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!

Somehow we lost another over Saturday night. DH wanted to check the CCTV but I wouldn't let him, no point going over things we can't control. The remaining 13 are rather large now and have taken a shine to the new flower bed I put in the other week....

Fairly sure they have eaten the wildflower seeds I put in and they have certainly had a munch on the ornamental grasses little buggers.

So sorry Alan about the loss. Must be v hard.

@thesandwich

So sorry Alan about the loss. Must be v hard.

It’s easier when you don’t see it. Sounds a bit mean that but you’re more accepting of nature if you don’t have to watch it in action.

We’ve just had the mother of all thunderstorms and they were hiding under a bush. I noticed their adult feathers are really coming though now. I’ll try and get some pictures tomorrow weather permitting. It’s been a bloody monsoon for a week now.

Scrufty rag tag teenagers.

Wish they stayed little and fluffy way way longer!

Sadly it has been reported here in Ireland, young people are selling ducklings - both wild and farmyard- on the street for €5

What?!

Why?!

@Soubriquet

What?!

Why?!

Pets? Food? Eggs?

I'm amazed how quickly your babies grow Alan ducklings in the wild seem to stay fluffy for ages. You must feed them too well!

Poor mothers

I thought it was bad when kids around here had a fetish for catching ducklings and pulling their heads off (a long time ago and the RSPCA were involved)

So glad I found this new thread!
Having a really shitty week and this has really cheered me up.
She is doing a great job with her babies!

5 Euros a duckling?! They will soon get fed up with the food bills. Sad though. DH currently totting up values.....

They had a little nap whilst I sorted the bedding plants out bless em.

Awwww!!

So 🥰

Have you named not-Egwina yet? How are they all getting along?

@AdaFuckingShelby

Have you named not-Egwina yet? How are they all getting along?

Not Egwina was ousted and left, though not Duncan still turns up occasionally and when he does he and actual Duncan are like a pair of Bro's. It's actually funny to watch them cruising around together.

Still have 13, now extremely scruffy, not so small ducklings. Happily Egwina doesn't seem to be leaving them overnight this time. I can only assume that was some weird anomaly with them hatching so late last year. She's a much better mum this time.
The geese are only doing occasional overnighters so everything is reasonably peaceful.
Managed an hour in the garden today before the rain returned and found several newts so looking good for them this year. I'm now unwittingly participating in 'no mow may' because the grass around the pond is way too boggy to mow with all the rain weve had. Not a bad thing though.

How’s the weather holding up for you Alan? Have you got a million dandelions this year too? They’re doing amazingly for some reason

@FelicityBeedle

How’s the weather holding up for you Alan? Have you got a million dandelions this year too? They’re doing amazingly for some reason

I've managed to get out a bit today, still not mowed the front but tbh I'm happy with it left for now until it dries out a bit. Not many dandelions but plenty of forget me nots and other wild grasses popping up.

Ducklings are now in full teen mode, eating constantly. Came home tonight and the heron was on the bank, he saw me so flew to the other side, where Egwina was. As he tried to come in to land she jumped up from the water and bit his leg. I was stunned. Needless to say he buggered off sharpish 😂

Defending her babies!

Egwina rules the pond. Can't believe they're so big already.

Maybe 'Not Duncan' is one of the previous babies so Duncan is cruising the pond with his son....a bit like the equivalent of going for a pint

Seems like Egwina has reverted to her neglectful ways again. She buggered off around lunch time and AFAIK isn't back. I'm not too worried, they have almost all their adult feathers now and are big enough to be ok but it's weird. It's like she gets them to teens and thinks sod it.

My kids aren't even teens and I regularly think, sod it, and she does it every year. Don't blame her.

Love your threads, thank you.

I read “Egwina rules the pond’ to the tune of Oh Britannia

@LucysSkyDiamonds

My kids aren't even teens and I regularly think, sod it, and she does it every year. Don't blame her.

Love your threads, thank you.

Clearly she'd had enough last night. She's back, happily. Was amused to look out through the driving rain to see her and Duncan sat on one duck house and the ducklings on the other. I think we must be getting close to fledging now so maybe she's trying to foster a little independence? Or the most likely scenario - they are doing her little duck head in.

I read “Egwina rules the pond’ to the tune of Oh Britannia

😂
Probably not wrong. Still chuckling at her heron attack the other day.

@AlanThePig

Seems like Egwina has reverted to her neglectful ways again. She buggered off around lunch time and AFAIK isn't back. I'm not too worried, they have almost all their adult feathers now and are big enough to be ok but it's weird. It's like she gets them to teens and thinks sod it.

But she has such a loyal and willing babysitter

No wonder she feels safe leaving them in your watching care

She’s just chuffed off again. I mean I don’t blame her, they are driving me crackers rampaging through my flower beds and demanding food at the door. Worked out their rough fledge date is June 6th so we might get through this on only 40kg of food.

DHs aunt dropped me in a lovely bird table earlier. She’d bought it for her garden last month but got fed up with pigeons and jackdaws. I’ve put it in the back garden as we seem to get much smaller birds than the front. Now to wait and watch. Sofa law says I’m going to look out and see the pigeons here as well.