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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
WildRosie · 18/02/2021 21:11

Have the frogs and toads returned yet ? I expect you'll hear them before you see them.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 18/02/2021 15:11

@Knotaknitter

My usual breaking up a scrap is a bucket of cold water but I can see that wouldn't work as well on ducks.
We have done that in the past, problem is they get so engrossed in the display and the fights they seem to lose all common sense. One year a cat managed to get hold of one of the males because they were so busy strutting their stuff on the bank neither noticed it behind them. Fortunately it only resulted in a few lost feathers but they were lucky.

I've been watching them display this morning. I filmed a little so will try and upload it later. The males do a kind of somersault under the water, then stretch their wings and groom themselves. Quite how this says 'come and get me' I don't know.

I did venture out briefly and things seem to have calmed down a bit for now.

OP posts:
Knotaknitter · 18/02/2021 14:51

My usual breaking up a scrap is a bucket of cold water but I can see that wouldn't work as well on ducks.

forrestgreen · 18/02/2021 13:26

That bad 😱

Original poster
AlanThePig · 18/02/2021 11:28

@forrestgreen

Don't spoil it. I'm envisioning candles, rose petals, duck food...
Oh I wish. There are currently 2 males having an epic scrap outside the front door. I need to go out and sort my car out (someone managed to run me into a hedge on a country lane last week so I need to attempt to get the scratches out) but I don't know if I'm brave enough to get near the warfare 😂
OP posts:
forrestgreen · 18/02/2021 10:49

Don't spoil it. I'm envisioning candles, rose petals, duck food...

Original poster
AlanThePig · 17/02/2021 22:04

@RandomMess

So why do the females play hard to get?

Confused

Not so much hard to get as try and escape I think. Duck mating is a horrible time, it’s brutal, violent and sometimes deadly:

nypost.com/2017/05/06/dont-be-fooled-ducks-are-sadistic-raping-monsters/

OP posts:
RandomMess · 17/02/2021 19:11

So why do the females play hard to get?

Confused
forrestgreen · 17/02/2021 18:16

Love it

Original poster
AlanThePig · 17/02/2021 17:40

@NoGoodPunsLeft

Brilliant! How long before eggs might appear?
The female’s will start dragging grass etc into the duck houses and then vanish into them. From that point it’s about 28 days. The female will stick to a routine of coming out once a day to eat and wash.

We’ve got a week or two of violence first so hopefully end March beginning of April?

OP posts:
NoGoodPunsLeft · 17/02/2021 17:17

Brilliant! How long before eggs might appear?

Original poster
AlanThePig · 17/02/2021 16:21

It's mating season...... They have spent most of the day scrapping, chasing, flying off in a huff and generally shouting at each other. We now seem to have reached an impasse and they are chilling on the bank. I think it's going to be a long few weeks.

OP posts:
NoGoodPunsLeft · 13/02/2021 09:53

Love the duck house, but don't destroy it, surely there is another pond owner who could take it to attract their own ducks Grin

thesandwich · 12/02/2021 16:50

Love the heart. And the “D”h

Original poster
AlanThePig · 12/02/2021 14:31

@Soubriquet

Well, if the river Thames has frozen partially im sure your pond is fine Grin

link

Oh wow, that doesn't happen often.
Does scare me a bit, heard tales locally when this was all fields of kids being pulled out after falling through the ice so always a bit wary of it.
OP posts:
Soubriquet · 12/02/2021 14:03

Well, if the river Thames has frozen partially im sure your pond is fine Grin

link

Original poster
AlanThePig · 12/02/2021 14:00

To add. Duck island is temporary. It will come in and be destroyed after the summer. Just gives us time to build something better.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlanThePig · 12/02/2021 13:59

There is a little heart. Bit twee. Came on the cheap house to lock the door with if needed.

And yes, laying in the plants has been said. Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.

Meanwhile DH is being a knob and I shouted at him. It is very thick. Nearly as thick as him 😂

NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...
OP posts:
Horsemad · 12/02/2021 13:59

@Knotaknitter

I shall laugh heartily if she decides to lay in the plant pot rather than the wonderful house.
🙂 one of the ducks from our local wild colony did this in a neighbour's garden. No eggs hatched though, sadly.
forrestgreen · 12/02/2021 13:36

Looks fab

Knotaknitter · 12/02/2021 13:28

I shall laugh heartily if she decides to lay in the plant pot rather than the wonderful house.

thesandwich · 12/02/2021 13:22

Brilliant! Do I spot a little heart over the door?

RandomMess · 12/02/2021 13:02

Love it 💕

Soubriquet · 12/02/2021 12:56

Oooooo get you (ducks)

Horsemad · 12/02/2021 12:54

A proper 'Des Res'! 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆