At 08:22 AM 8/7/96 -0800, you wrote:
>>Yesterday (5 Aug.) on the Waterville Plateau I noted a Ruddy Duck hen with 3
>>"day-old" ducklings. The young were no older than 2 or 3 days at the most.
>>Is this a late date for this species?
>>
It seems this year we have additional time for extra broods. We've been
receiving late babies sporatically up until a week ago. My domestics are
beginning a second clutch so it's entirely possible the Ruddys are doing the
same (taking advantage of the nice weather).

Read an article from F&W the other day stating that duck broods are even
more successful this year than last, so their population numbers are higher.
As I understand it, last year was a bumper crop year for waterfowl. They
are attributing it to the recreation of additional habitat and good weather.

Peggi



Peggi Rodgers
Oregon Research Institute
Eugene, OR
peggir at ori.org
prodgers at efn.org
"A bird does not sing because it has an
answer, It sings because it has a song"