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!

Any pictures @ureterr1blemuriel
I’ve clearly turned into some sort of duck fanatic because of these threads

@FelicityBeedle

Any pictures *@ureterr1blemuriel* I’ve clearly turned into some sort of duck fanatic because of these threads

Ha ha - it’s a nice thing to be interested in.

I was just hanging out the washing and I saw her leave so took the opportunity. Not as impressive as OP’s photos but here you go. We’ve been cutting the lawn but leaving the back off the mower (so the cut bits are left). It looks like she’s used some of that as the nest 🙂

Oh bless her. She’ll leave probably twice a day for a wash and to get food. If the water isn’t that far away I’ll bet she’s down there having a good old jump about in the water if she’s anything like Egwina. They seem to get pretty set in routines like that.
If you did want to feed her we buy floating duck food from a company called Brinvale bird foods. We tend to buy 40kg at a time but you can buy small bags. It is a floating food but works on the ground just the same. Exciting times.

Yes. This is one of the ‘ducklings’. Still here, thought they’d have buggered off by now, especially as Egwina is in the duck house all the time and ignoring them.

Meanwhile I woke up yesterday with a cough….. I’m Covid clear, I just have a bloody rotten cough, sore throat and swollen glands. Feeling sorry for myself so heading back to bed. DH has fed the rampaging hoard so I reckon I’m good for a few hours 😂

Any updates OP

@Lorddenning1

Any updates OP

We still have 13 ducklings. They are seriously like a gang of rampaging teenagers. They are in my flower beds. They sit on my car. I'm sure they should have left home by now. Even Egwina has had enough and has shut herself away in the house and ignores them.

They are pretty much flying now, albeit from one side of the pond to the other so they should go any time really. Duncan checks in occasionally. He'll go into eclipse plumage shortly. Explanation here for anyone interested.

scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/2016/12/everything-you-needed-to-know-about-eclipse-plumage/

Alan, reading your posts over the last few weeks has been so lovely. I’ve loved hearing about how the ducklings have developed and about Egwina’s habits and personality. It has been a slow and gentle journey in natural history. I didn’t know the duck even mounted, never mind twice for males and once for females.

How odd re the the eclipse plumage. Is there a reason for this need to look like the females?

Why do I usually see two drakes and a duck together.
Not the same trio obviously but do two drakes always accompany a duck ?

Both very good questions!

Is there a reason for this need to look like the females?

Once breeding season is done I assume male ducks don't need to be bright and colourful. The drab female colouring is likely to keep them safer and less obvious so possibly why they only have the gorgeous colouring whilst they need it? Also, they are flightless whilst moulting so anything that helps them stay camouflaged helps.

Egwina usually goes away for her moult and Duncan stays for a while but goes before he gets to the flightless stage. Unsure where they go or why.

Why do I usually see two drakes and a duck together

We have the same usually, Dunc has a bestie we call Joey. This time of year they are probably both eyeing up the female. They will go from happily floating along to wanting to rip each others feathers out. All good fun. Lost count of the times I've run out of the house barefooted and screeching to break up a scrap.

We have news…7 ducklings this morning!! They’ve been drinking the water and we’ve now put some oats out. I’m worried they won’t find the gate (around the other side of the house) so I’m planning on digging a little hole under the bit of fence near them hoping they use it. I can’t believe the responsibility I feel 😆

@ureterr1blemuriel they are so cute!!!

@ureterr1blemuriel

We have news…7 ducklings this morning!! They’ve been drinking the water and we’ve now put some oats out. I’m worried they won’t find the gate (around the other side of the house) so I’m planning on digging a little hole under the bit of fence near them hoping they use it. I can’t believe the responsibility I feel 😆

Ohhh babies!! Funny isnt it how you get sucked in. Do keep us updated.

You could lay a trail of oats?

(Congratulations, BTW )

I lost this for a bit and now happily found it again

More eggs? Go duck mum!

Anything from Gabby the goose or has she officially gone?

@Soubriquet

I lost this for a bit and now happily found it again

More eggs? Go duck mum!

Anything from Gabby the goose or has she officially gone?

I've been away for a week so all has been quiet on the pond. We left MIL in charge and she was quite amazed at just how much they eat 😂

She called us midweek to congratulate us.... we had a new mouth to feed... Marvin the Moorhen is quite wary of us at present but I'm working on it!

Egwina is still on her eggs, apparently the geese have been overnighting but going first thing, and annoyingly, thirteen bloody ducklings are STILL here despite being due to fledge two weeks ago!

Oh wow, your pond is going to be very full soon!!

They’re not leaving as you make it too easy to stay @AlanThePig 🤣

@ElGuardiandenoche

They’re not leaving as you make it too easy to stay *@AlanThePig* 🤣

Yes. Would you leave your home if you had someone there to cater to your every whim?

See we did wonder the last couple of times if they would stay, but they did all fledge around about the time they should.

That said, I've seen no evidence that they can actually fly properly yet, one did flit from one side to the other last night and kind of crash landed in the lilies on the other side so they are probably just a bit behind. Egwina isn't helping by sitting in the duck house and ignoring them, she should probably be trying to persuade them to fly.

Marvin is still here though. Wont let any of us within 20ft of him yet 😂

Just nipped out front, opened the door and Egwina was on the mat, shouting loudly. Assumed she was hungry as she was doing her tail wag thing that she does when she wants something.

Anyway, she was desperate to be fed so I sat on the grass with a handful of food and to my amazement she wandered up and happily fed from my hand. Made my day that!

Awww! That’s so lovely. She’ll be coming in uninvited soon. Did you tell her to have a word with her first brood and tell them to hit the road?

I once tried to feed a Daisy to a duck when I was young. It bit my finger in disgust

I made up for it years later by rescuing another ducks babies from a drain. There was a mum duck quacking away and I could hear the babies replying. Found they had fallen down into a drain. Had to lift the cover off and reach down to get the babies out. Once they were all out, mum tucked them under her wing and finally rested. I went back home and washed my hands

Well. 12 of the 13 ducks flew away! We watched them fly over next doors roof and disappear into the distance.
Two minutes later 12 ducks landed from the opposite direction. They did a loop and came back 😂

@Soubriquet Oh how lovely! Mama duck certainly lets everyone know when there is an issue. It's a heartbreaking sound so glad she had a happy ending.

I’m pissing myself laughing at that 🤣😆🤣. Well at least you know that they can fly.