[Bristol-Birds] Curious waterbird observations

Waterbird activity at Paddle Creek Ponds 
in Sullivan County, TN today provided
enjoyable late-summer observations.

My first Pied-billed Grebe since spring
was hanging around and very nervous.
Just like the breeding bird on the
Watauga River earlier this summer, the
bird makes me wonder if "she" had young
nearby.  I do not know that it is a "she"
but would naturally wonder that if it had
young nearby.

I searched carefully and did not
find young.  Maybe this grebe did not feel
comfortable with a vehicle so close as
it swam in very shallow water on the upper
end of the pond.

It is probable that this grebe is an early
migrant, despite the fact the species is
not expected to be regularly seen here for 
maybe six weeks.

A few yards away, a Wood Duck swam
about with seven young no larger than
a tennis ball.  This late-season brood sets 
no record.  You don't see such young birds
every day in late July, so it is worth a pause 
to ponder.

The Wood Duck is the only duck in
North America which has two broods 
each nesting season -- beginning from
late March to May.  Later broods can
hatch in July.  The young at Paddle Creek
are probably a couple of weeks or so
of age.  

I probably shouldn't be writing home 
about this but it was curious.

Let's go birding . . . .

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN


  
  


Nesting may begin as early as March 20, although most

nests are started in April. The average clutch size is 12

(range, 10-14) and incubation lasts 30 days. Sometimes

more than one female will lay eggs in the same nest.

Broods hatch as early as the first week in May and as

late as the fourth week in July.

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