Several people have emailed me with questions about the wood duck invasion at my home so here are some answers.

This all started several years ago with a couple pairs of wood ducks that I bought from a local breeder (Chuck Pilling). These were pinioned but the subsequent babies they raised were not (impossible to catch them on an open pond). Over the years the flock increased aided by my ducks "inviting" their wild friends. I always fed them out by the pond but they eventually found my bird feeder up near my deck. There is room for four of them at a time on that feeder and it didn't take long for them to empty it. So this year I scatter all of the duck feed on the ground at the base of the feeder and none by the pond. This makes it easier to count them as they fly in to eat. The feed is a mixture of 2 parts hen scratch (cracked corn and whole wheat) with 1 part game bird pellets. Lately I have been going through 300 lbs. per week!! Unfortunately several mallards (perhaps 40) have also joined in and they are eating machines.
Despite my kindness to them they remain very spooky so all of my observations are from inside my house. It is fun to see them all lined up on top of my pool shed and pergola as the stage there before flying to the feeder.
Sorry for the long post.
Bob Kothenbeutel
Woodinville