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!

Release the quacken

😂😂

Where's the bloody Amazon man!? He's here at 10am usually. Grr.

Does the Amazon man bring the duck food? Doesn't he know who he's letting down??

What a fabulous pic!
Talk about getting all your ducks in a row...

@AlanThePig

Release the quacken

😂😂

Where's the bloody Amazon man!? He's here at 10am usually. Grr.

Oooo if he delivers the duck food he better get his arse into gear before Egwina goes nuts on him

It’s DPD who deliver the duck food. It amuses him as they all swim over. I’ve not the heart to tell him they swim over when anyone comes to the door. 😳

Anyway. Amazon man did appear and I’ve finished! Even got a trip in to bargain corner in B&Q and found some reduced planters. I probably need something a bit fancier than the urn, my late father in law spent ages drilling a pipe hole in that for a water feature at the old house so it’s a bit special to me.

Ducklings treating it with some trepidation at present 😂

They will soon love it I bet

They will get used to it. It’s not scorching today or I think they’d be straight under it.
I’ve even managed to set it up along with the outdoor lights on a smart extension.

Quite pleased with myself.

Four more moorhen chicks have entered the world at a pond near me. I that brings the total duck and geese offspring to 27 this year.

Speaking of moorhens, how’s Marvin doing?

@newnortherner111

Four more moorhen chicks have entered the world at a pond near me. I that brings the total duck and geese offspring to 27 this year.

Oh that’s good! I think four is a big clutch for a moorhen.

Marv is still here. He’s a bit friendlier now but still won’t come directly to us. He’s also still on his own and still hoots for a girlfriend at night bless him. He makes me laugh though how he runs across the lily pads and sits on top of the duck house like the king 😂

The urn looks great, I'm sure they'll be splashing about under it soon!

Awww. Hopefully one day you will find a Melvina and some little fluffy chicks

Been a while. Any new news?

I’d say all quiet but it’s really not.

Egwina is here with her four unruly teenage ducklings and Duncan is here in the midst of his eclipse moult.
We have had a few flocks turning up, coming and going randomly and yesterday we had TWENTY NINE ducks (and Marvin). At one point there were several huge scraps between males sending tidal waves across the water. Happily this morning we seem to be back to a sensible number of ducks 😂

Still not built duckingham place because getting wood is currently a nightmare.

Marv still hasn’t found the love of his life but now keeps his hooting to more acceptable hours of the day.

Daisy is still visiting. Have a suspicion she is a Donald but should know for sure by next month.

29?!

Wow. Bet that dipped into the feed a bit

@Soubriquet

29?!

Wow. Bet that dipped into the feed a bit

They got one meal and I refused to feed them anymore 😂 I didn't want to encourage that many to stay.

We still have one of the two ducks given to us last month as well. She and Egwina seem to have buddied up. She's called Flo and is still VERY loud. She has the loudest most distinctive quack of any duck we've ever had here.

Do you have name for the other? Can I suggest Deb a la finding nemo?

Deb and Flo

They were both already named by the girl who raised them, Flo & Mac. Florence and the Machine 😂

Not as fun. Glad they are doing ok but of course they would be under your nurturing care

Oh Lordy.
Word has got out.
AlanThePig's gaffe is a great place to vacation. Free food. Swimming amenities.
Bed and Board basically. For Free. Yay !

It's that fancy water feature you made them, they've been telling all their duck friends!

Happy to report our low budget remake of Hitchcock's 'The birds' seems to have reached its conclusion. Mostly because DH and I decided we had to make a stand and withdraw food. Between July 6th and August 10th they got through a staggering 40 kilos of duck food.

It took a few days of being harassed, followed and shouted at but we are now back to a much more sensible amount of ducks. Current headcount is Egwina, her four not so little ducklings, Duncan and Duncan's bromance mate Joey, Marvin is still here too and sadly still without a girlfriend, but he is getting braver now and comes over for food.

Here's a quick snap of Egwina and her 'Ducklings'. Happy to say there is no sign of her trying to nest again like she did last year so hopefully no surprise Autumn ducklings this year.

I bet that's a relief (for your wallet), slightly sad Daisy has gone though, love a white duck!

@Pinkywoo

I bet that's a relief (for your wallet), slightly sad Daisy has gone though, love a white duck!

She's still an occasional visitor, we've seen her a few times. She's usually with a male mallard so assumed they were a couple.

But yes, something had to give unfortunately 😂

40kg! And I thought my starlings were bad!