As I mentioned, a hen mallard came into Botany Pond yesterday and quickly took up with Armon, with him being protective and driving away other drakes. Could this have been Vashti returning after she left the pond with her brood? The only way to tell is to compare bill photos, as hens have identifying dark marks on their bill. So I did the comparison, which you can see below.
Vashti: left side of bill (on nest)
New hen: left side of bill. same black markings on upper bill, black bill tip, and freckles on left side of bill:
Vashti: right side of bill:
New hen: right side of bill. This is the most dispositive to me: note the cloudy darkness on the right side with a small black clump on the bottom, along with the line of “freckles” extending ventrally.
This is good enough for me, and I am calling her “Vashti” again. Moreover, she’s back with Armon (they bonded very quickly after the new hen arrived at the pond yesterday), and they were showing breeding behaviors this morning (head bowing, etc.). My guess is that Vashti is going to essay a second brood.
The sad part is that Vashti almost certainly lost her brood after wandering away from Botany Pond, and came back to try again. The good bit is that she’s trying again, and I will be here to oversee the process again. And Armon is overseeing everything.
Duck tending is hard!
Yes, saw them this morning while walking the dogs. Armon was paddling around in the north section and Vashti was perched in the south section. Happy that they are back.
Am I missing something? The first photo of the right side of Vashti’s bill shows a very distinctinve black spot at the tip of the bill and a significant patch of yellow between that and the upper dark markings. Neither of those show on the second duck.
I think it’s about angle. I think I see a possible match on that side.
Wonderful, a bittersweet reprieve for you.
I would expect Vashti would know their human staff and come in for a feeding.
But here’s hoping for a successful brood!
Hard to be sure since the lighting and shadows are different, but I think it’s Vashti. Is it early enough in the season for a second brood?
It’s a good time to start breeding. Even if she waits a month to begin incubating (and she has a ready-made nest), the babies will hatch at the beginning of July, and be ready to fly about the end of August.
How does she act around you?
Very tame, and comes when I whistle, which is another reason I am pretty sure it’s Vashti. Plus she took up immediately with Armon though there were other drakes in the pond.
Those are quite convincing details!
I took more photos that are a match, too. I may post them tomorrow.
Great news about Vashti!
Sad to learn the ducklings are not found.
The starboard side bill definitely looks the same; that’s Vashti for sure, in my view. Glad to see her back, sorry about the (first) brood.
Fingers crossed for a successful second brood of ducklings!
Here’s hoping!
I’m so glad to hear this!
Hope this time is the charm for Vashti and Armon. And that you have a duckling summer ahead. A summer with a solid and successful heron prevention plan in place.
My wife did her Masters at Chicago many years ago, and the University of Chicago Magazine arrived in our mailbox yesterday. Page 24, six page article, “How to Rebuild a Pond.” Only the briefest mention of ducks, and no mention of Prof CC.
This is good news but I wish we knew what happened to the ducklings.
Very cool. Not a TOTAL loss then. One can have a full life without children/or ducklings if you’re a duck. 🙂
Happy for you, and her!
D.A.
NYC 🗽
Very close but not close enough for me… this is Vashti’s sister.
Could be (who knows with ducks) good replacement therapy, the pond god smiles on you.
This happened in my distant past so I may be holding a bias. A tall ship captain married one of 2 sisters, when she departed he married the other.
It is not the sister of Vashti; there is the behavior and I will have more photographic evidence. She comes to me when I whistle and took up with Armon immediately.
Please do post the additional pictures when you can. This is good news.