Well first found this nest on April 21 , the duck came flying out and I looked down an saw the nest, did not have a camera on me , went back a week later and it was still there ! Went back on the may 8th and mounted a camera ! Since it was only about 5ft from the nest all night pictures were dark !
There were originally 13 eggs.
Black racer ate one egg on May 10.
Ducks were born May 10 at night and May 11 morning !
Mother never defended the eggs from the snakes (3 different black racers came in , 2 small one Large !) .
As soon as the baby’s were born she became very protective, many times she got off the nest to chase some thing but it never got on camera ! At times she was frantic !
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5 eggs never hatched and she left never to return.
She went into the thickest swamp about 50 yds away, that’s where she is walking in the picture .
Apparently the duck survival rate is about 50 percent, so this was a little better !
Personally I think things were closing in and staying another day would have been all bad for the 7 babies !
Something came in on the May 12th and ate the 5 eggs, they never hatched !
I could not believe what ate the eggs and it was the biggest of that species I have ever seen !
If anyone guesses what ate the 5 remaining eggs I will post the picture of it eating them next to your post !
Hope you enjoy because I sure did ! Good Luck !
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Hard to go thru like 4000 picture and pick 5 !
There were originally 13 eggs.
Black racer ate one egg on May 10.
Ducks were born May 10 at night and May 11 morning !
Mother never defended the eggs from the snakes (3 different black racers came in , 2 small one Large !) .
As soon as the baby’s were born she became very protective, many times she got off the nest to chase some thing but it never got on camera ! At times she was frantic !
5 eggs never hatched and she left never to return.
She went into the thickest swamp about 50 yds away, that’s where she is walking in the picture .
Apparently the duck survival rate is about 50 percent, so this was a little better !
Personally I think things were closing in and staying another day would have been all bad for the 7 babies !
Something came in on the May 12th and ate the 5 eggs, they never hatched !
I could not believe what ate the eggs and it was the biggest of that species I have ever seen !
If anyone guesses what ate the 5 remaining eggs I will post the picture of it eating them next to your post !
Hope you enjoy because I sure did ! Good Luck !
