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Original poster

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...

969 replies

AlanThePig · 18/10/2020 15:12

Some of you might recall we have a rather large pond in our garden. On it we have a pair of ducks. First day of lockdown appeared ten, beautiful ducklings. They grew up, flew away and that was that until next spring.

Except I woke up to this......
There are ten more (seven in this photo) and I can only assume the warm weather has thoroughly confused her.

I'm now going spend the next few months fretting over bloody wildlife.

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
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Original poster
AlanThePig · 13/01/2021 15:17

They've settled back into the usual routine of breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack anyway.
Best order some more food then 😂

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FawnDrench · 13/01/2021 14:39

How lovely to see them again.
So pleased they're back.

purpleboy · 13/01/2021 14:38

Ahh op I'm so glad I found this thread again! I stated reading it a few weeks ago and then my page crashed and I couldn't find it again! I almost stated a thread to ask someone to link me back to it Grin

Love it and going to read your blog, I hope you will keep us updated if they come back again!

forrestgreen · 13/01/2021 14:31

Yay

RandomMess · 13/01/2021 14:24

They are such freeloaders 😂

Horsemad · 13/01/2021 13:50

Haha @AlanThePig, I was watching some swans the other day whilst on my daily exercise & the lake was frozen - they flew in and were slip sliding all over the place!! 😂 They looked very confused!

AvengingGerbil · 13/01/2021 13:47

Hurrah! More Duck News!

Original poster
AlanThePig · 13/01/2021 13:08

Well, the prodigal ducks have returned.
Egwina and Duncan came home some time overnight. They wasted no time in making their presence known to DH this morning, shouting loudly for breakfast.

I've just walked past the window as they were heading over for lunch. Made me laugh. The pond is starting to defrost for the first time in over a week. The ice is still there in some parts but is slightly under the surface of the water, this means when I looked out of the window I was greeted by ducks walking on water....

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
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TodgerStrunk · 09/01/2021 11:52

Hopefully this time without daily duck maintenance will give you breathing time to prepare for next year. Potentially I suppose you could have both Egwina and Dot returning to nest, twice even, so that's a lot of duck house to make and duck food to save for.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 09/01/2021 10:48

Forgot to add, thank you all too. You’re keeping me sane through lockdown and giving me a reason to actually do something.

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Original poster
AlanThePig · 09/01/2021 10:47

Can’t believe we are still frozen here. I’ve never known the pond be solid for longer than a day or two. Unsurprisingly this means there are still no ducks here.
Really twiddling my thumbs now, can’t do much outside and as the old duck house is still frozen solid in the water I can’t get it in.
Weather is forecast to get a bit warmer here next week so have everything crossed for that. Looks like I shall be forced to spend the day catching up with the Duke of Hastings as I’ve got little else to do 😉

@rainbowstardrops I’m still figuring out how this blog stuff goes, but it’s here: ayearonthepond.blogspot.com/

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Skipsurvey · 09/01/2021 08:11

Just caught up, glad you made a blog, such a great thread Thanks

rainbowstardrops · 09/01/2021 07:14

Also, how do I find your blog @AlanThePig?

rainbowstardrops · 09/01/2021 07:11

So sad that all the babies have now moved to pastures new 😢
I so hope they return one day 🦆

BarbarasStripedHands · 08/01/2021 18:44

Oh no, your babies have left you. This is so sad Sad

QueenDaisy · 07/01/2021 20:38

De-lurking to say I’ve loved this thread, along with my 20 year old son who asks me for Duck updates, going to check out your blog 🙂

RedRosie · 07/01/2021 18:08

Thank you, thank you, thank you @AlanThePig

I once had a card from a good friend saying "I'm sad if you're sad, I'm glad if you're glad".

That's the way to feel about the ducks!

Onwards ... And may there always be more ducks!

forrestgreen · 07/01/2021 17:38

Thanks so much for your posts, it's been lovely to follow along. I'm rubbish at remembering to look at blogs but I'll keep a look out on here for you next season!

RandomMess · 07/01/2021 17:25

Gives you a few months to save on food costs and fund duckingham palace!

Awww they'll be back soon enough.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 07/01/2021 17:09

@101namesforme

It is sad they have all gone, it must feel quite strange Sad.

Thank you again for the thread, it has been lovely to watch them grow and have something nice to think about.

Its about -4 here at present so I cant see as I'm missing traipsing out half a dozen times a day to feed them. I do find myself looking hopefully when I open the bedroom curtains in a morning though.

I should really enjoy the peace before mating season starts and I'm watching DH break up mallard fights in his slippers.
(they aren't fighting in his slippers I add 😂)

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101namesforme · 07/01/2021 17:02

It is sad they have all gone, it must feel quite strange Sad.

Thank you again for the thread, it has been lovely to watch them grow and have something nice to think about.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 07/01/2021 16:25

@Soubriquet

Well.....not long till spring and hopefully you’ll have a new clutch of eggs and new demanding ducklings
Almost certainly. I think had the weather not been so bad we'd have had Egwina back before now. Need to get the old duck house in but at the moment its frozen in solid.
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Soubriquet · 07/01/2021 15:25

Well.....not long till spring and hopefully you’ll have a new clutch of eggs and new demanding ducklings

Katinski · 07/01/2021 14:15

Awww, that's sad. Sad
I've loved reading about Mum,Dad, and the BabesSmile

Original poster
AlanThePig · 07/01/2021 12:24

@LadyEloise

Oh AlanThePig you are suffering from empty nest syndrome. Smile
I am! I've been trawling the local facebook groups half expecting the 'theres a duck in my garden!' Posts I had last time, but nothing.

Typical kids, don't call, don't visit 😂

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