We now know that our black duck is definitely male. He's been chasing every female that twitches a tail feather in his direction. I feel sorry for the poor old females because not only do they get their necks well and truly pecked until they are bald by the males, but they also get their heads ducked (get it?) under the water at the same time. It looks a bit like waterboarding to me but I suppose it's just nature doing its thang. I have been calling the black duck Fatty because he is fat and very greedy. I'm going to call our white duck Petula (as in 'Don't Sleep in the Subway') now that I know she is female (baldy neck - poor wee thing). If we do get some ducklings I'm not sure what colour they will be because our black duck has been chasing all the wild ducks and maybe even Petula. I will keep you all posted on duckling developments.
There is a new female wild duck on the scene, who has a drake husband, and I have instantly named them Nora Batty and Wally. I have never heard anything like it. Her constant quacking, which sounds as if she has a sore throat, is just like someone nagging and nagging and nagging. She seems to be shouting at all the naughty male ducks and even Fatty gets short shrift when he tries to chase her round the pond.
 |
| Fatty (a gauche) and Petula-la (a droite) |
 |
| Petula having a wee hop and a skip |
When I'm not looking, those naughty ducks get up to all sorts. We found out from our neighbour that they waddle over to his yard when he is feeding his chickens and pinch the corn. Then when I come down with my bucket of corn, they look at me wide eyed and innocent and squawk about how hungry they are.
We've been chasing wild geese from our pond again this year. Roberto goes on a wild goose chase every morning. They are a nuisance and before you know it, there are about 100 of them on your pond. They also go into the nearby fields and eat Mr Forrester's wheat, which makes him tear what's left of his hair out.
We've been chasing wild geese from our pond again this year. Roberto goes on a wild goose chase every morning. They are a nuisance and before you know it, there are about 100 of them on your pond. They also go into the nearby fields and eat Mr Forrester's wheat, which makes him tear what's left of his hair out.
 |
| Noisy Nora Batty (a gauche) and her husband Wally Stuart Little's boat is in the background.
|
You have got names for the ducks but I bet the ducks have a name for you Molly. Possibly Vera Bennett? Or maybe the ducks use her nickname instead!
ReplyDeleteNot being old enough to remember Vera Bennett, I had to Google her....you cheeky bathcube!!
ReplyDeleteI would love a pond that size
ReplyDeleteMy ducks have a large lurid pink paddling pool
Hi John. Thanks for dropping by. I bet those ducks love their pink paddling pool. Are you a duck expert? Would love to know what breed our ducks are - the two black and white ones I mean (Petula and Fatty). They're probably a mixture but we're just not sure.
Delete