I’m way behind in my duck reports, and these videos and photos, now nine days old, are pretty obsolete. Daphne’s brood, shown below, has become almost fully feathered, and Anna’s brood has been seen making short “hop flights” within the pond. It’ll be only a few more days before the middle brood (Anna’s) is flightworthy.
In the meantime, here’s Daphne’s young brood preening in Botany Pond on July 23:
Eight days ago they were about half-feathered (below). As of today, you can’t see the teenage gray down, and their tiny wings are starting to show the rudiments of a speculum:
A teenager:
These are ducklings at their least attractive, but of course I love them anyway:
Two broods living together in perfect harmony: Anna’s in the foreground, Daphne’s in the background, all having a postprandial wash:
Anna’s brood having a bath, some zoomies and a bit of dabbling.
Things are moving fast on the duck front: Katie’s returned offspring has left again, leaving her with just one kid (the rest have fledged), but she’s still a bully at feeding time. But everybody else is present and accounted for, lively, and pleasingly plump.
Total: Katie +1, Anna + 8, and Daphne + 9 = 21 mallards.
Happy with the survival rate? They are almost safe now, right?
Safe is kind of an empty term with wildlife. Also, duck hunting season is only about 3 months away.
True. And Ouch.
Umm. . . are you trying to upset me. Otherwise, what’s the point in telling me that my ducks could be shot?
I was only responding to the question of safe and reality. The point was not to tell you anything. I will take my comments elsewhere.
Looks like the duck guardian’s tasks for the season are close to over. Your budget will so have a chance to recover. 😊