Catching the 'wood duck jump' can be tricky

Q: Well, it happened again. I have a wood duck nesting box near a pond, at the end of my property, and I saw a wood duck coming and going. But for the 10^th year in a row I missed the day the ducklings jumped out, something I've always wanted to see. Any tips?

A: I've never been on hand to see wood ducklings jumping to the ground, either, but have a friend who has, and he says it's sheerly magical. I'd advise you to keep doing what you're doing in maintaining the houses, and then try to estimate when a female has started incubating her eggs. That period can last between 28 and 37 days, and then, 24 hours after hatching, tiny, full-feathered ducklings leap down to join their mother. She stands on the ground or paddles in the water below the box and calls to them, so if you see a female duck doing this, you will soon see the ducklings emerge.

'Invisible' nests

Q: I had hummingbirds at my feeders all summer long, so why don't I ever see a hummingbird nest?

A: These tiny birds build tiny nests, and then do their very best to camouflage them to hide them from sight. Most people who do spot one are lucky enough to observe a female bird in flight, then follow her with their eyes until she approaches the nest. And then they often can't find it again, because it's just so well hidden. Hummingbirds' half-walnut size nests are made of natural materials, then "sided" with lichen chips, and are almost invisible, appearing to be a knob on a branch. By the time the youngsters leave, the nest has been smashed down by all their jumping around, so it's even tinier.

Sneaky snippers

Q: My entire row of beets has been devastated and I observed the culprits — goldfinches! I always grow beets and have never had this problem before. I've got feeders for finches and birdbaths, and wonder why they're attacking my beet leaves.

A: The photo you sent dramatically illustrates goldfinches' fondness for the green parts of some vegetable plants. They strip and eat the leaves of chard (a favorite), cauliflower, broccoli and sunflowers, as well as beets and others. Not all goldfinches seem to engage in this behavior, but for those that do, they're tough to deter. Some folks cover their row crops with netting, others just put up with the damage.

Summer singers

Q: I've had a cardinal singing all day in late summer, starting just before sunrise and continuing for hours. I don't want to call it annoying but it just doesn't stop. Any thoughts?

A: We tend to think that birds go quiet in late summer, but for some, mum isn't the word. Cardinals are an especially noisy bird, and males may sing throughout the year (although they peak in spring and early summer). Because cardinals nest twice in the summer, the bird you heard in mid-August might have been signaling that he is still master of his territory. The singing helps young cardinals learn their species' song, too. Other birds that are still vocalizing in late summer include goldfinches, catbirds and chipping sparrows.

Fresh greens

Q: I was watching an osprey nest on a local web camera and was surprised to see an adult bringing in a leafy tree branch to drop into the nest. This was in August, so why would it do that?

A: Osprey (and bald eagles) like to refresh their nests from time to time, especially as their offspring grow up. By the time the youngsters are getting ready to fledge, their nest can be a mess of fish pieces and bird poop. New greenery makes the nest more palatable to its occupants.

Late nesters?

Q: I was trimming grass near a shrub in August when the noise flushed a female cardinal. When I checked the shrub a couple of days later, I found a nest with two very young cardinals, beaks wide open. This seems late to me.

A: Many people are surprised to learn that cardinals nest twice in a season, raising two broods of youngsters in the warm months. So your cardinals were right on schedule.

Hummingbird taste buds

Q: I noticed a dropoff in the number of hummingbirds visiting my feeders this summer. I wondered if some rain had diluted the liquid, so I tasted it and it seemed a bit thin. Are hummingbirds sensitive to taste differences?

A: You are a very dedicated hummingbird host, I don't know of many others who'd taste their sugar water. And yes, hummingbirds are said to have a discerning sense of taste; they prefer flowers that produce nectar with high sugar levels, for example. And I've read that it's not a good idea to put hummingbird feeders in the dishwasher, because they can taste the soap residue in the nectar.

St. Paul resident Val Cunningham, who volunteers with the St. Paul Audubon Society and writes about nature for local, regional and national newspapers and magazines, can be reached at valwrites@comcast.net.