A DUCK'S TALE

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THE DIARY OF A MISGUIDED DUCK

It all began with a bit of hanky-panky down at the lake…..

Very soon it became obvious that we needed to set about making a nursery for our forthcoming happy event. I found the perfect spot, penthouse in a high-rise conifer hedge with panoramic views of the rooftops and gardens and a flat top heli-pad for smooth landings.

Of course HE didn’t like it, said 15’ was too high up for the babies to jump and 3/4 mile from water as the duck flies is too far but I don’t care, trivialities, what do men know, I love it and just have to have it!

Anyway I kept a low profile getting the nest ready, he didn’t help at all, just sat on a nearby roof sulking. He said he was keeping lookout but looked like an excuse just to sit around to me……..

He kept moaning he was bored so he tried out another nearby roof…….

and another………

Well eventually he decided he’d had enough and did a runner (flier?) back to the lake, no doubt ‘swanning’ around with his mates again……

Now I’m an abandoned Mum-to-be and I think maybe he WAS right. this IS a very long way up and a bit lonely, maybe I should have stayed at the lake after all.

I now have eight babies and five of them have made a jump for it. First of all they were threatened by a cat and after a while by 2 humans. None of them can see me but I’m so proud of my babies – they really gave those humans the runaround, separating and regrouping in all the most awkward places like this………

(Note from ‘Human’:- Don’t look for the ducklings – this was taken later, I was too busy chasing them at the time!)

but in the end they got caught and put in a box and now I don’t know where they are……

It soon got dark so the rest of us stayed put but now it’s next day and we’ve all made it down to the ground. Well, after lots more crawling around by the humans in here………..

we got caught eventually and put in a box too and ended up in a place called ‘the vets’ where…OH JOY…there are my other babies. Apparently they spent some time under something called a heat lamp and are now rather attached to the Vet. I’M their mother – not him!!!

We all spent the night in a horrible cage , don’t like this place at all, lots of strange noises. Then I got banged up in a box again, I can see my babies in another one and we seem to be in something noisy and moving. HELP! I’m frightened!

What’s this? I know this place… WOW… it’s the lake where I first got into this mess!!

The boxes are open, come on you lot, follow me, let’s make a break for it and take to water…….

Some of the other residents don’t look too friendly, watch out for that coot kids…….

Maybe this is why……..she has babies too

Well, now it’s 3 days later and I don’t know what’s going on but my babies keep disappearing when I’m not looking. I only have 2 left now…….

Oh well I suppose 2 babies are easier to look after than 8 but I don’t think I’m really cut out for this motherhood lark. Maybe I’ll let him choose the site for the nest IF there is a next time!

Can’t wait till I can go off on my own again and join the others at the spa…….

_________________________ Footnote from the humans:

We would have loved them to stay in the garden but there were just too many cats around, not least our own, Daisy. All this happened last year and we were both sorry and relieved that they didn’t come back this year. We sought advice and did our best for them but sadly we don’t think any survived. We were subsequently told that there were pike in the lake who grab the ducklings by the feet whilst swimming and very few ducklings survived there last year. Apparently the pike have now been removed.

I wish the photos had been of better quality and content but I was too intent on making sure the ducklings were OK and I didn’t know about GOY then, if I had I would have thought ‘hhmmm…..blog’!!

• 15 Jul, 2009
• 8 likes

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