Summer Slide....

[Nershi]

Haven't seen a lot for ducks up north. When I do see broods there aren't many ducklings. But the places I am on the water have high populations of muskie, pike and/or bass so that might have something to do with the small broods.

I've seen a few broods of bigger ducklings with no mama. Noticed the same thing last year. Do ducks abandon babies once they are big enough and renest?

Any body have a report on the wild rice crop? Haven't been out to my haunts yet this year. I have a hunch a lot of it got flooded out in late June and July rains.

[h2ofwlr]

Haven't seen a lot for ducks up north. When I do see broods there aren't many ducklings. But the places I am on the water have high populations of muskie, pike and/or bass so that might have something to do with the small broods.

Yep, very possible a part of the predation.

I've seen a few broods of bigger ducklings with no mama. Noticed the same thing last year. Do ducks abandon babies once they are big enough and renest? .

No on abandonment and renesting. Being the young are not flying yet or are just learning to fly, I doubt the hen abandoned them, but rather think the hen is dead. But once the young are fully fledged and are flying around, they do get separated and by Oct they have joined others.

[h2ofwlr]

A nice North wind last night and cloudy, reminded me of Fall and hunting. Nice and cool this morning too.

[Quack]

I’m pretty sure the hens take off to molt shortly before the ducklings can fly but are essentially able to do their own thing.

Hard to believe ducklings learn to fly on their own... humans are so helpless...


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[lanyard]

... humans are so helpless...


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Meh. as percentage of lifespan/development we can hold our own: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_child

[deet]

Any body have a report on the wild rice crop? Haven't been out to my haunts yet this year. I have a hunch a lot of it got flooded out in late June and July rains.

The water was high all summer until now. really high in some rivers. Nonetheless on three ricey rivers that I've observed there seems to be normal rice stalk growth. I only made a point to check out the kernels on one of said rivers and there was plentiful rice.

[deet]

there's enough yellow and brown in the popples now that I can't ignore it. son of a

[lanyard]

there's enough yellow and brown in the popples now that I can't ignore it. son of a

The smell of popples on a cool fall morning, especially after a light rain, and the sun cracking under the departing clouds to create a slow steam.... but that SMELL!

Wrapped in cedar and whatever low bush berry shrubs are in the area... capped with the smell of a breech being broken open to eject the shell that most likely missed the grouse.....

[Nershi]

Thanks for the rice report Deet. Where have you been?

Fall is my favorite season and as excited as I am for it, I am never in a rush to get through a Minnesota summer. Cold fronts getting down to the 40's at night are supposed to happen in early September, not early August.

[h2ofwlr]

I’m pretty sure the hens take off to molt shortly before the ducklings can fly