tankerchief

Visited my property in NY for the first time this spring to find some beavers decided to build a dam. My annoyance soon turned to joy when I flushed a flock of wood ducks. Over the next couple of days wood ducks flew by the area. I'm going to install a pair of nesting boxes in the next week; but am looking at other ways to attract and keep waterfowl in the area.

Looking for suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Oldtimr

There is little you can do to enhance a beaver dam. It takes a little while for a new dam to start to grow the plants that water fowl like but the waterfowl themselves take care of that by transporting the seeds on their bodies as they move from one place to the next. I would recommend if you want to erect nesting devices for wood ducks you use the wooden ones that are made so you can remove two screws and the front swivels down so you can replace the wood shavings every year before the nesting season. Old shavings can harbor lice that can harm ducklings. If you want to put up a device or two for mallards I would suggest the wire baskets on a stake out in the water filled with straw. For both wood ducks and mallards I strongly advise raccoon guards which are inverted funnels that go around a tree or post to prevent coons from climbing up and raiding the nest.

pheasantshooter123

I would erect wooden boxes with a 4 inch hole and bolt them to a metal post. Preferably stainless steel so the raccoons can't climb up the post and snag your chicks. Replace the wood shavings every year. Hopefully you get a nice resident population in a couple of years. Good luck.