Recently, the female hooded merganser occupying the nest box
along our lakefront has been incubating her eggs. She
emerges for only one or two short times each day to feed. A
second female tried to enter the nest box repeatedly several
days ago, but was apparently rebuffed each time by the
occupant. She eventually went to our other "wood duck" box
on the same tree and went inside for several minutes. We
speculated that she needed to lay an egg and chose the
second best alternative.

A flicker couple has mated each morning for the last three
days. The male has taken to drumming on the nest box
occupied by the female hooded merganser (we chased him away
and told him in no uncertain terms to do his drumming
elsewhere).

A red-breasted sapsucker has taken to drumming on our big
mailbox--it makes an interesting racket!

For the last three days, a pair of loons has occupied the
center of our small lake (other waterfowl keep a distance
from the loons of several hundred yards). A pair were here
at the same time last year for three days, then moved on.
Any speculation as to why they are here now?

Lee Rentz
Shelton, WA
lee at leerentz.com