Follow-up on the Charleston Wood Duck chicks

If you read the post from July 20 on the afternoon birding with the Carolina Bird Club in Blowing Rock, then you already know that Carl and I had Wood Ducks hatching in their box at home in Charleston while we were away.  How did we know?  Well, we were pretty sure before we left Charleston that the hatching could occur that weekend since we had calculated the date based on information we gleaned from the species account from an encyclopedic site available via subscription, on the natural history of native birds, The Birds of North America (a wonderfully useful site!).  And  we also knew because Carl had set up a video camera with an internet feed in the duck box before the hen had begun nesting, and he was monitoring it while working on his MBA homework in the hotel room.  So there I was at Bass Lake at the Mose H. Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, looking at a mother Wood Duck and her very young chicks when Carl called from the hotel room to tell me that our chicks were hatching!  Well since I posted on July 20, Carl has edited a video that shows a little history of our Wood Ducks.  And I decided to add a few photos from the Wood Duck parents earlier history.  Enjoy!

 

March 19, 2011 -- Mama Wood Duck entering box to lay an egg!

March 19, 2011 -- Papa Wood Duck waiting outside and chattering to his mate

March 19, 2011 -- Papa Wood Duck waiting in the shadows

March 19, 2011 -- Fait accompli!  Mama has laid her egg and is ready to leave the box