submitted by Bernard Davock
Hoosick Falls Boy Scout Troop 63 camped out at the Pioneer Fish and Game Club this past weekend. In addition to practicing survival skills like fire building and what to do if you fall through some ice into water while hiking in the woods, the boys enjoyed a impromptu class by Ed Sukuskas about the habitat of wood ducks.
In pre-colonial times, the wood duck was likely the most abundant waterfowl species in eastern North America. Unfortunately, their distribution within densely settled regions made them readily accessible to market hunters throughout the year. Over harvesting, coupled with the destruction of bottom land habitats, drove these colorful birds to the brink of extinction by the early 20th century. The dramatic rebound of wood duck populations since that time can be largely attributed to protection provided by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. However, the recovery of the wood duck was also assisted by the advent of artificial nesting structures, or wood duck boxes.
While there the boys were able to check several boxes on the fish and game property. They were told how to identify the embryos left from successful hatches and the obvious unhatched eggs. They found two of the boxes unoccupied, and one other had three hatched eggs and three unhatched eggs. The final box had two hatched eggs. Sukuskas said that while the wood duck is not in danger of becoming extinct the number of hatched eggs or embryos is lower than in the past and the use of duck boxes is very important to their survival.
Anybody with questions about duck boxes should contact any member of the Pioneer Fish and Game Club and any boy wishing to join the troop can attend a meeting at the Catholic Church on Monday nights at 6:30 pm for more information.
