Duck Tales! (Still not what I expected to wake up to this morning)

[AlanThePig]

With the last thread almost full and a new clutch of ducklings I thought it might be time for another thread.

So this morning I was happily working away in the front garden when I happened to glance at the duck house, and saw two faces staring back....
Now I know our resident duck Egwina was on eggs, but I was convinced they were due to hatch somewhere around the end of the month. Quite surprised to spot ducklings.

As the day has worn on 14 little fluffy yellow ducklings have slowly emerged into the sunlight and launched themselves (not very gracefully) into the water. I say 14, I'm not 100% certain yet as they aren't keeping still enough to count and there might be more inside.

Difficult to photograph all together at present as some are in and some are out and they haven't yet come close enough to see. There was 12 (I think!) in this photo and 2 on the deck.
Congratulations Egwina!

We we’re out at the woods today and on the water there was a mama duck and ducklings ( they were about a couple of weeks old) and another mama with her teenage ducklings. One of the teenage ducklings put in a sly peck at a baby and that mum was in there creating merry hell and pecking and shouting at the teenage duck and the teenagers mum was in there as well. It was carnage 😱

"........happily fed from my hand."
Oh Alanthepig, that's lovely.
The implicit trust.She knows you are kind.
Nature can be so wonderful

I was camping this weekend and they had a small duck pond, the island had 3 whole duck houses, but not floating so obviously inferior to yours. Muscovy fucks, regular ones and these white fellas.

Ooh @FelicityBeedle that's a proper duck island that! I'd love to be able to put something like that in but it's about 25ft deep in the middle so wouldn't work. They are great though as they offer so much protection from predators. I've said a few times dh would love actual pet ducks but as I know I'd be the one doing the graft I have refused.

Speaking of which I've now put in a second flower bed and am in the process of creating one side of bushes and plants that should offer some shade and protection eventually. I'm sticking with a Japanese theme and put in a couple of castor oil plants and am going to fetch some rhododendron this week I hope. Fortunate coincidence is my DILs mum works at a garden center and gives me a discount 😀

More flying has taken place today, mostly full laps of the house but they are definitely getting ready for the off. We've also found a few dead fish which is unusual, though I think I found the reason when I spotted Marvin with one in his beak.... Turns out Moor hens eat fish. Who knew? They also squeak a funny little noise. He's doing it now. It's most annoying. Dh is unimpressed 😂

@LadyEloise it was a lovely moment. She has such a personality and to know that actually she does trust me really made my day.

This mornings head count:

1 Moorhen
13 Adult Ducklings (STILL!!!)
1 Egwina
1 Duncan
5 newly hatched ducklings......

Best go order more food then 😂

5 more Is that it or will there be more to hatch?

@FricasseeTurnips

5 more Is that it or will there be more to hatch?

I think thats it. A small clutch for her. She did throw a few eggs out so unsure why she's gone small this time.

I'm going to try and not get overly involved with this lot, especially with there only being 5. After the upset of the cat and the last ones I'm trying to distance myself a bit.

How is she with her older babies now that she has new ones?

@Soubriquet

How is she with her older babies now that she has new ones?

She's pretty much ignored them for the last few weeks so there hasn't been any issues at all. All of them seem to be moving around as a group, which I guess gives the famous five half a chance.

Moorhen is still skittish, though now seems to spend most of the night hooting and hollering. It's very irritating. Also finding a fair few dead fish, most of which seem half pecked. I assume it's him taking them out. There is plenty of them so I'm not too concerned, I'm just concerned there is an issue in the water if it's not him eating them. Seems too much of a coincidence for it not to be though.

Marvin is hooting again. Been doing some moorhen research tonight. Fascinating things. They lay on other nests as well as their own to ensure a clutch. On a less pleasing note they also drown their chicks until they get to two or three to make it a bit easier. I'd be traumatised.

Anyway best guess is Marvin is displaced. They aren't the greatest of flyers so he's not come far. I'm thinking he's been ousted from his pond by a particularly fearsome male and is now mate less, hence his midnight callings.

Still only five ducklings this time so that's the lot. I'm still taking a step back.

Christ I didn’t know that about moorhens

We have lots in the river and I always thought they just had a small clutch since they always had either 2 or 3. That’s disturbing…

We also have grebes and coots. Coots are nasty little things when they have babies… but grebe babies are so cute! Like little humbugs

Plenty of swans too and their cygnets

I’m wondering if this is the classic MN scenario of treating the kids so well they never want to leave home. You’ve made life too easy for your (not really ducklings anymore) ducklings.
I don’t blame Egwina for going small this time!

@FelicityBeedle

I’m wondering if this is the classic MN scenario of treating the kids so well they never want to leave home. You’ve made life too easy for your (not really ducklings anymore) ducklings. I don’t blame Egwina for going small this time!

Ahh now, I've just been out and we have 11. 2 of the teenagers have left! I've said this and they will be back by 9 😂

Mr/Mrs Moorhen is in the old duck house. Unsure what it's up to. It is getting very slightly braver though and doesn't shoot off when it sees me.

Now down to ten! Have to confess I'd be happy with them staying a few weeks longer as the tiny ducklings are a bit more protected in with their big siblings. Meanwhile, DS has demanded I teach Egwina this...

Daft ds

Honesty I think Egwina would beak you if you tried

I know what you mean about moor hens squeaky noise, there's loads on our canal & they sound like a squeaky dog toy 😁 I saw a couple fighting & the noise was too cute to be scary!

They also look like they're listening to music when they swim because of the head nodding 🤣

How is everything going now OP!

@Soubriquet

How is everything going now OP!

All good. All remaining adult ducklings flew last night.

All adult ducklings returned this morning 😂

We currently have around 7 adult ducklings, Egwina, and she's still got 5 ducklings so doing well so far. Marvin the Moorhen is still with us and getting less skittish, he's now learned that the food comes from us and although he wont directly come over yet he does wait until we've gone in and comes over to eat. He seems to have knocked the 1am squeaking on the head, for now.

The neighbouring cat has been thoroughly disrupted with my new mesh fencing along the hedgerows and seems to be exploring new routes. I'm told he had a very close call with the neighbours very reactive Akita last week so I think he's avoiding all our gardens altogether at present as there is now no clear route of escape for him.

I'll get some photos later, I've distanced myself from this clutch a bit. When there are 16 you can't really count as easily and although I am always gutted to lose any it's often tricky to tell. With five I'm in danger of getting very attached so I'm just doing my duty of food etc and not naming or getting close.

I don’t blame you. Nature can be cruel at times but it sounds like she knows what she’s doing

They have just been to the door for an afternoon snack, managed to take a photo. Been utterly hammering down here so a nice five minute reprieve.

Hopefully the photo will upload.

Aaaah look at them

Wont surprise you to learn there is a renegade amongst them as well. Always at the other side of the pond, always wandering off. I swear out of every clutch one of them is a bit mad.

He's far right in that picture. Just after I'd taken it he wandered off and then sucked the biggest worm in the world out of the grass. I swear it was longer than him when he was sucking it down 😂

That's a gorgeous photo.
Egwina is never leaving your pond. She's living her best duck life.