Assembling your wood duck box
The Prairie Pothole Chapter has been actively building and placing Wood Duck nesting boxes for the past 30 years and for the past several years has been hosting a habitat day. This is a chance for the Chapter to educate the public on the importance of wetland habitats and for families to build their own nesting boxes that they can take home and put up on their property. While we typically build about 100 nest boxes during habitat day there are some folks that want to take their kit home to build later...
And Chapter members occasionally get calls from these folks on the best way to build and install their boxes. The videos below were filmed to highlight how to build a nest box and how to assemble a WMI guard and install it on a 4X4 post.
Wood Duck Box
MWI Predator Guard
Hawk Eye Nature Cam
The Prairie Pothole Chapter has been building, maintaining, and documenting wood duck nesting structures for 30 years in West Central Minnesota. While it is fun to check the nest boxes after the chicks have hatched improvements in camera technology now allow you to watch what is happening inside the cedar boxes. The Hawk Eye Nat Camera is an excellent way to keep an eye on the happenings in your nest boxes. The Chapter is working with Birdhouse Spy Cam out of West Linn, Oregon to supply these cameras in Minnesota. You can learn more about the camera's by following the link to Birdhouse spy cam. If you are interested in a camera for your own project please contact Troy Heck at 320-905-5451.
Support MWA - Calendar Raffles
Minnesota have long recognized the importance of their state for both production and migration habitat for waterfowl. In 1967, a group of waterfowl supports formed a group that would go on to become the Minnesota Waterfowl Association. This statewide non-profit is dedicated to the preservation, creation, and restoration of wildlife habitat in Minnesota. The MWA, through proceeds from membership, fundraising events, and donations has benefited wildlife for more than 40 years.
The Minnesota Waterfowl Association currently is selling raffle calendars as a fundraiser to support it's mission. If you are interested learning more about the calendars or would like to purchasing a calendar you can contact a member of the Prairie Pothole Chapter in Willmar, MN or can contact Troy Heck at 320-905-5451. The random drawing will take place on April 2, 21012 and results will be posted on the State MWA web site.
Wood Duck Jump
Habitat Day 2012
The annual Habitat Day was held on February 24, 2012 at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center, just outside of New London, MN. This was an opportunity for families to explore the learning center, build a Wood Duck nesting box, and learn about the importance of wetland habitat and restoration projects.
Habitat Day opened at 8AM and by noon over 100 Wood Duck nest boxes had been built and families headed home with all the hardware, brackets, and posts required to install them before the Wood Ducks return in a few weeks. More information about Wood Ducks and their wetland habitat can be found here -
Think Spring Banquet
The 2011 MWA Chapter of the Year cordially invites you to attend the Think Spring Banquet 2012 at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center, Willmar, MN on Friday March 2nd, 2012. The Social hour begins at 5:30 PM with dinner served at 7 PM. Highlights of this banquet include: Guns, Games, Collectible Artwork, a Silent Auction, and a General Raffle Proceeds from this event will support -
- Annual Youth Shoot
- MWA Woodie Camp
- Family Habitat Day
For more information please contact -
- Jim and Kay Boyer - (320) 235-7287
- Troy Heck - (320) - 235-0560
- Curt Mackedanz - (320) 796-6416
Prairie Pothole on the Web 2012
The Chapter has been on the web for several years now and has proven to be a great resource for members to track down information and for visitors to learn about Prairie Pothole Day and the importance of Predator Guards for Wood Duck Nesting boxes. This past years saw an increase in site usage with over 3,700 visits to the site of which 2981 were unique. Visitors were primarily from the Upper-Midwest but the site was accessed globally. The map below provides some indication of the states where people accessed the web site.
2012 Predator Guard Prices!
No price increase in 2012!!!
Several years ago the Prairie Pothole Chapter was asked to take over order processing and shipment for Predator Guards and Wood Duck nesting structures. The Chapter has worked hard to contain costs and those efforts have paid off with no price increases for guards or nest structures for 2012.
Thank-you Volunteers...
The Prairie Pothole Chapter is wrapping up another successful year of habitat conservation, fundraising, and education. We would not have been able to accomplish these events and activities if it weren't for the support of volunteers. Whether you are a Chapter member or a friend of the environment your time and talent are greatly appreciated. If this past year is any indication of what the Chapter is capable of, 2012 should be filled with great projects, events, and meetings.
Thank-you again for all your help and I look forward to seeing you at a meeting in the near future!
Troy Heck, President
Prescribed Burns
chapter web page
The Chapter was offered web page space via the Minnesota Waterfowl Association but we have found that this page is still being accessed much more than the new space... So, the Chapter has decided to retain and retool this space over the next few months in anticipation of the 30th Anniversary of Prairie Pothole Day. Please return to this site for Chapter updates.
Waterfowl Habitat Restoration
Ducks need nourishment and resting areas on their spring and fall migratory flights. Once prairie potholes, wetland complexes, and shallow lakes provided these for places for ducks. Wetland loss, degraded nesting cover, and poor water quality in Minnesota have shifted migration patterns Westward for more favorable conditions. The Minnesota DNR's wildlife section working on it's own and with partners is trying to improve and create habitat to keep waterfowl a strong and vibrant resource. The moist soils and shallow lakes management plans outline how these resources can be managed for the benefit of waterfowl.
Wood Duck Boxes
Where can I buy a wood duck box? That's usually the question that members of the Prairie Pothole Chapter of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association hear after folks discover Predator Guards. Recognizing the interest in wood duck nesting boxes the chapter has added them to our 'online' store. Now interested parties can purchase nesting boxes and guards together. Once assembled users can mount the nesting box and predator
guard on a post or timber following Roger Strand's best practices. Properly located the nesting box and predator guard provide a safe nesting cavity for wood ducks. To learn more about the placement or nesting
boxes and to place an order please go to the Wood Duck Boxes and Guards web page.
Wood Duck Predator Guards
The Prairie Pothole Chapter of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association has been building and maintaining wood duck nesting boxes for the past 28 years. Roger Strand, a
founding member of the chapter, is a nationally recognized authority on wood duck structures and has developed a best practices approach to helping wood ducks nest safely.
A key component of these practices is to protect the nesting hen from predation. A predator guard below the nesting box provides this protection.
Prairie Pothole began working with a local contracting firm to cut and assemble predator guards for members and our annual habitat day. The guards have become increasingly popular and the contractor has asked the chapter to assume responsibility for ordering and answering any questions about nesting structures. You can learn more about Roger's best practices and order your own guards by going to the Predator Guard page.
Bands Across America
In 1902, Dr. Paul Bartsch of the Smithsonian Institution was the first to band birds in North America - 23 black-crowned night herons near Washington, D.C. Many banders followed, and banding and recovery records have been kept since 1914. Explore the band database by 'clicking' the icon to the left and see the migratory patters of your favorite waterfowl.
Minnesota Waterfowl Association Woodie Camp
The Prairie Pothole Chapter of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association is dedicated to restoring, enhancing, and protecting wetland habitat in West Central Minnesota. Key to these efforts are educational activities that highlight the importance of wetlands and the role they play water and landscape quality. In addition to educational opportunities at Prairie Pothole Day and a habitat day at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center the chapter also provides support for the Minnesota Waterfowl Association's Woodie Camp. This weeklong residential camp offers students, age 12-15, the chance to learn about waterfowl biology, habitat, and hunting. If you have a youth interested in the outdoors please contact the Minnesota Waterfowl Association for more information.
