NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...

[AlanThePig]

Some of you might recall we have a rather large pond in our garden. On it we have a pair of ducks. First day of lockdown appeared ten, beautiful ducklings. They grew up, flew away and that was that until next spring.

Except I woke up to this......
There are ten more (seven in this photo) and I can only assume the warm weather has thoroughly confused her.

I'm now going spend the next few months fretting over bloody wildlife.

@forrestgreen

Looks snazzy

Happy to report duck house now floats again and I didn’t fall it.

That's good news! So is that house you posted a picture of to go on the same platform as the current duck house?

@MaggieFS

That's good news! So is that house you posted a picture of to go on the same platform as the current duck house?

I'm going to put that on the floating platform to use as a second house. DH will be building the bigger, nicer house but wont have time before February/March nesting comes and with now having 2 pairs we will probably end up with 2 nests and only one house...

Plan is to put that little house above on duck island, I might make a couple of planters to put on there as well with some grasses to soften it a bit as it's not a pretty structure. It's more needs must at the moment.

Even with the new shed we bought we haven't the room to knock up a huge duck house so it will have to be done outside when the weather is better.

Thats duck island. It's ugly, looks like a floating pallet and was only really a temporary measure to give the October ducklings a dry landing. The little house will go onto that temporarily. Hopefully planters will make it look a bit less messy.
End of summer it can be scrapped as hopefully the bigger house will have 2 compartments.

Your ducks are so spoiled 🥰

@RandomMess

Your ducks are so spoiled 🥰

The little hut thing was only £35 and is a quick solution for now.

Ironically we've only got one bloody pair here today 😂

"If you build it they will come"

@RandomMess

"If you build it they will come"

Mmm. Pond of Dreams.

Gosh was it really October!

They are lucky ducks. I'm sure none will pass up a home like that.

Can't wait to see Duckingham Palace - what you've got looks pretty grand to me for ducks.

It's here! Happy with this for £35, hopefully, snow permitting, I can get it fixed to duck island tomorrow.

Looks great!

More Duck Tales (oo-oo) please @AlanThePig! Surely another batch of ducklings must be coming in next 8 weeks?

All a bit quiet at the moment. Just Duncan and Egwina here for the last few days.
Happily we avoided the snow and so far we’re not iced over either. Not fixed the new house yet, plan is to pull the platform out on Friday when DH is off work and add a couple of pots of long grasses to it as well so it looks a bit less like a pallet and a bit more thought out.

For safety reasons DH isn’t keen on me in the pond unsupervised so I need to wait until he’s not working. I get where he’s coming from, it is very silty around the edges and you do sink a bit. Plus I’m a very weak swimmer. Reassuring he’s not just after bumping me off though

Looks great AlanThePig.

Pond has frozen over and its snowed lightly enough to cover it. Ducks unimpressed and I expect they will bugger off shortly.

Fickle buggers

:) I’m surprised they didn’t arrive at your door ordering you in loud quacks to sweep away the snow and break the ice!

I confess I want this thread filled up ASAP so @AlanThePig can start a new one called ‘Duck Tales’

@AlanThePig

Pond has frozen over and its snowed lightly enough to cover it. Ducks unimpressed and I expect they will bugger off shortly.

What a gorgeous photo.

Duck island is go!
Well kind of. The ice is too thick at present and the guide ropes frozen underwater so it’s out there but not in place.

A proper 'Des Res'! 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆

Oooooo get you (ducks)

Love it 💕

Brilliant! Do I spot a little heart over the door?

I shall laugh heartily if she decides to lay in the plant pot rather than the wonderful house.

Looks fab