I have had a box up for at least 5 years(mounted near my small pond). I have never even seen a Wood Duck. We are in the Manistee National Forest near the Owasippe Scout camp (if you know where that is) you cant go 3 miles out here without running into a lake of some kind, you would think we would have them here.

Day Two
Box One-one egg
Box Two-Two Eggs (This was the box that had the first egg in it)

This is very exciting. Wood Ducks are so gorgeous. I see them at the local conservation area. But it must be awesome to actually have a pond in your yard with Wood Ducks nesting there. May I ask, do your Wood Ducks get sort of used to you being around, or are they still just as shy as Wood Ducks usually are?

Kendra, the ducks are fairly shy and will leave the backyard if we go towards the pond.
When the females starts to sit, she stays in the box, even if we mow the lawn right at the box, but if you open the door to her box, she will be off and not come back for several hours or more.
We have two boxes, but a starling has scared them by sitting in the door to one of the boxes, so all three females that are laying are putting their eggs into one box.
I think I have scared off the starling, but it will take awhile for them to try that box again. There was one egg in that box and I transferred it to the other box. Now we have twelve eggs in that box and none in the other box.
We have put a camera in each box. So far the females have gone in and left before another enters the box but in past years we have seen some nasty fight when two females both get into the box at one time.
Here is video taken in 2010--It was Fathers day. In this video you may see that one duck does not make it. He finally jumped after about 20 min. Mom was still waiting for him.

Here is a link that might be useful: video 2010

It is so great that you provide habitat for our native birds and I wish more people followed your steps. However, there is no reason for you to continuously impose your presence by opening the boxes because as you said: "but if you open the door to her box, she will be off and not come back for several hours or more." Several hrs could drop the temperature beyond what an embryo can survive. Also it is absolutely positively illegal for you to move an egg.
Just think about what possibly happened here. One female started to nest in one box and you moved her egg to another box. To her this box is no longer safe so she is trying to nest in already occupied box. Now all eggs are in jeopardy because more than one duck is trying to claim these eggs and the unnaturally high number of eggs in also a problem once the hatch.
Again, it is great what you are doing but why take these risks?

Natasza
I was ask by Kendra if the duck were shy and would leave or stay if we were around them.
I was answering her question. We do not open their boxes, as we have cameras and can see when the duck is in the box.
If you would like me to move the egg back, I can, but that duck has not been around or back to that box in six days. (A Starling has been harassing the duck and not allowing them into the box) All the ducks are laying in the other box (their choice). There is now 16 eggs in that box.

Please don�t get offended by what I said or will say because I know your intentions are good.
In my opinion you should not move the egg because in doing so, trying to save one egg you maybe jeopardizing the other eggs for the reason I mentioned before. There is a reason why the law prohibits to do anything with native bird�s their nest or eggs. We simply don�t know what effect our encroachment will have and nature can be helped, by providing nesting material, boxes etc, but it shouldn�t be interfered with. If the egg/eggs are abandoned then in no way it should be moved to another bird�s nest.
Again please don�t get offended.

Great to hear, Connie!
I remember from last time....you sure pump out lots of little one's at your site!
Those darn starlings...looks like you could use more boxes?
Sometimes we just don't know what is best for them but we try, certainly your'e doing good.

Perhaps putting the camera in a couple of weeks before they arrive, then there is no need anymore to open up when they come.

Thanks for answering that question Connie.
Natasza, I have included a link to help you understand the habits of the Wood Duck. They have pages on monitoring, starlings, egg dumping, etc. I should help you understand the reason that egg needed to be moved, and how that nest will now be more likely to be successful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood Duck Society

Very cool! Glad to hear the Wood ducks are nesting there, whichever box. Hopefully there will be lots of new little wood ducks running around.

There is a fairly large beaver pond in the middle of some conservation land nearby. It is approx 5 acres. One day last year I walked around to the other side of the pond, which is not very accessible because the trail disappears, and lo and behold, flushed some Wood ducks from the trees. They seemed to have chosen a section of the wetland that was rarely disturbed by humans. Very weird to see a duck sitting in a tree!

The neighbors decided to shingle their home. A two day event of lots of people and lots and lots of hammering. Those days no ducks showed. This morning one of the 3 pairs returned and she went in the box and laid an egg, so hopefully the other two pairs will return and use the other box.

Here is a site that let you hear their sounds-No quacking

Here is a link that might be useful: wood duck sounds