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Original poster

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

402 replies

AlanThePig · 17/04/2021 14:13

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!

Duck Tales! (Still not what I expected to wake up to this morning)
OP posts:
Thread gallery
52
thesandwich · 29/04/2021 13:46

That’s wonderful news. So glad he is safe and good plans to thwart the cat.

WitchDancer · 29/04/2021 14:28

Do ducklings have 9 lives like cats? I do hope so!

Knotaknitter · 29/04/2021 15:53

I am glad, I backed away last night without finding the words to be reassuring and uplifting because I know how I would have felt to be so close but not save it. I know they have a lot of young exactly for this reason, they are not all going to make it, but to have it happen in front of you like that is very different from doing a beak count and coming up short.

BiteyShark · 29/04/2021 16:28

I am a lurker of this and the last thread and so glad little duckling made it and you feel better.

SquashMinusIsShit · 29/04/2021 16:49

What a relief, I got a little lump in my throat reading the update about the cat ☹️

The thread truly is an emotional rollercoaster!

Original poster
AlanThePig · 29/04/2021 17:45

@Knotaknitter

I am glad, I backed away last night without finding the words to be reassuring and uplifting because I know how I would have felt to be so close but not save it. I know they have a lot of young exactly for this reason, they are not all going to make it, but to have it happen in front of you like that is very different from doing a beak count and coming up short.
Exactly that. I was stood in the window with a mug of tea in my hand, they saw me and came up. So many if's. Could I have dropped my mug quicker, should I have ran for the door rather than screamed out the window, should I have gone out earlier etc. Thats what I replayed in my head all night. I know cats will take them but within inches of me was a real blow. This is why I no longer let DH review CCTV footage of missing ones because you beat yourself up over what you could have done differently.

I have no idea at all how he made it. The cheeping stopped, I assumed he'd died but that must have been the point he'd come back. In my distressed state I'd not noticed Egwina settle either. He's a lucky little duck.

I've finished my meshing. Seems pretty secure. If the cats do come they will be visible a lot quicker and there are no bolt holes to run through now so hopefully that will discourage.
I'm now going for a long soak and to switch off a bit.

OP posts:
Original poster
AlanThePig · 29/04/2021 21:55

Been trying to upload this all day. Our Internet is still buggered so hopefully this works.
The photo I took as a headcount because I didn't believe dh 😂

Duck Tales! (Still not what I expected to wake up to this morning)
OP posts:
Soubriquet · 30/04/2021 02:32

Ducks do play dead very well

I mean who remembers Slippers?

m.youtube.com/watch?v=pl1GVBCVyVs

forrestgreen · 30/04/2021 02:46

Aww I'm so sorry that happened to you. It will have been very distressing because of the obvious love you've poured into it.

I'm so glad that one was a keeper he'll be special.

Whatever you decide about the pond is valid but give yourself time x

rainbowstardrops · 01/05/2021 07:15

Blimey, I think I've got something in my eye ........
It was so hard to 'see' you feeling so crushed but I'm glad the little one made it back!

1WayOrAnother2 · 01/05/2021 18:48

How sensitive are your ears OP? Have you tried the cat-scarers that make a high-pitched sound?

We have some guarding the wild-life in our garden which used to be very popular with cats.

The sound doesn't seem to trouble birds/hedgehogs or dogs but most cats HATE it and will stay well out of range. (Teens are not fond of the sound either!)

Original poster
AlanThePig · 01/05/2021 20:36

@1WayOrAnother2

How sensitive are your ears OP? Have you tried the cat-scarers that make a high-pitched sound?

We have some guarding the wild-life in our garden which used to be very popular with cats.

The sound doesn't seem to trouble birds/hedgehogs or dogs but most cats HATE it and will stay well out of range. (Teens are not fond of the sound either!)

I think that would probably upset Egwina unfortunately, although I'll have a look into it. Whilst the ducklings are small I dont really want to do anything that might scare her, but worth looking into when they have fledged.
The fencing seems to have improved matters immensely, the cat can now really only come at the pond from one direction and the area they sit gives them a good line of sight, so it can't really creep up on them either.

We've also solved the Goose problem. I'd read they hate laser pointers. Been using a red one on the water with little effect but then I read it had to be green (I have no idea why). Green pointer arrived in the post. Shone it on the water around them and they buggered off. They absolutely hate it.

Had a moment earlier where the Air Ambulance was looking at landing on the grass next to the pond, they were all terrified bless them. In the end it landed at the end of the street, no idea whats gone on but as soon as it started to take off again they all headed for me as if I could protect them 😂

I'm a bit calmer now, my reaction was absolutely OTT but I think I was feeling a bit down anyway and that topped it off. I think watching those geese destroy the garden and the plants didn't help either.
Keep plodding on.

OP posts:
thesandwich · 01/05/2021 20:58

Oh bless. You are doing a wonderful job looking after them🌺🌺

LilacSloth · 01/05/2021 21:01

I love your threads, OP. Thank you very much for sharing all your duck exploits. 🦆😍

coastergirl · 01/05/2021 21:32

That's very sweet that they see you as their protector.

78percentLindt · 01/05/2021 22:39

Just seen on the News that the duck who hatched 7 ducklings on a balcony overlooking Salford Quays Manchester has returned. This time she has laid 11 eggs. Last year the chap lowered the ducklings to the ground in a yellow bucket. i Think they said it went viral on Twitter.

Ellmau · 02/05/2021 09:15

Sweet little babies and I'm so pleased no. 14 made it home.

You never expect to raise a full clutch but Egwina is a lot more protected here than she would be on a river etc so who knows.

A duck living on a very protected bit of water near my parents raised 9 from one clutch a few years back. She then had another batch the same year but only 3 of those survived, possibly because the teenage siblings bullied the new babies.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 02/05/2021 12:30

The balcony ducks are amazing. Never ceases to amaze me where a duck will nest.
Our babies have all fledged when they should in the past so don’t stick around to bully future clutches, that said we have a new breeding pair here...

Now the geese have gone we’ve had to pull temporary duck island back into the water as a random female was trying to nest on the bank. Duncan wasn’t happy at first and did a bit of wing flexing but peace seems to be restored and female has wandered into the house. I think we might have more ducklings coming....

OP posts:
CovidCorvid · 02/05/2021 12:37

So glad to find this this new thread.

Soubriquet · 02/05/2021 12:42

Oooooo new female!

What are you going to call her?

SquashMinusIsShit · 02/05/2021 15:29

Do you think she could be one of Egwina's & Duncan's from last year??

Soubriquet · 02/05/2021 15:52

They only had one female last year. Dot

I’m sure OP would recognise her

Ellmau · 02/05/2021 15:54

Eglantyne would be a nice name.

Benfoldspomped · 02/05/2021 17:43

Loved your last thread, great to see Egwina and Duncan again.

Original poster
AlanThePig · 02/05/2021 17:45

@Soubriquet

They only had one female last year. Dot

I’m sure OP would recognise her

Dot was second clutch, I think, though I'd have to check, we had 2 females in the first April clutch so it's most likely one of those, I don't think the new female is dot.
Egwina is very torn over acceptance, one moment it's all good and the next she's chasing her off. Egwina also seems to have moved back into duck island.....

Meanwhile, we've named the renegade baby who's always on the complete opposite side of the pond to the others. As he's the offspring of Duncan he's been christened the 'Renegade of Dunk" which you absolutely wont get unless you're a Rage Against The Machine fan lol

OP posts: