Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Another successful year for Hooded Mergansers nesting at the house

Hooded Merganser chicks in box 1, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 12, 2021

I have been waiting intently for the two boxes of Hooded Mergansers to fledge and I figured the first box would have fledged by Tuesday but when I went to check the box I was surprised to flush the female off the nest as I opened the box and find a large group of hatched out chicks just waiting to fledge.  I took a quick photo and then closed everything back up.  I suspect they were just hours away from leaving the nest and I will check the camera in a few days for video of them leaving the nest box.

Hooded Merganser chicks under down in box 2, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 12, 2021

I then checked box 2 and found very freshly hatched mergansers under a warm coating of down.  Going by when the eggs were laid in this box I suspected this nest would fledge a few days after box 1 and this looks to be the case.  I will check back on this box in a few days to see if they have moved out of the box.

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