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Unexpected visitor

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  • #1669170
    Mary
    Participant

      My springtime visitors return. If anyone wonders whether ducks have memories, this is the third year that I’ve had the same mallard ducks raiding my bird feeders. My two somali’s really enjoy their visits. Last year I had 3 mating pairs taking turns & occasionally getting into spats with other males. I guess a sign Spring is here, but we’re due for another snow/ice storm later this week.

      Mallards

      #1669173

      They’re beautiful. Love the mallard’s curly tail feathers!

      #1669177
      Mary
      Participant

        They’re cute to watch. I now know where that old saying “shake a tail feather” originated. Think it was a song too. Whenever they move around or get ready to take flight, they shake their heinies! So cute.

        #1676407
        Bodine
        Participant

          image-edit-20231012195239

          I had an unexpected visitor.The tiniest lizard I have ever seen perched on my baby giraffe’s horn.

          Every act matters.No matter how small💞
          (Wanted......Brimstone Lap)
          Male Hearth....one day🤞Dream on.

          #1676528
          dragonmedley
          Participant

            😍

            Read my books! Volume 1 and 2 of A Dragon Medley are available now.
            http://www.sarahjestin.com/mybooks.htm
            I host the feedback lists, which are maintained by drag0nfeathers.
            http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htm

            #1676529
            Bodine
            Participant

              😍

              I can hardly wait for Volume 3,The Purple Dragon….if I’m not mistaken.

              Every act matters.No matter how small💞
              (Wanted......Brimstone Lap)
              Male Hearth....one day🤞Dream on.

              #1681713
              Mary
              Participant

                They’re back!!! This is the fourth year that my Mallard duck pairs have returned. It still amazes me that after migrating thousands of miles, they seem to find their way back to specific homes where they know we put out treats for the critters. I take this as a sign of Spring when they arrive. Only wish I had a pond in my yard so that they might nest nearby so I can catch a glimpse of the baby ducks when they hatch.

                ducksreturn

                #1681715
                Melody
                Keymaster

                  Beautiful!

                  #1681733
                  dragonmedley
                  Participant

                    We have a lone male mallard skulking around right now… no clue where his lady is!
                    We put up the nest last week and I think a merganser couple may be renting the place. Last year, wood ducks were checking out the place, but she found it lacking… it was a hoot seeing her peering inside the nest (which is a wooden box with a lid and a hole, really), little butt waggling up while her head and neck were inside.

                    Read my books! Volume 1 and 2 of A Dragon Medley are available now.
                    http://www.sarahjestin.com/mybooks.htm
                    I host the feedback lists, which are maintained by drag0nfeathers.
                    http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htm

                    #1681734
                    Mary
                    Participant

                      The males constantly try to steal other females from their mated pair in a battle of whomever is the strongest wins. I’ve had to breakup a number of fights between the drakes last year when I had 3 pairs coming here for food, and a roving band of drakes looking for females (which appear to be in short supply). The males are very protective of their mated female & fight to the death. Might be what happened with your male sulking. Once they pair off, they don’t leave the sides of the female until she hatches the eggs. The males are even protective of birds or chipmunks getting too close to female. This guy above used his beak to flip a chipmunk a foot into the air when it got to close to the female while both were feeding.

                      Cool that you built a nest for them. I may give that a try. I guess they really don’t need water until the eggs hatch. Surprised that right after birth, the babies immediately follow mom over to the water source & get swimming & food lessons.

                      I was at the grocery store last year, & all traffic stopped because a momma duck was leading her 13 baby ducks over to water source, but the one lagging took 4 attempts to get up the curb. Wish I had pulled out my cellphone to get video of it.

                      #1681845
                      Bodine
                      Participant

                        How sweet.

                        Every act matters.No matter how small💞
                        (Wanted......Brimstone Lap)
                        Male Hearth....one day🤞Dream on.

                      Viewing 11 posts - 16 through 26 (of 26 total)
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