duck recipes myownself...