CRITTER NOTES—

The other morning a pair of Wood Ducks was making a fuss along the pond’s East shoreline. Could have been a domestic spat I mused as they flitted around, perching on the branches of a pine snag about 15 feet above the surface.

Then, Momma swooped down and landed on the top of the nest box where she sat nervously for many minutes, occasionally leaning over and peering into the entry hole.

I began to wonder if her new brood of chicks was about to fledge.

Later, she and her mate left.

Still later, Momma Hooded Merganser swam toward the nest box, dabbled around a bit to decoy any observant predators, then, disappeared into the Wood Duck box entry hole.

The painted turtles basking on near-by logs appeared as curious as I felt about these perplexing neighborhood events.


BOOK REPORT—

Ascent by Jed Mercurio:

A warp-speed read on a Soviet orphan who climbs through their air force to the pinnacle of the space race. I’ll be looking for Mercurio’s first novel, Bodies, and hope this Brit launches his third effort soon.