Today, April 1st, our Hooded Merganser "April" began the incubation process of sitting on her eggs. We watched her pluck out some downy feathers from her breast to tuck around the eggs. According to literature, the eggs will hatch anywhere between 26 and 41 days from now. They will all hatch on the same day, and the next day the ducklings will jump out of the box while April calls to them from down below, run to the river, and start swimming and diving for food. It boggles the mind!
Below is a video from this evening.
