Ducks Unlimited Efforts On Fort Meade
Succeed For 3rd Year In A Row!

By COL. Bob Shaw

The results are in! 68 Wood Duck eggs hatched this year on Fort Meade! For the 3rd year in a row, members of the General George G. Meade Chapter of Ducks Unlimited have had success in hatching Wood Duck eggs on Fort Meade. Meta Shaw, the project Chairperson and COL Robert Shaw can be found walking through the swampland on Fort Meade with their Chocolate Lab, “Mocha” almost every weekend.

From March through July, they carefully inspect the Wood Duck boxes erected with the help of Boy Scout Troop 377 back in 2007. So far, the totals have gone up (16 ducklings in 2007, 28 in 2008 and now 68 in 2009 from only 6 boxes! ) and even though this is a small project as compared to some in Maryland, the project is producing young Wood Duck chicks as part of the Maryland Wood Duck Initiative (MWDI).

The inspections are completed weekly and notes are carefully taken to describe the amount of down cover, weather conditions, number and types of eggs in the boxes, as well as other data that may help us understand more about the Wood Duck. The results and best practices are shared by others in the MWDI program in order to learn more about these ducks and increase the success rate. An annual report is filed with both the MWDI and Fort Meade Environmental Office.

For various reasons, not all the eggs hatch, but the success rate this year has been outstanding as this project finishes up its 3rd year. 83% of all eggs laid hatched. 4 of the 5 nests were “normal”, i.e. less than 16 eggs and one was a “dump” nest of 27 eggs (17 of these hatched).

The Wood Ducks began laying their eggs in early March and normally, about 30 days later hatch their ducklings. The Wood Duck hens will continue to occupy the boxes and lay eggs over the next few months into the end of June. Once the Wood Duck chicks are hatched, they remain in the box with the mother hen for about 24 hours. The mother hens will then fly out of the box and call the young chicks out into the water or on the ground, where she can gather them up and move them to safety.

The boxes installed on Fort Meade are designed to provide the best habitat for the hens and to keep predators out. Fox, raccoons, snakes and other animals will often go to extreme measures to enjoy a free meal. This year, there were no cases of predation in any of the Fort Meade boxes. This is mainly due to the special design of the boxes and the use of predator guards.

The boxes are placed up off the ground and alongside small streams inside wooded areas to emulate the natural habitat Wood Ducks look for to lay their eggs. This practice gives those that hatch the best chance for survival.

Sharing of the Wood Duck box by other birds is common. In the past, we’ve found Hooded Merganser eggs in our boxes along with Wood Duck eggs. This is always a bonus. Hooded Mergansers and Wood Ducks can be seen early in the mornings around the small streams and swampland of Fort Meade. Another good place to spot these beautiful ducks is on Burba Lake either early in the morning or evening.

The male (drake) Wood Duck is one of the most colorful ducks with many shades of purple and green, as well as a series of contrasting white lines adorning its head. In fact, Native Americans drew the species on bowls and pipes for decoration.

The Hooded Merganser is more of a black and white duck that when alerted sports a “Mohawk” style headdress with feathers sticking straight up, making him look much bigger than he actually is.

Although most ducks eat invertebrates and small plant life in the streams and ponds, the Hooded Merganser has a beak shaped like two matching saw blades used for grabbing small plants and some say for holding on to small fish.

The importance of projects like this one is to help maintain a balance of nature and the effects of mankind. The Fort Meade Chapter of Ducks Unlimited is dedicated to helping maintain an environment where Wood Ducks can have a better chance of survival. As we continue to encroach upon our natural resources, it is getting harder and harder for Wood Ducks to find natural nesting areas as more and more trees are cut down.

Young ducklings, as well as older ducks are often harmed by people not understanding how fragile these ducks really are. For instance, the feeding of ducks has always been a summer pastime for children, but this practice can be very harmful, especially for young ducklings. Most people don’t know that ducks are extremely sensitive to mold toxins. These toxins can be produced from bread or crackers that aren’t eaten right away and found a few days later by a hungry duck. Mold toxins can cause damage to the ducks' digestive organs, liver, kidneys, muscles, and plumage, and can also reduce growth and/or reproductive performance.

Furthermore, many people do not realize that a diet of white bread can be fatal to waterfowl. When the birds gorge themselves on bread, they stop eating their natural foods, which are much more nutritious. The birds become malnourished and there have also been cases of birds choking on wads of bread. You can help by encouraging others not to feed the ducks.

This Ducks Unlimited project on Fort Meade has been a great success and we look forward to next years hatch. Organizations like Ducks Unlimited, the Maryland Wood Duck Initiative and hard work by the Boy Scouts, along with the cooperation of the Fort Meade leadership are making a difference. Conservation is something we can all take part in and the future of these little ducklings is proof that it pays off!

For more information please visit the following websites:

Note: Col. Bob Shaw and his wife, Meta, are active Ducks Unlimited members and volunteers. Bob is about to ship to Iraq for a one year tour and Meta will continue the program which started in 2007 when Bob and Meta arranged for some Boy Scouts to install 6 boxes we got as part of the Defense Department's Legacy Program funding for Aberdeen Proving Ground/ Ft Meade (which kids from various high schools assembled at the Harford Glen Environmental Education Center.

It's a wonderful example of what Maryland DU volunteers who want to get involved with the MWDI can do. 6 boxes now make 68 ducklings and afford Bob, Meta, their Chocolate Lab, and various kids recurring opportunities to get into their own Total Wetland Experience. Bob was also an award winner in MWDI's recent photo contest. Branching out from wood ducks, the Shaws have also become involved with whooping crane and osprey banding activities.