Cyn's Nature Notes: More about the Roof Mallards

Friday 10 August 2012

More about the Roof Mallards

I wrote recently about a pair of mallards living on our roof, I wondered as I wrote how long it would last, I was soon to find out, because within two weeks they had moved.

During the preceding week there had been a frenzied flurry of mating --- always in the pond, I thought it was a little late in the season, but trusted their judgement. A few days passed and suddenly she was gone and he was mournful. He stayed on the roof, but spent his days searching the garden for her, disappearing into the undergrowth, poking his head and neck under bushes and into large plants. He was very mournful and all the while kept up a quacking and also looking skywards as if expecting her to fly in to the garden.He didn't find her and we didn't know where she had gone.

Five days later she returned, flying into a splat landing on the lawn and hurrying to look for us --- we fed her, she ate enormously and immediately took off again.

He didn't spot her coming and continued searching the garden for her.

Every two days she returned, going first to the kitchen window, flying up and resting on the bird table, if we weren't in the kitchen she went to the lounge patio doors, after that she would do a quick search of the garden. Finding us at last she would walk hurriedly toward us quaking loudly as she did so, (a very different quack to the musical sounds she made when communicating with her precious ducklings). She would follow me to the end conservatory door, where she waited while I fetched her food, these were the only times she ate here rather than at the side kitchen window.

He remained faithfully looking for her day after day, sometimes he saw her when she flew in and hurried across to be with her, affectionately pushing his beak into her face, neck and upper body, and quietly quacking but she had other things on her mind, and although he tried to follow her she always managed to give him the slip.

Sometimes we would be busy indoors, not see her fly in or appear at the kitchen or lounge windows, on these occasions we would be alerted to her presence by a loud urgent quaking from outside and there she would be, standing in the middle of the side lawn, looking in turn from the side kitchen window to the lounge windows and patiently waiting. We always rushed to feed her and after hurriedly devouring her food while periodically stopping, standing very still with her head to one side as if listening, --- I wondered if it was for her ducklings --- she would be gone. She always finished her food, but did not always stop for a drink or a swim in the pond, often giving one last harsh quack as she took to the air.

He had grown tired of living alone on our roof and had returned to the river, he still visited the garden occasionally. His visits rarely coincided with hers, but when they did he would rush up to her chattering quietly and clearly excited, she on the other hand had little time for him.

Eventually he stopped coming, but every second day she returned ravenously hungry and we were pleased to see her and quick to feed her.

Two days ago we took bread and went to the river to see if we could see her. There she was with her brood of tiny ducklings and we were able to feed both her and her babies. It made our day.

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About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.