Pentagon DU Greenwing Wood Duck Boxes at Mason Neck
Pentagon Chapter GreenWings maintained 27 wood duck nesting boxes on the Mason Neck Peninsula, covering both the Elizabeth Hartwell National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Mason Neck VA State Park, in 2022. On Saturday, February 18th, 2023, starting at 09:00 AM (08:30 AM for coffee and donuts) our GreenWings will replace bedding in the boxes to prepare them for the spring nesting season while recording nesting results from the previous year. Thanks to their efforts, hard work, and FUN we are pleased to report that the wood duck population in Mason Neck continues to grow and since the program started in 2006 our boxes have produced 1,258 wood ducklings. Last year, woodies nested in 21 of 27 (78%) of our boxes and produced 166 wood ducklings which is our new chapter production record for all the years the program has existed, beating last year’s record by 29 hatchlings. Last year (2022), 23 new GreenWings showed up and we continued our partnership with Wetland Studies & Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) that sponsored our Mason Neck event and it is a partnership our chapter is very excited about for the future.
WSSI will be sponsoring Mason Neck this year and our stream clean-up event and Eagle Scout Wood Duck Box installation of 8 new boxes at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, VA on the 11th of March. All GreenWing ticket costs, pizza lunch, coffee & donuts are being provided by WSSI. GreenWing youth attendees will be eligible to win a youth model shotgun at our September banquet on September 16, 2023. Only GreenWings that attend either the Mason Neck or Huntley Meadows event get a ticket and attend our banquet can win. See you in September! We plan to meet at the big parking lot on the state side of the park by the jungle gym/swing set near Belmont Bay off the Occoquan River. The contact rangers at the booth will be expecting you and will provide directions.
When: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM on Saturday, 18 February 2023
Where: Mason Neck State Park, Lorton VA
Cost: The event is FREE and all youth participants (Ages 17 and under) must be registered online. The Parent or Guardian can register online and enter the Youth as their Guest. Please complete one (1) online registration for each Youth participant. Online registration will be first come first serve.
Bring: Dry clothes and a bag for your wet clothes. Feel free to bring your duck calls, binoculars and a camera. (Bring at least one adult, too)
R.S.V.P. to:
Jon Doering
Pentagon Chairman
703.357.7607
jcdoering@comcast.net
Matt Ferry
Greenwing Event Coordinator
(240) 401-1216 (c)
matt.g.ferry@gmail.com
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT UNDERWRITER
www.wetlands.com