Some ducks are stubbornly hanging around Botany Pond this year, though most left when the weather got cold and the pond largely froze over. (The only open water is above the bubblers.) But one pair came back two days ago and, mirabile dictu, stayed overnight in the heavy snow we had last night. It is a bonded pair: a drake and a hen, and of course I have to feed them. It’s very sad that they have only a bit of open water to swim in, and when I feed them on the frozen surface, they regularly repair to the water to wash down the duck food.
We need a name for this pair in case they hang around. Suggestions below, please.
Here’s Botany Pond about half an hour ago. Can you spot the mallards?
Here they are! (Poor focus due to low light, mandating a shutter speed of only 1/10th of a second):
A chilly hen (not Honey!):
Duck tracks:
All the leaves are gone, and the sky is gray:
Got any good names for this drake and hen?
California and Dreaming?
Yes, though not an exact quotation of the opening lyrics by the Prof, thanks to his allusion, “California Dreamin'” is now my earworm. Not a bad earworm!
My other option was Mama and Papa after the band…
Chili con Carne? (I assume they speak Spanish.)
How about Roald and Caroline (after Amundsen and Mikkelsen, the latter being the first woman to set foot in Antarctica)? Or Roald and Ann (after Bancroft, the first woman to reach the South Pole; this is a bit more symmetrical I suppose)? After all, these ducks are hardy explorers of the frozen land that is Botany Pond in winter!
Ernest and Emily Shackelton
How about Yuri and Lara because the pictures of Botany Pond remind me of the ice palace scene in Dr. Zhivago.
Exactly my choice and my reason! Only I’d rather have Zhivago than Yuri
This is my favorite as Yuri and Lara were housebound during a frigid Russian winter. It’s also a favorite movie of mine.
Elsa and Olaf, from the movie Frozen 🙂
Ozzie and Harriet
Winston & Clementine
The only unfrozen water is around the bubblers and it’s only going to get tighter, so Bubble and Squeak.
Winter & Spring.
Well, since they seem to perennials, why not name them after a couple perennial plants? The google machine tells me two perennials from your area are Astor and Hostas.
Joe and Jill?
Then you might as well go with Doug and Kamala
That would be Joe and Dr. Jill, wouldn’t it?
y’mean, Ducktor Jill!
Hey, Smoked (Pauline is it?). Finally saw Tristan on All Creatures! He was a hoot!
I know! Lovably irritating!
(Yes, got your email this morning.)
Ignatz & Louise –> Iggy & Lou
Richard and Eva
Kai & Gerda, from Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”
I would suggest Phebe and Phebus
Chilly Willy and Klondike Annie
Nell and Dudley (Doright)
PCC(E), I just saw your Hili Dialogue for today (Wed.), and would suggest the names Dante and Beatrice after one of your favourite pre-Raphaelite paintings by Henry Holiday.
Number 19 beat me to it: Dante & Beatrice. Also, My son years ago had a cat named Beatrice who lived with me , rural area, for a year, she left early on, much searching. She reappeared 6 months later, thin but OK and lived on to an old age. So if Beatrice can mean survivability,maybe it would bring good luck to a duck….
Winnie (for Winter) and Pooh (for duck poo).