Greenway Journal

Waterside wetland for the ducks

Well that’s just ducky! The newly restored Waterside Marsh on the BSG north of Rutherford Road has recently acquired some new homes for Wood Ducks to make up for the present limited number of natural nesting sites.

The Wood Duck usually nests in tree cavities, but it can easily be induced to set up home in well-protected artificial nesting boxes. Several designs have proved successful, resulting in higher hatching rates than generally achieved with duck nesting boxes. While such programmes can be very effective in increasing Wood Duck numbers locally, overall population health still depends crucially on protecting the ducks' natural habitat. This means preserving wetlands and wooded swamps and maintaining an abundance of over-mature trees in nesting areas, as well as minimizing pesticide use in surrounding areas. Waterside Marsh should prove to be an ideal spot for attracting Wood Ducks.