Avian Update   08/20/10
This summer’s hot and dry weather has drawn many of the earthen ponds at the Conservancy to notably low levels.  The possibility of a drought on the horizon has not affected the waterfowl but has provided plenty of feeding opportunities for several species of heron.  Along with the commonly sighted great blue heron, great white egrets, green herons and a black-crowned night heron visited LRWC over the past two weeks.  Watching the herons and equally opportunistic belted kingfishers has been a nice upside to the lack of rain.

Several groups of students from Wellspring School in Bethlehem visited the Conservancy recently.  Despite the ongoing summer molt which leaves many northern species looking rather ratty this time of year, the students thoroughly enjoyed learning about waterfowl and LRWC’s role in research, conservation and captive breeding.  As with most field trips, the highlight of the visit was viewing the ducklings growing in the rearing barn!  Our student guests were fortunate to see a variety of ducklings that have hatched recently, including ruddy duck, puna teal, black-bellied whistling ducks and a crowned crane chick. 

This week’s photo is of a young black-bellied whistling duck being habituated to handling as part of the process of developing a useful education bird.  As an adult, this young black-bellied will be a living and breathing example of why waterfowl and wetlands need to be conserved for hundreds of LRWC program participants.

Weekly Avian Update