Alaskan's Journal

[Alaskan]

3 tired chicks this morning.

I get more!

 

[Bruce]

Yes, we want you to have a good hatch!

 

[Alaskan]

Sooooo disappointed! 3 chicks.... still 3 chicks!!

But nope... not about to pop open eggs and see why... either the blasted things will hatch properly... or not at all.

Should have had 8 chicks.... bummed

 

[Alaskan]

Ooooh! A pair of Barrow Goldeneyes are on my pond right now!

I think my pond is too small to entice them to stay... but they sure are pretty.

 

[farmerjan]

They are really NICE.....

 

[Bruce]

they must like COLD water!!!

 

[Alaskan]

they must like COLD water!!!

A few days back.. the pond was still covered in slush... and this mallard drake actually swam right through the slush, leaving a trail of clear water.

He showed up when the middle of the pond was still ice, and all he had was like 2 feet of water along the shoreline.

But.. then he left... and I have the pair of Barrow Goldeneyes.... they are still here this morning.

 

[farmerjan]

I never thought about mallards in Alaska.... interesting...

 

[Alaskan]

I had the kids put up a nestbox... in case those fancy ducks, the Barrow Goldeneyes, decide to come back and nest.

If they don't like it, maybe someone else will.

The floating duck nest we built years back... for some other species (forget what) has never been used as a nest, but many visiting ducks like to just sit on it and hang out. So... it counts as a win. Actually, the female Barrows Goldeneye spent a bunch of time sitting on it.


I still need 2 more swallow houses made.

Kids repaired the busted one, cleaned up 2 others.... so I now have 3 in good spots, all ready.........but I used to have 5 total, and I want to be back at 5.

I like it when they have choices.

 

[Bruce]

I like it when they have choices.

Or when there isn't a housing shortage I made a 3rd tree swallow house this past week. I've seen at least enough birds to fill them. And the barn swallows were flying around in the lower part of the barn starting last week so I suspect I'll see some activity repairing the nest or making a new one in the same area.