Alaskan's Journal

[Daxigait]

So, for the third or so time we saw a pair of rings necked ducks on our pond...

(I know... bad pic. )
View attachment 61939

So.... I looked them up on the internet... and then chunked the kids outside and told them to make a floating island. Now... today, chop, chop.

It will be interesting to see if they take to it... if not maybe the mallards will come back and nest on it. But I was thinking maybe we should also put up a mallard house.

The mallards have nested at our place in the past though.... so I don't think they need a house, except that there were some cool tube houses on the internet that I think we could easily put up on a T-post at the pond edge.

That's really neat. Where did you find the stuff on the island and box? I can't ever get anything to stay bird wise at my pond except for the heron that likes to eat.

 

[Alaskan]

Actually, that was interesting!

Before when I have looked up bird housing (like swallows) these easy charts pop up with specific dimensions.

It was NOT easy with the ducks!

I also thought I remember seeing minimum pond size for different species, couldn't find that either.

Anyway... I found almost nothing... just that ring necked ducks liked a nest just above reeds or cattails (neither on my pond) or they use a floating nest.

So the kids just grabbed a pallet, covered up the holes, stuck a tent like house on it, cut dome holes to sink some pots in...tada.

I will post a picture of our floating junk pile when it is done.

 

[Alaskan]

Ok... with thoughts of broodies in my head...

Here are pictures of years past:

 

[Alaskan]

Here it is! I told them to stick some hay over the house... and then we will float it... if it floats too high, we will have to add a ramp.

They did a GREAT job!

The just placed moss on it, but the just starting to grow grass clumps are in pots.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

That's really cool, bet the ducks will love it ! Nice job.

 

[Alaskan]

Look at how awesome it looks!

 

[B&B Happy goats]

You got yourself some good boys momma ! Nice job

 

[Bruce]

I hope the ducks take to it!

 

[Alaskan]

Well..... the ducks came back to the pond after we added "the big new scary thing" but I don't think they have checked it out yet. We did see them swimming right next to it though.

And here is the beach today..... yeah, I hate the cold...yeah, yeah, I miss the heat.... but LOOK at that gorgeous empty beach with zero people!!

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Bet that water is really really cold.....