Subject: Wood Duck in Union Bay
Date: Jan 24 19:44:39 2000
From: Hal Opperman - halop at accessone.com


Gene Price raises a question that needs to be revisited from time to
time. Are Wood Ducks on the increase around Lake Washington?

Ellen Ratoosh in her surveys of the Montlake Fill, 1979-1983
(Washington Birds 4:1-34, 1995) found Wood Ducks a few times:

2 May 1979 - single male
22 May 1980 - single male
9 Jul 1980 - single
9 Aug 1983 - single
2 Sep 1983 - single male

She also notes that they formerly (before 1951) nested in trees at
the southwest corner of the Fill.

Kevin Aanerud's surveys from 1972-1980 and again from 1984-1989
(Washington Birds 1:6-21, 1989) found birds each fall, "often in a
small flock, maximum count nine on 28 Aug 1987." All of his
sightings fell between 24 Aug and 1 Oct, except for a single male on
14 Apr 1988 and another on 25 May 1988.

I'm copying Kevin on this posting. It will be interesting to see if
he and others can confirm that the pattern from the '70s and '80s is
holding steady or changing.

Wood Ducks nest and are seen quite regularly at other times of the
year along the east shore of Lake Washington, for example at Juanita
Bay Park, Cozy Cove (between Hunts Point and Yarrow Point), and
Bellefields Nature Park (Mercer Slough).

Hal Opperman
Medina, Washington
mailto:halop at accessone.com