Jean Greenburg, a member of Team Duck, saw that a sign on the fence around Botany Pond, now devastated before renovation begins, has acquired some graffiti:
I was accused of having written this, but it isn’t mine. Many people will miss the ducks this summer, as the pond won’t be filled with water until October. We may get some migrants stopping by, but we won’t get ducklings That is, unless—and this is my big fear—some ducks, remembering the old pond, may nest near it anyway. If they do, I’ll have to do still more duckling rescues, something I swore I’d never do again, as (especially in the case of a dry pond), I’d have to separate mother from babies.
There are already a pair of mallards at the pond—a drake and a hen. I don’t recognize them, but they do recognize me, as they fly or waddle over to the other side of the fence when I show up. They also come to my whistle. I am avoiding the pond now, for seeing that makes me sad.
Why does the work take so long?
Complete draining, fixing cracks, relining pond and putting in gravel and dirt, making a wildlife area (YAY!), landscaping the whole pond, and adding the necessary microfauna (snails, microbes, protozoans, etc.) But really, they should be working now.
I am very sad.
Need those ducks
Indeed!
What was the pond’s original purpose? Is there any alternative within flight? No temporary accommodation? (I’m sure you’ve been overall of this in your head.)
Yes, there are large bodies of water nearby, so the ducks will find a place this summer. But it won’t be the five-star hotel that is Botany Pond!
If the duck crew chose one of those ponds or lakes and fed there this spring/summer could you lure the familiar ducks?
Sad enough to make a glass eye cry.
So sad. I hope the pond is improved by the renovation and that the ducks find their way back next year.
Yes, I’m in total agreement with the writer.
I’m wondering too how the turtles and fish are faring in their temporary (?) homes.
They’re fine. Half of the turtles are going into a nice pond elsewhere; the other five and fish will be put in Botany Pond in October.
Too sad. Too slow, sorry. No budget for extra reno/landscaping crew?
Nope😿
HAA! Graffitti just isn’t your style, PCC(E).
best
D.A.
NYC https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/06/10/photos-of-readers-93/
A shame that the live cam wasn’t operating so that the duck lover could be identified.