Spring is nearly upon us

[Jagare]

With spring around the corner I've been making 10 new duck nesting tubes for the wetland. We have already set the poles in place when the water had a good covering of ice. There is still ice but its not safe too walk on and hopefully will have disappeared by next weekend. Once the water is ice free the wild ducks will be returning.

 

[wytonpjs]

Excellent! I've been planning to make up 2 of these to replace a sinking duck house and platform I made up. The duck house weas never a success but the platform is literally worn out. I was planning to use 2 poles to support - how well does it work with just the one please? I was thinking of adding hinged ramps to cope with the water depth variation - can be as much as 9" in Summer - are they necessary?

 

[Jagare]

Excellent! I've been planning to make up 2 of these to replace a sinking duck house and platform I made up. The duck house weas never a success but the platform is literally worn out. I was planning to use 2 poles to support - how well does it work with just the one please? I was thinking of adding hinged ramps to cope with the water depth variation - can be as much as 9" in Summer - are they necessary?

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Those nesting tubes will be at least a mtr above the water. One pole is a bit nearer the water because it was a bit deeper. I bought 2 mtr poles, and they should easily support the nesting tubes that attach to the tube by two grub screws. Easy to remove next year for maintenance. Also, being a metal tube, it should be hard for things like mink to climb up to the nest.

 

[WalkedUp]

Excellent conservation work

 

[Jagare]

It looks like at least one of the nesting tubes is being used. So hopefully most of the other will be as well.
The day old ducklings arrive mid week and so another season starts.

 

[jall55]

It looks like at least one of the nesting tubes is being used. So hopefully most of the other will be as well.
The day old ducklings arrive mid week and so another season starts.

Why do you need to put them down if you have them breeding ?

 

[Jagare]

Why do you need to put them down if you have them breeding ?

Because we like to shoot lots of ducks. Simple really. Why do people release pheasant when they have a few nesting wild ones?

 

[jall55]

Because we like to shoot lots of ducks. Simple really. Why do people release pheasant when they have a few nesting wild ones?

All power to you - but released duck and tame duck are polar opposites to wild ones

 

[Jagare]

All power to you - but released duck and tame duck are polar opposites to wild ones

Tame ducks? There's a way to feed ducks so the don't get tame. Our ducks are released onto the water at three weeks of age and wild ducks feed with the released ducks. They all fly really well with non of the swimming groups that won't leave the water that you see on many duck shoots.