I need someone who knows all about ducks!

[Mykittensmittens]

I know this is really random, but I need someone who understands ducks!

we have wonderful neighbours, they have a pond, and for years and years every spring a pair of ducks arrive for a few weeks then go on their way again - usually the start of May. They toddle about in their garden and occasionally venture into ours. They are not ringed and are very cautious.

last year something new happened. They arrived, then they laid eggs in the flower bed, 12 ducklings hatched but 2 days later overnight, ducks and babies disappeared. We feared the worst.. but this year the adult ducks are back again.

This year they don’t seem to have moved on. They seem to have been here since about early April now which is the longest time ever. And gardening today we’ve found a nest under some shrubs - 8 hatched eggs but no sign of any babies - we never saw a single duckling so what has happened?? Predators - I’ve never seen a fox here, our cameras would trigger and they never have. We live on a very main road and no one nearby has a cat as a result either.

so I guess I’m asking: why would the entire family have disappeared last year, with 2 day old ducklings? Surely they couldn’t have flown anywhere? What’s going on this year with a hatched nest but not a single sign of one baby? And why do the ducks come back every year and go again?

if you’re a duck person I’d really appreciate trying to understand what’s happening.

It could be something eating them? Herons are buggers round here for killing ducklings.

Magpies and crows love a duck egg I'm afraid.

ETA: Gulls and crows will eat the actual ducklings.

We do have crows. That might explain this years nest. The eggs were neatly broken open and all still within the nest.

So if crows got the ducklings last year, why would mum and dad duck also have disappeared the same day last year too?

As soon as the ducklings are all hatched, the mama takes them to a different body of water. This may, or may not be successful, depending on the route.

My mum used to have a duck family visit, for many years until this year. We believe the female has died of old age.
From foxes to magpies (which was an horrendous year) to cats and rats, many predators will take ducklings. Poor darlings.

Predators were my thought. Just couldn’t work out what.

Foxes, crows
They must have realized there was no point of staying ☹️

Rats . . .

Presumably by foot, as those little ducks can’t fly at that stage?

this makes me so sad!!

If they've all hatched then the mother will have moved them to water.

Sounds like the mother duck walked them off. They are born able to swim and feed and walk, the mum duck would have needed to get them to water and safe from predators pretty swiftly. They don’t stay in the nest like fledglings

Mumsnet just talks about getting them in a row to LTB usually...

Yeah. Down the road into town. Over drains. She was a truly terrible mother.

Last year they all hatched and they were by water, a safe pond, but they disappeared on day 2 - to another pond I assume/hope

I thought it was this - they move them to another body of water

I keep an eye on local ducklings, but someone explained to me that it's not about when the eggs hatch because those ducklings will move on. I'm not clear where they go.

And then a new batch arrives

Some kind of pyramid scheme for housing, I guess

Actually, maybe from a pond they get moved to a bigger body of water because it's safer for them?

Well the nearest body of water here would be over an A road and 2 fields full of cattle/sheep! And there is NO way out of the garden, it’s 6ft fences and a solid gate all the way round.

its a total mystery.

Some years ago a pair of ducks decided to nest in the bushes of the car park outside my friend's flat. The duckings hatched, and as soon as they were able to walk, the parents marched them several hundred yards through an industrial estate to the nearest brook. Talk about not making it easy for yourselves. 😂