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	Please Review our August 2009 Activity Report
	Updated Events Calendar

Maryland Ducks Unlimited Newsletter

Hooded Merganser Nest in Dorchester County
The final Chicamicomico River nest inspections completed December 8th provided the first MWDI documented hooded merganser nest in Dorchester County. 10 of 12 eggs hatched. Kudo's to Greg Schenck, DNR's Lecompte WMA Manager for assisting in the discovery. Previously, hooded nests on the Eastern Shore had been confined to the more northerly Kent County until a nest was confirmed in Somerset County in 2008 and earlier this year in Cecil County. Hooded nests are not uncommon on the western shore in Montgomery, Baltimore, Harford, Carroll, Prince Georges and Charles Counties.

2009 Statewide Nesting Results almost Compiled
Preliminary Results Available
Final nest inspections and data collection are now 90% completed. Estimates are being developed for the remaining boxes where inspection is not planned until winter 2010 and 2008 estimated results for many of these same boxes are now being reconciled. See Director's Message for details.

Slide of Preliminary Nesting Results - 2004 - 2009

Wood Ducks on Water
Video Clip courtesy of Dave Godfrey

Maryland Wood Ducks on UTUBE
Dave Godfrey, manager of the MWDI Wye Island program and also active with the programs at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center and Pickering Creek has created an 8-minute video on how we, as monitors, check wood duck boxes through the spring season. Filled with great tips and images, it is highly recommended viewing for all woody fans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4MCf_VDaEY

Partnership Spotlight on
The Chestertown Wildlife Exhibition & Sale
A long-time partner of MWDI, This organization has made a commitment through both financial donations & volunteer times. Find out more about the 5-year effort in Kent County. Read more...

2009 Wetlands & Wildlife Field Day
On September 22nd and 23rd Aaron Ward, volunteer with the Maryland Waterfowlers Association and Maryland Wood Duck Initiative, gave a presentation on the Wood Duck to all Somerset County 4th graders. This event was hosted by the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service Wellington office. Read more...

Spotlight on Kids
MWDI hosted a youth box building event as part of Maryland DNR�s National Hunting & Fishing Day in Bridgeton, Md. on September 26, 2009. More than 35 boys and girls of all ages participated in assembling 20 wood duck nesting boxes for use on various public sites across Maryland. A huge thank you goes out to MWDI Advisory Directors and volunteers John Chew and Jerry McCarty once again helped supervise the event with Cliff Brown. See photos and read more....

Upcoming Youth Events

MWDI's first priority is to host youth activities on behalf of those organizations who fund the lumber and sponsor such events.
Since we order wood in late 2009, we ask that any organization that might wish to have MWDI come to their affair, contact us to obtain the lumber as part of this annual order.
MWDI is willing to participate in additional events as long as we have kits that are not allocated, but regrettably we are not able to meet every request.

Now Online - Statewide Map
2009 Maryland Wood Duck Public Project Sites

Thanks to the men at the Hagerstown Correctional Facility who again supported MWDI via our partnering relationship w/ MD DNR by manufacturing 300 predator guards for use on our public land projects.

New "Best Practices" Sites
MWDI continues to expand our public "best practices" sites which may exceed total 75 in 2010. Box numbers are still being developed but they may approach 1,750 in 2010 compared to 1,545 in 2008 and roughly 1,650 in 2009.

The new sites are the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center / Bosley Conservancy at Otter Creek and the Harford Glen Environmental Education Center in Harford Co; the Bowen WMA in Prince George's County along the Patuxent River; and the Bennet Point Park in Queen Anne County. These sites will have about 80 boxes.

The MWDI Challenge!
Find a good public wetland and start your own program. It can be any size you want. Contact MWDI for more details.

Hooded Merganser Nest Confirmed in Cecil County!
In what MWDI believes to be the first evidence of a Hooded Merganser nest in Cecil County, volunteer Jordan Kane's photograph confirms a Hooded Merganser nest in Box #3 at the Elk Forest site. Read more and see what Jordan Kane and his daughter Rachael have been up to!

Maryland-based Predator Guard Suppliers
The Upper Bay Chapter of Delta Waterfowl based in Havre de Grace through one of its members is now able to provide "standard" 26 gauge galvanized 36" cone style (with flaps) guards for $11 each, same price - all volumes. Guards are designed to fit over nominal width 4" x 4" wood poles or sections. Contact Jerry at jerryr@jlrdesign.net for orders.

Another supplier also has a residual stock of predator guards (same style) available near the Baltimore area for the same price. Contact Gschumann@msn.com for orders.

We thank each of these suppliers for their support and assistance in addressing this critical need.

J. M. Bennett High Schoolers at it Again!
James M. Bennett High School students will again be creating Wood Duck nesting canisters for a 2nd year. Students in Courtland Lilley�s Transportation Technology class will be transforming scrap Freon canisters into a home for Wood Ducks on the Lower Shore. This year they will be making 10 fully finished nesting structures. The boxes will thus become �turn key� for MWDI volunteers to install. Read More...

Cliff Brown Named 2008 Sportsman's Friend of the Year
The Maryland Legislative Sportsmen�s Foundation honored MWDI Executive Director Cliff Brown with the prestigious 2008 Sportsman's Friend of the Year by the Maryland Legislative Sportsman Foundation. Previously, Cliff was named Wildlife Conservationist of the Year for 2007 by DNR�s Wildlife Advisory Commission, and in 2006, Cliff received the first annual MD Volunteer Conservationist of the Year award from Ducks Unlimited.

MWDI is receiving this recognition due to the volunteers within the wildlife conservation community and the impact they are making on the growth of Maryland's wood duck population.

Volunteer hours now exceed 14,000 since late 2004.

Volunteers Welcome - Pick a project and get outdoors!

See our Events Calendar