Cyn's Nature Notes: A Jealous Duck

Saturday 24 May 2014

A Jealous Duck

Wow! What a morning.

Walked into the kitchen for the first time today, just in time to see the roof duck take off and fly from the garden. I haven't seen her for a few days and felt sad that I hadn't noticed her to feed her.

A few minutes later as I started making breakfast, turning toward the side window I once more saw the roof duck rise from the side lawn chased by the male belonging to the larger of the two brown female mallards that visit. The roof duck must have been very hungry to keep returning so quickly. I threw a mug of seed onto the path under the side window and hastened to fetch some bread, wetting it I moved to the window and was pleased to see that for a third time, she had returned and was eating the seed --- which she quickly left to eat the bread.

As I was still breaking and throwing the wet bread, I noticed No-tail the pigeon on the lawn, he tends to keep away from the ducks since he was set upon by an angry male. Feeling sorry for him I ceased throwing the bread to the roof duck and instead tossed the next few pieces to No-tail, as I threw the third piece I heard a quack and looked toward the duck who was watching me. I threw the next piece again to No-tail on the lawn and to my amazement with angry sounding quacks the female roof duck took off, flew onto the lawn and straight at No-tail who beat a hasty retreat into an oak tree opposite the front gate. Whereupon the roof duck returned to her food under the window, but, and I tell you this with a smile on my face, not before a magpie had flown down grabbed an enormous beakful of her food and flown away.

This is another example of animal behaviour reminding me of human behaviour.

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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.