Saturday, June 17, 2006
Make Way for Ducklings
See that? Do you know what that is?
That is a mother duck who has chosen to lay her eggs in our strawberry patch, right by the side of our house. We noticed it this morning. The children are excited -- well, the 4-month-old doesn't really care, frankly; he is very selfish. But the 6-Year-Old can't stop talking about it. The Almost-2-Year-Old needs to be prevented from poking Mama Duck, who hisses if you get too close to her brood.
This is pretty excellent stuff. We will keep you posted on developments.
See that? Do you know what that is?
That is a mother duck who has chosen to lay her eggs in our strawberry patch, right by the side of our house. We noticed it this morning. The children are excited -- well, the 4-month-old doesn't really care, frankly; he is very selfish. But the 6-Year-Old can't stop talking about it. The Almost-2-Year-Old needs to be prevented from poking Mama Duck, who hisses if you get too close to her brood.
This is pretty excellent stuff. We will keep you posted on developments.
# posted by Thers @ 6:30 PM 
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OoooOOooo!
What excellent news for the people of Liberal Mountain.
Well, it does beat the hell out of being adopted by ocelots.
What excellent news for the people of Liberal Mountain.
Well, it does beat the hell out of being adopted by ocelots.
ocelots are cool, i once had a cat named ocelota, she had the markings of an ocelot.
now i live in florida, and it doesn't seem so unique.
congrats on your new family thers. should be really cool for the kids, and their hundred and thirty some children.
at first i thought it was a platypus, now that would be remarkable.
now i live in florida, and it doesn't seem so unique.
congrats on your new family thers. should be really cool for the kids, and their hundred and thirty some children.
at first i thought it was a platypus, now that would be remarkable.
# posted by 
: 7:30 PM
: 7:30 PM
Wonderful! I'm crazy about ducks...they're noble and sagacious beasts, and an impeccably good omen for you and yours.
I'm interested in what type of duck this is, BTW...it's no mallard, as far as I can tell. A pintail, maybe...or a redhead? I hope you can get a better shot of it at some point. Inquiring minds and all that.
I'm interested in what type of duck this is, BTW...it's no mallard, as far as I can tell. A pintail, maybe...or a redhead? I hope you can get a better shot of it at some point. Inquiring minds and all that.
congrats on your new family thers. should be really cool for the kids, and their hundred and thirty some children.
Watch out you don't fall prey to post-hatch brood amalgamation!
Watch out you don't fall prey to post-hatch brood amalgamation!
Phila -- it's hard to get a good shot. She's chosen a very shady spot, and our camera is not that great anyway. We've seen her about before, though -- she's slightly larger than a mallard, we've not seen her mate, and is a light brown with some darker spots. NMY's dad said pintail, and he's usually reliable on this stuff, old farmboy that he is (with a Cornell master's in agriculture, too... earned it when he was 21 -- those were brave days...)
She's got five eggs in the clutch.
I'm taking this a great omen.
She's got five eggs in the clutch.
I'm taking this a great omen.
Okay, now I'm really jealous.
I saw a momma duck with her babies at the lake yesterday and when I came back with the camera she was gone.
I WANT DUCKLINGS!!!
I saw a momma duck with her babies at the lake yesterday and when I came back with the camera she was gone.
I WANT DUCKLINGS!!!
NMY's dad said pintail, and he's usually reliable on this stuff, old farmboy that he is
That was my first guess, too. Seems a bit late in the year for 'em to be nesting. But who am I to gainsay your ducks?
We usually have quail families around our place. Nothing this year, though.
That was my first guess, too. Seems a bit late in the year for 'em to be nesting. But who am I to gainsay your ducks?
We usually have quail families around our place. Nothing this year, though.
It shold be noted that the strawberries grow in about 4" of mulch and shredded newspapers, so it was pretty easy for the duck to just sort of push it aside and make a nest for herself below the surface.
We do have bands of roving fowl around here; I'm always tempted th throw up a henhouse to see if they'll move in.
We do have bands of roving fowl around here; I'm always tempted th throw up a henhouse to see if they'll move in.
DIDGA KNOW I RAISE ORPHAN DUCKIES,AND SOMETIMES THEIR MA S
I LOVE THEM SOMETIMES PUT THEM IN MY BATHROBE POCKETS!!! oh what fun...you can amplify their diet withcrumbles oatmeal
sittenpretty
I LOVE THEM SOMETIMES PUT THEM IN MY BATHROBE POCKETS!!! oh what fun...you can amplify their diet withcrumbles oatmeal
sittenpretty
# posted by : 8:38 AM
: 8:38 AM
UPdate: Mama Duck was briefly chased away today by a bunch of thuggish mallards.
There are eleven eggs in the nest. ELEVEN!
There are eleven eggs in the nest. ELEVEN!
NMY's dad said pintail, and he's usually reliable on this stuff, old farmboy that he is (with a Cornell master's in agriculture, too... earned it when he was 21 -- those were brave days...)
Well, with that quality edumacation, he must be right!!
Phila -- you wanna see duckies, wander on down to Oakland -- I gots me a waterfowl preserve right across the street.
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Well, with that quality edumacation, he must be right!!
Phila -- you wanna see duckies, wander on down to Oakland -- I gots me a waterfowl preserve right across the street.
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