Category: Botany Pond

Wildlife at Botany Pond: turtles are back!

October 11, 2025 • 8:20 am

Things are moving along at Botany Pond. Although the ducks have left (with only a few returning for a brief visit), six species of native fish have been introduced; a bunch of goldfish that people dumped in (probably from their aquariums) have been removed (none were killed; they are up for adoption and removed because we want only native flora and fauna in the pond); and five large “original” turtles, removed to another pond when Botany Pond was drained and fixed over the last few years, have been put back. This post documents the latest doings.

When 11 turtles were removed several years ago, they were marked by clipping off a bit of shell at the front, and then put for safekeeping in a large pond in southern Illinois. There were other turtles there, too, so to retrieve them for re-introduction to the pond, they had to be trapped, which took some time. One died in their “babysitting” pond, but there are five there, and we hope to get them next Spring.

But on October 2, the first three were released. All of the turtles were red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), a species that is now native here, as the range has moved northward as the climate warmed. Again, these turtles must have lived in Botany Pond for a number of years when they were removed. Since it’s changed a lot since they lived here, I wonder if they remember it?

The first release.  Here are the turtles in their bucket, restless and ready to go:

One just about to be introduced to the pond, hopefully her forever home. You can see a bit of the red stripe behind her eye.

The species is sexually dimorphic, with males having longer claws than females (they’re used to rake the female’s head before mating and then to hold onto her during the Act). These are short claws, ergo a female. We have at least two of each sex in the pond now, but breeding is unlikely as they bury eggs in the dirt near the pond, and those eggs have historically died during the cold winter. That’s why this is really the northernmost bit of their range.

The bottom of the shell:

Head-on shot:

. . . and the head from below.  These really are beautiful animals:

Here’s a video of the first release. You can clearly see the red stripe on the last turtle released.

They will spend the winter in hibernation; right now Facilities is feeding them frozen smelt, and they can also eat the minnows supplied in the second release (below).  The turtles will spend the winter huddled in special “turtle caves” that Facilities has put on the rocky pond bottom (below); they can breathe from their butts (“cloacal respiration”) while hibernating.  Here’s one of the turtle caves:

Between the first and second release, a fine pair of mallards came to the pond, but, sadly, flew away after a day when snorkelers (!) went into the pond to capture the goldfish. Ducks will not tolerate the presence of any humans in the pond.

I really, really miss the ducks, and almost none have stopped by the Pond on their way south. Here’s the handsome mated pair that we had for two days:

The second release of turtles was on Oct. 9.

The pair in their bucket, raring to go:

Note the red stripe on the head that gives this species its name:

Front view:

Bottom view. As you see, these turtles can be distinguished by the pattern on the bottom of their shells (compare to the ones above and below).

Big difference!  The short claws indicate that this is another girl turtle:

The first released of two.  They seem a bit flummoxed for a short while, and then they take off like a shot.

A close-up video of a released turtle. Note the longer claws: this is a male.

And the released minnows:

The turtles appear to have taken to their homes on the bottom lately (they can go several hours underwater without breathing), and I’ve seen them only rarely.  They get their smelts twice a week and there is also dry turtle food (Mazuri Aquatic Turtle food) and the living minnows.

But I await the ducks next spring. There better be some!

Hazel and Dolores at the pond

August 26, 2025 • 7:49 am

The two mallard hens are still here at Botany Pond, and the new one has been named Dolores, with the last name del Estanque, making her name “Dolores of the Pond”, after the movie star Dolores del Rio.

They just had a huge breakfast, and one of them has been definitively identified as Hazel, the single hen who was here the other day. She brought a friend.

Here is Hazel’s bill (left side) from Saturday:

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And here is one of the pair yesterday. It’s clearly Hazel:

They came together, and are clearly friends. They swim together, walk together, eat together, and hang out together. I’m very glad, as each has a friend and ducks are social birds who like company. Here are the two of them after a late lunch yesterday:

. . . and the new duck, Dolores del Estanque:

Let’s hope they hang around for a while. Everybody loves the ducks at the pond save one miscreant, but I won’t go into that.

And one water lily has bloomed, producing a beautiful flower:

Hazel, our new Botany Pond hen

August 24, 2025 • 11:00 am

As I wrote two days ago when posting two pictures, a new hen showed up in Botany Pond on Friday. It was very exciting, as we hadn’t seen any ducks in the pond since Esther and her babies left within a few days of each other over a month ago.  The new hen was skittish at first, and afraid when food was tossed to her, but at least she learned that what I tossed was edible.

And of course I whistled as I fed her.

I decided that if the hen showed up yesterday, I’d name her. And, sure enough, she was there. Not only that, but she came swimming right at me for food.  While she was still a bit skittish in the morning, eventually she swam slowly over to the edge of the pond by the bench on which I sat, and I fed her a little bit at a time. She was no longer afraid of food falling into the water, and she hung around after breakfast, apparently liking our company.

At lunch (she gets two meals per day) she again came swimming to me on my whistle, and was totally friendly: the tamest wild mallard I’ve known, and apparently able to recogize me. Besides duck pellets, she got mealworms, and loved them.  Here she is (the poo behind her is not duck poo!)

One thing I realized is that the presence of even a single duck really enlivens the pond, and people came by to watch and photograph her. I’ve named her Hazel, by the way, taking the cue from her color.

Here she is resting on the bank on Day 1. As you see, she’s well fed. And she’s just molted, too, as her primary flight feathers are gorgeous and new. Two pair of people stopped and asked me lots of questions about the ducks. But the DuckCam appears to be gone. I will make inquiries.

After lunch yesterday, she continued to hang around the edge of the pond near me. Perhaps she’s lonely. I hope she brings a few friends with her. You’re luckless when you’re duckless.

Hazel is a very fastidious duck and spends a lot of time preening her new feathers.

Here’s a photo of the left side of her bill to help identify her if she returns next year. It’s a pretty identifiable pattern.

Finally, here’s a short video of Hazel doing some postprandial preening and swimming yesterday. Look at those gorgeous primary feathers (the big ones on the wing)! She’s also drinking to wash down the dry duck pellets.

She isn’t here this morning, and I fervently hope she comes back. Duckless is luckless.

UPDATE: Reader Nicole sent me this photo from the Duck Inn in Collegeville. PA.  It sits by a pond full of mallards, and this machine is nearby. I WANT ONE!

Esther et al. on the University of Chicago’s Instagram page

June 21, 2025 • 12:15 pm

The link to this “uchicago” Instagram post is here, and this lovely video highlights Esther and her brood, as they are the only brood the renovated pond has harbored. I’m sure this video was taken by the University photographer, who did a great job. I’m also delighted that the video (and thus the University) recognizes the value of the ducks to the pond and to the people who come to the pond to chill out.

Ducks forever!

(h/t Elsie)

Botany Pond features in Chicago Maroon

April 9, 2025 • 11:45 am

About two weeks ago, I was interviewed by Natalie Earl, a reporter for the student newspaper The Chicago Maroon. The topic: Botany Pond, its restoration, and its ducks. They put out a story yesterday in the “Grey City” section of the paper, a story that includes pictures of Esther and Mordecai as well as information about ducks nesting on ledges.

I am somewhat embarrassed as I am mentioned too often, in my view, and others who contributed, including the members of Team Duck and the people in Facilities, aren’t mentioned. In fact, although I and other members of Team Duck have worked with Facilities to make suggestions for the pond, and to turn on the Duck Cam (that will happen), the changes that have and will happen are due to the beneficence of Facilities. There are other changes I cannot mention now, but I will let you know when the Duck Cam is turned on.

Ms. Earl did get everything right, though I’m embarrassed to be characterized as the self-appointed “Duck Master” (it’s “Duckmeister”!).  You can read by clicking below, where you’ll see new photos of Esther and Mordecai. And I’ll recount a story below:

From Earl’s article:

To those who are wondering, “How do the ducklings get down from the second-story window ledge?” the answer is simple: they jump! Most of them can jump straight into the water, and those that do hit the ground land on a cushion of grass. Having monitored this process many times, Coyne claims that the ducklings seem to recover just fine and waddle themselves the rest of the way over to the pond.

There was one time though that Coyne had to intervene. In 2020 Dorothy and Honey were competing for space at Botany Pond.

Dorothy claimed space in the west windows of Erman Biology Center, above the patch of grass between the pond and the building, while Honey built her nest in the east windows of the building, 30 feet above stone pavement.

At Coyne’s urging, former University President Robert Zimmer directed a facilities team to put a duckling trampoline beneath the nest. That year’s duckling-hatching day was so harrowing that the Chicago Tribune wrote it was “as action-packed as an Avengers movie,” with “death-defying leaps from tall buildings! Violent feuding! A fired gun!” [That was the great Mary Schmich, who wrote three pieces on Honey for the Trib.)

Coyne told the Maroon he’s glad to have just one pair to watch out for this year.

Here I am feeding Honey in the good old days (I suspect she’s no longer alive), wearing my mask during the pandemic.  And below that is my favorite photo of Honey, which I call the “soccer ball” picture.

I will soon have exciting news, though, about memorializing this unforgettable mallard. Stay tuned.

 

Botany Pond ducks (with videos)

March 25, 2025 • 8:15 am

Mordecai and Esther are still here, and looking fat, healthy and happy. I thought I’d show a few photos today in lieu of Readers’ Wildlife, and add a couple of videos. (I tried to get a photo of Esther quackling loudly, which she’s wont to do, but she didn’t perform yesterday, when I took all these photos and videos.)

First a photo of the ducks. Here’s Mordecai. Isn’t he handsome?

Here he is getting out of the pond after a bracing swim (It was chilly yesterday). Esther swims nearby (the camera was a bit wonky), about to follow him:

The lovely Queen Esther:

Here’s the pair on their favorite spot: the warm cement ledge on the east side of the Pond, where they rest and dry off in the afternoons. Esther has a quick drink, and they sun themselves and preen.

Mordecai looking around. I love his iridescent head.

The difference in appearance between males (drakes) and females (hens) is surely due to sexual selection. The females are well camouflaged in the grass, while males sacrifice some of that camouflage to attract females. We have no idea why females prefer yellow beaks and metallic green heads; the reason why females in different species prefer different traits is largely a mystery. (Of course there are some sex differences in traits, like antlers in elk and body size used for fighting in elephant seals, that are well understood; males win females–and offspring–by winning contests. Darwin called this the “law of battle.”)

Here they are both out of the water. Towards the end of this short video Mordecai engages in some stretching, which we call “duck yoga”. He also scratches his chin, though ducks don’t have chins.

Esther and Mordecai together on the edge. They’re both oiling their feathers. Mallards have an oil gland at the base of their tail, and they repeatedly dip their beaks in it and then spread the oil on their feathers to waterproof them. Hence the expression, “Like water off a duck’s back.” If you’ve ever seen a duck in the rain, you’ll see that the water just beads up and runs off their oily bodies.

Reader’s wildlife photos, PCC(E) duck edition

March 21, 2025 • 8:15 am

Whether you like it or not, you’re going to look at photos of my ducks today: Esther and Mordecai. (This is the equivalent of a proud parent showing off pictures of their kid.)  They have now been here well over a week, and have settled in nicely, having learned to navigate most of the pond (except for the parts blocked by netting.)  They have also mated at least once, though mallards mate several to many times before the female finally nests.

Esther hasn’t yet started building a nest. Once she does—and I hope it’s on a windowsill instead of the ground—she will lay all her eggs, one per day, and then, when they’re all laid, she will sit tight on them, brooding them for just about 28 days, when they will all hatch within one day. And then. . . ducklings on the pond!

Although mallards are ground-nesters, somehow the Botany Pond ducks have learned to nest on the windowsills of the adjacent buildings, which affords them protection from both predators and the elements. But Esther seems to be a young and rather wild duck, and I hope she doesn’t put her nest on the ground, where predators and errant humans could disturb it.

The good news is that both ducks have learned to come to my whistle for a nosh, and when I make my characteristic call, they both come swimming towards me. This is something that’s happened only in the last two days. Ducks learn fast!  Here are some photos, all taken yesterday.

BREAKING NEWS: When I went to see the pair this morning, I couldn’t find Esther, though Mordecai was on the east side of the pond. I had a feeling, and so I looked up. Sure enough, there was Esther sitting on a ledge in a window of the second floor of Erman, the building next to the pond. She is clearly scoping out nesting spots (“nest shopping”, we call it), and so the next step in the breeding process has occurred. She will pick out a good ledge (that’s a nice one, above soft ground), build a nest, and then lay eggs. I’m glad she knows enough to nest on a ledge and not on the ground. These ducks are not dumb!  To see two films of Honey and her ducks jumping off the ledge, be sure to go here and watch the movies

Below: the pair swimming together. They are NEVER far apart, and if they get separated by too great a distance, Esther will quack loudly at Mordecai and he will come swimming to her. (He’s a good husband.)  Remember, only female mallards can make the characteristic quack that we associate with mallards.

After her swim, Esther dried off on the warm cement facing the sun:

As I’ve said, hens are particularly cute when they tilt their heads, which, given the placement of their eyes, they have to do to see above them. They often do this when a hawk or other possible predator flies overhead:

Swimming. If you haven’t seen our mallards before, the blue stripe on the wings is called the speculum, and we don’t really know why it’s there.

Mordecai swimming. His neck is stretched out because he hears something. Note his curly tail feathers:

Mordecai swimming, neck in normal position. I like the psychedelic patterns in the water:

Esther chilling (or rather, warming) on the cement edge, eastern part of pond:

Mordecai standing just a few feet away from her. He doesn’t want to neglect his reproductive investment! Note that both ducks are in good condition, healthy and plump:

As Esther jumps up onto the edge from the water, she uses her wings to assist, and you can clearly see her speculum. Each blue feather (these are called “secondary” feathers, with the “primaries” being the main flight feathers) has a white stripe on it. I still have several speculum feathers from Honey, as mallards molt and regrow all their feathers after they have babies. During this period of a few weeks, they’re unable to fly.