Eared Grebe, Wood Ducks, No Owls

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March 21 Emails:

Good Morning Ric, I did not have any luck with the Short-eared Owls last night.  I'll try calling ahead to make an appointment next time. :-) I did, however, get an Eared Grebe at Wastewater last night among a number of American Coot and Ruddy Ducks. I found the bird in the east Lagoon as a I was driving down along the south dike. It was only a handful of feet from shore, so I got plenty of good looks in good sun. Other than that, it was the usual suspects. Don Avery Ric, It looks like the Wood Ducks are back here on Black Creek.  I put up two more wood duck nest boxes this year, so hopefully they will nest in all three.  We had 14 ducklings from the lone nest box that I put up last year.  It looks like we might also have two pairs of Pileated Woodpeckers nesting here this year as well.  We have one female spending a great deal of time around a hole in the beech tree right behind our house and another about 50 yards away. Both within sight of our back deck.  Looks like it is going to be a great spring! Rick Hamlin .   .