Wood Ducks ??

[Magicman]

I wonder if I am the only one seeing very few Woodies this year.  My ponds usually have flocks of 20+ but this year I am only seeing 4-6 at the most.  The weather is not that much different, but I did have fewer acorns this year.   :-\

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

It may be the weather. I'm just guessing.....all the rains we had in the Spring has affected every thing else so far.

[DonT]

The wood ducks in our swamp stayed well into November,right up until  things froze over.They usually leave about our Thanksgiving(mid oct) so maybe they have just not made it south yet.

[sandhills]

Until last January we lived right by town so my disclaimer is that I was missing a lot then.  We now have a dam a few hundred feet from the house, surrounded by trees and I saw more wood ducks this fall than I have in a long time passing through.  We had a pair of mallards that were here all summer and raised some little ones but didn't see the wood ducks until they started coming through in about November.

[Magicman]

I saw a few more this past weekend.  Maybe as others have mentioned, they were just later getting here.  They are a beautiful bird.


 
I took this a few years ago.  It is one of my favorite pictures. 

[Ron Scott]

Great picture!

[thecfarm]

I took this a few years ago.  It is one of my favorite pictures.

And I can see why.

[Peter Drouin]

Do you eat them? :D

[Magicman]

Sadly I never did get a duck hunt in this year.  No roast duck for us.   :-\

[coxy]

Do you eat them? :D

duck duck  yuck :D :D :D :D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[drobertson]

If you do, can't go wrong with the stuffed duck breast wrapped in bacon on the grill,  (those two in the picture would be hard to shoot for me)    david

[Peter Drouin]

If you do, can't go wrong with the stuffed duck breast wrapped in bacon on the grill,  (those two in the picture would be hard to shoot for me)    david

Does that mean you only shoot ugly ones?  :D :D ;D

[chain]

This reminds me I need to build a few wood-duck nesting boxes. Ice storms, wind, beavers, floods have taken out most all our nest boxes.

Amazing thing about those ducks is they like to nest in large hollow trees. When the ducklings hatch they climb out and tumble  to the ground, sometimes forty feet or more. What a wake-up call to the world!

[drobertson]

Peter, I kinda deserved that one, but no, just meant the ones that might be homies,  I reckon the only ugly duck I've seen is one of those sea ducks, now them things are ugly,   david

[Peter Drouin]

Peter, I kinda deserved that one, but no, just meant the ones that might be homies,  I reckon the only ugly duck I've seen is one of those sea ducks, now them things are ugly,   david

NO you don't , I was just wiseing  off a little  :D I have never eaten it. I'm sure it's good if made right .

[pineywoods]

There ain't much meat on a wood duck (we call them squealers here). But it does make some fine gumbo..I usually have a few pair in my stock ponds, but none so far this year.

[Magicman]

Since Wood Ducks are mostly grain, etc eaters (acorns, etc.) they taste the best to me.  Duck gumbo is some fine eating, but Pat makes some very good roast duck.   

[DonT]

Can someone explain what gumbo is..  Thank you

[thecfarm]

Oh my.  :D

[pineywoods]

Can someone explain what gumbo is..  Thank you

Gumbo is mostly a southern thing, but I'll defer to the Magic man to explain. He is closely associated with one of the best gumbo chefs in the country.  ;D

[Texas Ranger]

Food for the gods 8)

[Magicman]

I'll have to search for some recipes. 

[Ianab]

Gumbo is basically what you get if you put a Frenchman, a West African and a Native American together and tell them to cook a stew  :D

Can be meat, poultry or seafood, with veges like onion, celery and peppers. Usually thickened with Okra, and chilli and garlic as optional extras.

Served on Rice.

It's good stuff 

[terry f]

    Chain, it is amazing that they know to jump out of the tree, and the other 99.9% of birds know not to. Mother Nature is a wonderful thing.

[Magicman]

Can someone explain what gumbo is..  Thank you 

There is a LINK to Pat's Christmas Gumbo.   

[DonT]

Ok looks good,its not served with grits is it?

[Magicman]

No, gumbo is not.


 
But I do enjoy a good bowl of "shrimp & grits.

[Magicman]

While I was looking for the Shrimp & Grits picture I found this:


 
I am back on topic with this roasted Wood Duck breast served with rice and a veggie.  MMmmm   

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Looks good as usual Magic. 

[DonT]

The roast duck looks very good,I roast some as well,leave them in the fridge overnight and take them in my lunch the next day cold.   Sorry but the shrimp and grits picture did not work for me.

[Magicman]

Sorry but the shrimp and grits picture did not work for me. 

:D  Only because you have not tried them.  Actually that picture was taken in a Cracker Barrel restaurant.   

[Hilltop366]

I have 3 "wood ducks" in my living room!

 

[DonT]

Your right,I have not tried grits. I will try grits if you will eat a Beaver tail.They are eaten most of the winter up here at outdoor events. ;D although localized to the Ottawa valley for the most part I think.

[Hilltop366]

Iv'e seen Beaver tails for sale in Halifax NS as well..... it' starting to spread!

[Magicman]

I'll call that bluff, because I am game to try most anything.....once.  Well, almost because I ain't trying possum.   I did not care for chitlins, snake, coon, or armadillo.   :-\

[Hilltop366]

I googled chitlins blagh, I can guarantee you rather have beaver tail.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I tried Possum. Ya have to catch one first, put him in a 55 gallon barrel, give him water and corn to clean him out. The corn will sweeten the meat....some. The meat is really greasy....that's the part I did not like.

[beenthere]

That possum must get mighty messy wallowing around in all the by-products from being cleaned-out.
Isn't a 55 gal. barrel a bit cramped for feeding, sleeping, and dumping?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

That's the way the old timers used to do it......but keep in mind, you eat the inside of a Possum, not the outside. :D :D  :D
They served the Possum on a big plate with Sweet Taters around him to soak up the grease. My Grand-Paw ate them all the time.

[DonT]

Beaver tails are a batter that is deep fried then rolled in sugar and flavoured with cinnamon,maple syrup or other toppings of your choice.Will I enjoy grits as much? When President Obama was in Ottawa he gave his security people a nightmare by diverting to an outdoor market jumping out and grabbing a beavertail.Where does a person find grits in the grocery store?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Where does a person find grits in the grocery store?

Isle 3, down about half way, on the right, second shelf.

[DonT]

Nope Aisle 3 is the canned goods row.Yes I realize I should have paid more attention in the past to the grits threads but never thought I would eat what looks like bad glue.I am not even sure we can buy grits in Canada.