Nest management

It has been stated that it is advantageous to pick up early eggs. We confirmed this observation during experiments with artificial nests at Burgate Manor. In a mild year we have found a first egg on l4th January; no fewer than seven artificial nests being occupied by the end of the month. With an average period of 40 days between the first egg and hatching, this meant that a duck starting to lay on, say, 25th January, would bring her ducklings of about 1 7th March. Their chances of survival would be poor at this time of year with little insect life available and the weather likely to be harsh. All the early eggs were therefore removed to see whether the ducks would lay again.

The picking up was done between l4th and 23rd February, when the clutches were nearly full, a total of 91 eggs being collected. The experiment proved successful and all the nests were re-occupied by 20th March, together with two new ones. This has two effects. Those duck whose nests have been emptied tend to delay for a few days before laying again, and others who have not started and are undisturbed, do so after 1st April. As a result the first ducklings appear around mid-May. The main hatch is well spread out over a period of about a fortnight, eliminating the possibility of two or three cold, wet days killing a large percentage of the ducklings.

 

Habitat improvement and stocking with duck

Much can be done to improve existing wetlands and to create new habitat for wildfowl. In 1963 we decided to develop a wildfowl breeding reservoir on a 10-acre (4 h.) working gravel pit a few miles from Fordingbridge, where we could put our ideas into practice. The experimental gravel pit was very typical of the great majority of those found in the south of England. The biggest problems were deep water (8-12 ft. [2m-3m) and bare, cliff-sided banks devoid of vegetation. It was estimated that there were four breeding pairs of mallard in the spring of that year.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) allows the taking of mallard eggs by authorised persons (owners or occupiers) up until 31st March, provided the birds which hatch are released no later than 30th September. the first priority in the trial area was to create sheltered shallows around the edge of the gravel pit where a variety of water plants was introduced. A selection of rafts was constructed to make up for the lack of natural islands. The banks were planted with shrubs and trees such as alder and willow, some being planted on the water's edge to suppress marginal vegetation. Ducks need some areas of bare shoreline where they can rest and preen in comfort. Also they frequently roost on the branches of trees just above the water line and overhanging willows are ideal for this. Once this habitat improvement was completed, a pair of mallard to form the nucleus of a breeding population.

An open-topped release pen of a stable size, say 44 X 22 yds. (40 X 20 m.) must be constructed in a sheltered position, with at least one third of the pen built in the water. To keep foxes out, the wire should be 2-in. (5 cm.) mesh and 6 ft. (2 m.) high with 12 in. (30 cm.) turned out at the top and a similar amount buried (or turned outwards and firmly pegged down) at the base. The wire netting around the water area should also be 6 ft. (2 m.) high with at least 3 ft. ( 1 m. ) below water- mallard are surprisingly adept at diving. This size of pen is suitable for 150-200 six-week-old mallard which should be fully 'hardened off' before being put into the pen. If possible, barley should be fed daily by hand; otherwise hoppers may be used. When they are approximately nine weeks old, the ducks will start to fly in and out of the pen. Feeding should continue in the pen, but the amount should be gradually reduced and more feed should be spread around outside. Later the birds can be fed at various sites as described in the section on flight-pond management. Light feeding should continue throughout the winter to hold the birds and to attract wild ones.

When this was done at the gravel pits near Fordingbridge the breeding stock built up to 55 pairs after three seasons. In the third year picking up early eggs for incubation boosted the total production to six fledged young per pair. In the fourth year there were sixty breeding pairs present, from an original population of four pairs in 1963. This success was partly due to the proximity of the River Avon and its water-meadows with the associated rich feeding grounds for ducklings. The survival of the broods which stayed on the gravel pit after hatching, however, was very poor in spite of the newly created habitat. For this reason it was found to be essential to provide food for the ducklings, and creep feeders which exclude adults are advisable.

The simplest form of 'creep' consists of an old broody coop placed a few feet back from the water with a 'trail' of corn leading up to the bars. Crumbs and cut grain can be put inside the coop, protected from the rain and out of reach of the adults. The more coops that can be made available, the less quarrels there are likely to be. Large 'creeps' can be made with 2-in. (5 cm.) square Weldmesh sides or wire-netting frames, raised 2 in. (5 cm.) above ground level. Both will admit small ducklings and exclude adults. 'Creeps' can also be housed on rafts moored just offshore, out of the reach of rats.

Breeding waterfowl as a group have certain requirements: safe nest cover for adult females; escape cover and shelter from wind for the ducklings. These are relatively easy to provide, and should be included as features of any habitat which is managed for the production of ducks. Our early work taught us useful lessons, but it became obvious that there was a great need for a better understanding of habitat creation. This was particularly so where the intention was to establish a completely wild breeding area with no regular management involved. The essential first step in designing this breeding habitat was to investigate the factors which control the survival of ducklings.

 

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