Honey’s been absent from the pond for two days, but I’m not worried; I suspect she’s nesting. However, when I looked at my records from last year, she showed up on March 15 but the first duckling (she had ten) didn’t appear until shortly before May 20, when I returned from France. One duckling died from exertion or drowning, and another from illness, but here she is with nine after the first death but before the second. I think eight out of ten is a pretty good record. Over the last two years she’s fledged twelve.
UPDATE: Honey showed up this afternoon and I fed her, but she’s quite skittish.
The drake, however, remains in the pond or is nearby, and in the pond he swims around and quacks softly (only the hens can make a full-throated QUACK!). This morning he was absent but came flying in beautifully when I whistled, and I just gave him lunch. Here he is quacking after his repast.
Ain’t bad at all; beats hell outta Meat Loaf’s two out of three
You took the words right out of my mouth!
They say great minds think alike, Jez; in our case, guess maybe puerile ones do, too. 🙂
Still no name for Honey’s companion? He’ll end up being “John Doe” at this rate…
Are mallards unique in the drake not being able to quack or is a trait among all duck species? It seems strange.
That was a nice, serene video.
…is ‘it’ a trait…
Taken straight from the Wiki on ducks:
Odd ducks. 😉
Ok, after listening to those pet sounds, I’m still gonna suggest Quacker Jack.
That drake is a beauty. Reggie would be a good pick (duck king and all that went before).
It’s nice to see that the water level inside that ring is high enough, so a duckling won’t get trapped. It’d be a good idea to keep an eye on all the rings to ensure easy egress for itty bitty ducklings.
I’m now in charge of the pond’s water level, thanks to physical plant being nice to me, and it’s perfect now. It’s not going to get any lower.
That’s wonderful news.
An eminent emeritus professor of evolutionary biology, in negotiation with the physical plant of the University of Chicago regarding but possibly not limited to the water level of Botany Pond, raises many questions.
This just in…
Don’t forget the wooden planks for the turtles, I mean ducklings.
I had it reinstalled, and it’s up now. On warm days the turtles are already using it.
And PCC(E) said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And PCC(E) called the dry land Duck Island; and the gathering together of the waters called he Botany Pond: and PCC(E) saw that it was good.
Nice!
That drake is a handsome fellow. Appears to be full of himself.
How about “Betsy Drake” for the duck name..
Or, for the French speakers, how about Betsy Drake for the “nom de plumage”.
P.S. I was recently shocked to learn the meaning of the words of the “Alouette” song. Yikes!
The first ducklings have arrived here in Amsterdam as well. Cue the heron feeding frenzy…