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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...
OP posts:
Thread gallery
87
Original poster
AlanThePig · 06/03/2021 18:24

There was a hell of a scrap and eventually after an hour of honking and feather flying the three interlopers flew off.
I was starting to panic for a moment 😂

OP posts:
LadyEloise · 06/03/2021 18:17

Just like the ducks.Grin

Knotaknitter · 06/03/2021 18:01

That's what you get when you feed them, they flap off and then bring their mates.

thesandwich · 06/03/2021 17:58

😂😂

Original poster
AlanThePig · 06/03/2021 17:49

I appear to have FIVE geese....

OP posts:
LadyEloise · 05/03/2021 19:13
Grin
Original poster
AlanThePig · 05/03/2021 17:35

Geese gone, despite soft touch here feeding them a few rounds of bread as they looked at me longingly....
Funny thing, geese have a conversation before they fly so you know they are about to leave. They seem to position themselves on the bank then have a good old chatter about where they are off too. It’s funny to watch really and I can imagine the conversation.
“Right Dennis shall we head to the golf course?”
“But Denise, the park is so nice at this time of night”
“After you then”
“No after you I insist”

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
OP posts:
Original poster
AlanThePig · 05/03/2021 13:42

@Horsemad

Geese do BIG poos! 😆
I bought this gutter cleaner tool in the bargain bin last year, extendable, has like a small shovel on the end. It's utterly useless for cleaning gutters, however, its the best goose poo flicker I've had 😂
OP posts:
Horsemad · 05/03/2021 11:44

Geese do BIG poos! 😆

Original poster
AlanThePig · 05/03/2021 11:28

@CannotOperateOnThisFailure

Can you put a width restriction on the new duck house so that the geese can't nest there? Or would having nesting geese make it safer for the ducklings in that the geese would scare away predators?
I don't think geese go for nests in houses, I seem to remember reading they nest on banks and islands so hopefully nothing suitable for them here. The houses here are far too small for them anyway.

In the past the geese have hissed at the ducks to be first in the food queue, and I said upthread I think they started to stalk us when we opened the front door so I really don't encourage them. Added to that I have to then go out every night and flick their mountain of poo back into the water so I don't get splattered when I mow. Fortunately their stop overs do seem to be brief so hopefully they will be on their way soon.

OP posts:
CannotOperateOnThisFailure · 05/03/2021 11:20

Can you put a width restriction on the new duck house so that the geese can't nest there?
Or would having nesting geese make it safer for the ducklings in that the geese would scare away predators?

Original poster
AlanThePig · 05/03/2021 11:08

I was rudely awakened at ten to eight this morning by a chorus of ducks AND geese when DH went out to feed them. Never heard such a racket.

DH trying to feed just ducks and failing miserably. Geese shouting. Ducks shouting louder. In the end I dont know who got fed what but we still have 2 geese. Bah.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 05/03/2021 09:11

Love the geese and ducks photo.

I live near a murmuration spot, never get tired of it!

Horsemad · 04/03/2021 20:53

Amazing murmuration pic! And love the ducks (and geese) in a row! 😃

LadyEloise · 04/03/2021 20:12

It's actually the front page photograph in The Irish Times and looks even better ( and clearer ) there.

AliceSprings123 · 04/03/2021 19:14

The murmuration itself looked like one huge bird! Incredible!

thesandwich · 04/03/2021 17:53

Love the murmuration!
And the ducks in a row.🏆🥇

LadyEloise · 04/03/2021 17:14

Thanks @ AlanThePig.
I hope you start another thread to continue this wonderful report on nature and your support of it.

drumst1ck · 04/03/2021 16:41

New to the thread, I've just sat and read the whole thing and it's cheered me up no end! You have a lovely home OP!

Original poster
AlanThePig · 04/03/2021 16:37

@LadyEloise

Oh my AlanThePig. Thanks Great photo. If you can google The Irish Times front page photo of a murmuration of starlings ( it's in today's edition). It is a spectacular photograph. Perhaps someone could do a link for this thread ? It really is amazing.
Article on it here. How stunning:

www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/murmurations-over-lough-ennell-1.4501083

I love this time of year, everything seems to be alive.

OP posts:
LadyEloise · 04/03/2021 16:11

Oh my AlanThePig. Thanks
Great photo.
If you can google The Irish Times front page photo of a murmuration of starlings ( it's in today's edition). It is a spectacular photograph.
Perhaps someone could do a link for this thread ?
It really is amazing.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 04/03/2021 15:58

I have completed the MN Goal of getting my ducks AND Geese in a row.
I feel there should be a prize 😂

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
OP posts:
Original poster
AlanThePig · 04/03/2021 15:57

I have completed the MN goal of getting all my ducks (and geese) in a row. I feel there should be a prize 😂

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
OP posts:
Original poster
AlanThePig · 03/03/2021 17:14

@MaggieFS

Gosh you have been busy. Good work on the bargain bamboo.

I thought of you today - I went on a big walk in a country park which was full of hopeful male pigeons strutting their stuff and a pair of ducks absolutely going for each other.

Also a family of seven tiny baby geese! Very odd time for them to be around, I would have thought?

It is a few weeks early for Geese yes! Nature is all a bit odd over this last year. We've had the pigeon scraps as well. Everything seems full of testosterone haha The other pair of ducks were here very briefly yesterday, but a snap ensued between the two males and they went off on their way again. I was a bit disappointed really as I now don't think Duncan and Egwina will tolerate another pair on 'their' pond.
OP posts:
MaggieFS · 03/03/2021 16:35

Gosh you have been busy. Good work on the bargain bamboo.

I thought of you today - I went on a big walk in a country park which was full of hopeful male pigeons strutting their stuff and a pair of ducks absolutely going for each other.

Also a family of seven tiny baby geese! Very odd time for them to be around, I would have thought?