All is well, and the “ducklings” are so large, and have now developed white-ish tails like Mom, that I can’t tell them from Honey very easily. I also swear that this morning, when I fed them corn on the lawn, one of the babies flew a bit to reach it.
Because I have visitors, duck posts will be sparse for a few days, but Anna, duck farmer extraodinaire, is on the job. Here’s a short video she took of their dabbling behavior, which is now quite pronounced. I know this behavior is normal, and in fact the way they forage, but it still makes everyone laugh when they see it:
Butts up!
The turtles were sunning en masse as it was cool yesterday. This one, trying to heave himself onto the duck island with his fellows, couldn’t make it, and slipped off. It’s hard for them to climb that concrete ring, but they manage to do it!
And, of course Honey, who is now eating better. I wonder if, having realized that the ducklings are pretty much self-sufficient and able for dabble and forage, can now help herself to the food rather than waiting till her brood eats.
“duck farmer”
Duck shepherd?
Duck herder?
What would it be called?
[debugging comments follow]
…. backspacing cost : negligible.
I think the number of comments on a post strongly affects this symptom….
Duck servant.
Duck maven
Folks I’m telling you, they are mooning us. Duck are way more smarter than we think they are.
Mooning…or perhaps a bit of duckie water ballet. 🙂
Mooning hypothesis rejected! Smart ducks do not moon the guy who brings the chow — that’d be maladaptive behavior.
Or mallarddaptive behavior.
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
You should be sorry. “Mallardaptive”, indeed. I won’t remind you of this incident, or report you to the relevant authorities, but you must promise never to do such an awful thing again.
Yeah that was a major duck-up on BJ’s part, wasn’t it?
cr
Stop making things worse. Do you want us to both end up in prison?
I promise I promise I promise
Ductors Jerry and Anna et al.