Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Wood duck nesting time.

To all the ones on here that have or cater to wood ducks.

I only had 1 wood duck nesting in early April and upon checking the nest a few days ago, its been almost two months so I figured she was hatched and gone but it looked like all the eggs were still in the nest and abandoned, kind of a bummer.

Anyways yest I seen a starling going in and out of one box I decided to close them off so that they don't become a starling breeding factory. I eliminated that one but when I got to the next one a hen duck bailed out and she had a nest full of eggs she was setting on, same thing with the next two I came to, so I backed out and left the rest of them alone.

Question is, will they come back to the nest after they have been spooked? I had no idea they would be nesting this late in the yr, usually they are hatched out around here by early May.

Is it normal for them to be setting on eggs in late May here in Central MO?

Hopefully I didn't completely screw up and ruined their nesting attempt, I feel horrible about it because I havent had much nest success the last couple yrs, and Ive been blaming it on the red shouldered hawks that have been hanging out at the pond, actually witnessed one chasing and trying to catch a wood duck, and the one duck that did hatch out a clutch last yr I seen by herself all the time with her ducklings, no male around ever, I assumed he had been killed.

Thanks in advance! signed, non duck commander.

I personally have scared the hen out of a wood duck house while getting close to it in a boat and she came back, and I had baby ducks hatch. I have done in the past 2 years inadvertently. I have cameras all around my pond to keep on eye on different things. 2 weekends ago I ran a wood duck hen out and last Tuesday I had pictures of her swimming with 9 babies behind her.

Predators are always trying to get them. Hawks, owls, bobcats, coyotes. But they generally don't hang around in the open water very long.

To answer your question, I feel like the hen will come back to finish the job. Good luck.

Thanks, that's what I was kinda thinking, hoping, they probably wouldn't have much nesting success if they completely abandoned the nest with one little spook.
It does seem later then usual tho for them to be nesting, hatching.