Today we have “readers’ videos” rather than photos, and the reader is Tara Tanaka, whose superb videos of a hunting red egret and wood ducks fledging were posted not long ago. Today we have two more short videos; Tara’s notes are indented. The first shows egg theft by female wood ducks:
After the Pileated [woodpecker; Dryocopus pileatus] created the cavity this past spring, Wood Duck hens started laying eggs in it. I have video on that shows one, then another hen enter the cavity, then as soon as the first one lays her egg and leaves, the second on emerges with the egg in its bill. I’ve observed and videoed that behavior one more than one occasion.
There was a lot of Wood Duck activity for some time, but then I saw a steady stream of fire ants entering the cavity, so I don’t think a hen could have successfully incubated eggs. In September I saw three baby gray squirrels playing in the tree, running in and out of the cavity. I realized that they had been born in the cavity and were just beginning to explore outside of their cozy home. Hours of video of the three babies is some that I’ve yet to cull, but I did find this clip (I slowed some of it down) of one of them grabbing a bug out of mid-air and eating it. This squirrel used to sleep with its head hanging out of the cavity, and I think it’s the same one I later videoed that has lost an eye.
I had no idea a squirrel, much less a baby one, could snatch insects out of the air. But here’s the evidence:
That squirrel one is really neat — looks like the squirrel is waving at first! “Hey, over here, I’m stuck in this tree hole & can’t get out!”
Her work is beautiful.
Absolutely lovely. I cannot see the insect, so I wonder what it was. I also certainly did not know that wood ducks were infanticidal, but I suppose such things should not be surprising.
I don’t think there _is_ an insect, there isn’t any frame that shows any.
But maybe the growing squirrel imagines there is one.
Whew! I thought it was just me that couldn’t see the insect. I must have watched it ten times before giving up.
Both clips are fascinating behavioral studies, and so beautifully filmed! Congratulations Tara.
Great stuff.
Captivating!
Stunning as always!
Thanks everyone!! I never did see an insect either, although it was a time when we had a lot of mosquitos, so perhaps it was just too small to see.