August05
Sunday, 7th
Dear me, a whole week gone by without an entry. I have a good excuse, though, we've had visitors. Annie came with the girls and new (to us!) chocolate labrador Ollie. He's a lovely and gentle dog, but we still didn't let the ducks out unless he was in the house or on the lead:
When we cleaned out the smelly apple tree pond recently John put a big
wooden beam across so that I wouldn't slip in the slurry at the bottom
(yes, I get the really dirty jobs!). We kept the beam there after refilling
the pond, and the ducks have made very good use of it, sleeping on it,
falling off it while trying to step over a mate, diving off it when they
see me coming with food, or doing their beam exercises - that's the drake
"Splodge" stretching a leg near the apple tree:
For a little while now the ducks have only had food during the day. This worked fine, and the last 4 or 5 nights we left the bucket of water out of the hut at night as well. They don't appear to have missed it, and it has had the added advantage that the hut is not smelly now, and I only clean it out on alternate days.
The Indian Runner Duck Association have answered my e-mail regarding the sudden death of one of the "twins". They said it sounded like a heart attack, and they are going to include the story in their next newsletter to see if other members have had a similar experience.
The Leicester Mercury published my letter about the fox control I desire on 1st August. So far 4 people have responded to it, all misinterpreting or misreading what I wrote, and all fiercely defending the foxes' right to roam freely and do what they do naturally, not one supporting me in my endeavour. I shall have to continue campaigning: EQUAL RIGHTS FOR DUCKS AND CHICKENS!!!
Friday afternoon was the first time the ducks came out and joined me when I was weeding, and they did again yesterday. One of the ducks kept coming particularly close; she reminded me of Gertie and her trusting ways. She has a distinctive V mark at the back of her head, and I've provisionally called her G D or Geedee = Gertie's daughter.
To end today's entry a picture of the ducks foraging at the bottom end of the frog pond:
Monday, 8th
This morning I watched them closely while they were in the frog pond,
and made notes about distinguishing marks with a view to giving them names.
I'll start with the easiest to tell apart, Fanny with her deep green beak
and black 'bean' at tip:
Next the boys, I'm still fairly sure we have three of them. The first
born out of Eppi's egg I just call Big Boy for now (John is keen on 'Donald'!).
He has quite a clean cap and no spot at the back of his neck. The second
one has a cap which comes to a kind of V shape at the back with a spot
a bit further down like Valentino (not visible in the small round pic).
I can also see the tip of a black feather in his right wing. I've temporarily
named him Captain. Thirdly there's "Splodge" (obviously because
of his splodgy cheek markings), bottom right in bigger photo behind Big
Boy/Donald. Or should we call this one "Sean" as he has a 'bean'
at the tip of his beak? I have recently come to realize that he is the
one that hurt his foot in coming out of the 13.5. egg, who used to limp.
He has adjusted his posture, leaning head and neck to the right, so he
can run like the others but 
always
looks skew whiff at the top.
Then the girls. The "Twin" is easiest to tell apart
after Fanny, with her all-brown face. She's a big girl, got the desirable
"bean" at the tip of her beak, is the only one with two stripes
of black feathers in both wings, and is a bit aggressive.
There are four ducks with rather dark head markings similar to Eppi.
One with very clean outlines, no streaks, I've provisionally 
called
Clarrie. She's a big girl, too.
There's another very similar, with a slightly ziggyzaggy cap and 2 marks
at the back of her head, and a biggish blob in the white space behind
her right eye - shall we call her Blob? 
Or is that unkind. What about Blodwen? I welcome suggestions - please
send to whitetowers@onetel.com!!
A slightly smaller duck with not quite such a dark head has two small
streaks behind her left eye, a cap coming to U-shape at the back of her
head and a sort of pointed O underneath. I thought Olive would be appropriate
for her.
Lastly of the
four with darker heads is the last born, I think, as it's the only one
with just a bit of fluff on neck and thighs. and a bean on the beak. Must
have been the one I called "scrag end" and then "baby spice",
but she's a big girl now - or is she a boy? That's her bottom right of
the big photo:
Annie suggested we let the 6 grandchildren name a duck each and we name
the rest. Good idea, but I've got to learn to tell them apart first. I'm
still watching and learning - they move so fast, and photos don't always
help because the light changes the appearance.
On the very left of the picture below you can just see the distinctive
V mark on the neck of a duck I've mentioned before, GD. I think I'll call
her GG instead, Gertie's girl; sounds nice, like Gigi. She can be seen
again in the small oval facing 'Captain'. There is one more duck to mention,
very like GG but fewer markings, whom I've called Lily for now. She is
at the bottom of the picture on the right next to "Baby" and
also of the one below. These two last mentioned ducks are a little smaller
than the others and have rather paler brown head markings than the first
four. Green is beginning to show on all the girls' beaks. The boys' beaks
and legs are showing more bright orange.
Thursday, 11th
After the hot sunshine on Tuesday yesterday was a dull day. In that dull light there didn't look all that much difference in the head colourings between the drakes and ducks. The "Captain"s cap was the same dark brown as Blodwen's, and it made me wonder. Is Blodwen a bloke? Should we call her Blob again or Bob? And not only that, big Clarrie's and big Baby's heads also looked the same dark brown. Should it be Clarence instead and big Bomber? Or what if we only have 2 drakes (because Big Boy's and Splodge's caps still looked darker even in the dull light) and all the others are girls? Or, alternatively, what if we have six drakes and five ducks?? I am confused! I bet YOU are! I think we better wait until the drakes develop their curly tail feathers. Then we'll know for sure.
I spent most of yesterday and all this morning in the old chicken run where the ducks now have their pond and hut. The chickens had got rid of all the grass with their scratching and the nettles took over. So I chopped all the weeds down and then raked the surface as flat as I could with the intention of throwing some grass seed down. I had lots of help! The ducks helped trample the surface as they were foraging. GG was always there first as soon as I picked up the rake or spade. Just like Gertie used to be. I still haven't put the grass seed down, other jobs took over. We've given up on the idea of lining the pond edges with turves as the ducks just nibble away the edges and make them so soggy they soon stink. So we thought wooden decking instead, and I've been busy tucking in the edges of the pond liner in readiness. As there was a big piece of liner hanging over I'm also enlarging the pond surface a bit rather than cutting the extra liner off. I'll let you know - with pictures - how I get on!
The ducks went to the frog pond fairly early this morning, and apart from the usual nudging and slight bickering that goes on I saw a fight between Baby, Blodwen and Clarrie - which again made me wonder if they're all fellers. The noise they were making was not quacking but something in between cheaping and trumpeting, if you can imagine what that sounds like.
Later: I put the grass seed down, enlarged pond is refilled and ducks
are back in after their disappointment at lunch time when they couldn't
see a way into the water:
Tuesday, 16th Pearl's Birthday
There are a lot of feathers in and around the two ponds
they are using. Is it possible that they're already moulting? They're
only between 8 and 9 weeks old. Having admired their glossy, tight bronzy
brown tum feathers just recently most of them look rather mottled now:
that's big boy Donald standing guard as usual below , the Twin with her
unusual markings in front. And can you see all those feathers floating
in and around the apple tree pond on the right, or is the picture too
small or too dark? It was about half past seven in the evening, though.
I love the way two of them are doing an arabesque in this photo.
3 more pictures of our "mottled" crew. The older ones are more
advanced in their moulting.
In this photo Fanny is ducking at the back and the Twin
next to her is backchatting with open beak. Donald is at the back, left,
GG in front in the middle, Olive next to her and on the very right in
front Splodge/Sean's "leaning" posture can clearly be seen.
For interested gardeners: the spiky seed heads are those of Allium Schubertii:
Oh, I nearly forgot. Having complained on Sunday 7th that only pro-fox comments had been published in the Leicester Mercury, 4 have been published since, supporting the need for some kind of fox control. Myself I no longer think shooting daytime foxes is the answer - too dangerous if anybody is about in gardens and streets. But what about the pest control officers using something like the tranquilliser darts they use in zoos??? The rogue foxes could then be disposed of in safety. I only just missed being confronted with an urban fox in Pearls garden this morning. Pearl told me one had been there just 15 minutes before I arrived with cake and cards.
That's GG on the beam, by the way. And can you see that I've made an
effort to "prettify" the area by planting a cotoneaster (middle
back, in the corner against the greenhouse) and a hosta - and 2 or 3 other
things you can't see in this shot.
Big Baby on the very left of this photo above still shows a fairly uniform
brown. I think that's Lily deciding not to lead and turning back against
the flow. And look how small Fanny (in the middle) now looks among them.
Monday, 22nd
We had glorious weekend weather, and wonderful, sunny celebrations at John's chapel yesterday. When we got back home last night and I had let the ducks out to forage in the grass before bed time I got awfully worried because Lily wouldn't or couldn't shut her beak. I could see her tongue, and it looked as if she was chewing on something - or was she choking? Well, you always worry, don't you, especially when you've had casualties. After a couple of minutes, though, she bent her head and spat out half an empty snail shell, what a relief!
We've started the new week with a very wet morning. Very heavy rain at first, easing off gradually to a drizzle. Now, early afternoon, it has stopped - but worse is forecast for Wednesday with gale force winds!
As the ducks had been shut in the old chicken run for much of the weekend
they were given 'freedom to roam' from early on today, and they made good
use of it doing a lot of foraging in the wet grass. It's only recently
they've ventured as far as the orchard, but then I remember our first
four only gradually extended their excursions through the garden. Here
are four of the pictures I took:
I hope you can see that Fanny(3rd from left)'s chest is the only sleek,
glossy one. She seems to have finished her moult whereas all the others
are in the middle of it and look mottled - and quite bedraggled when they
come out of the water.
Looking at these photos makes me realize how far behind I am with tidying
up in the garden. I don't go over the top, leaving seed heads etc for
the birds. But when the seeds have been picked off like on the Kniphofias
they get black and ugly and must go! Job for later.
On the photo below you can just see the heads of 2 of them popping up
behing the bright yellow Choysia,
and on this larger one they are just starting to go up the main path
in the garden. Not for long, though. As soon as a warning call is heard
they all rush back to the safety of the pond. 
Wednesday, 24th
It's been a terrible day for weather today, just as forecast. Remembering how our first duck died after a spell of very heavy rain while she was moulting, and because we were going to be away from home until early afternoon, I shut the ducks into the garage after their early dip in the pond. I left them plenty of food and water, and they were alright. When I got back at 2.30 they were trying to get out throught the cat flap!
Friday, 26th
I can hardly believe it, Friday again. Time is flying by much too fast - must have something to do with getting older .......
The weather has calmed down a bit now, and the ducks got through the wet and windy days alright. They go from one pond to the other, with breaks for foraging through the grass, just as they like.
When I shut them in last night I noticed that the grass seed I put down in the apple tree area has come up. It's about 1½ cm high!
The Leicester Mercury has published another letter from me regarding foxes and my thoughts on trying to keep a balance in nature. I'm ever so pleased they are keeping the subject going for debate.
Saturday, 27th
I'm very worried about GG, she's definitely poorly. After I'd cleaned
the hut out this afternoon I thought I'd take the opportunity and take
a shot of the newly grown grass, with the ducks in the background: I hope
this picture is big enough for you to see the green sprouts of grass.
I was struck by how well Donald's chest is getting covered again - on
the left of this photo (compare this with the one on the 16th!) below,
and
how some of the others look almost bald underneath; just look at the twin
(bending down; you can also see that she's getting more black around the
face). It was when I stopped taking photos and the ducks went back into
the water that I noticed something was wrong with GG. She spread out her
wings and collapsed before going in.
I was keen to get them all out to dry off and forage, and when I was
guiding them onto the front lawn GG couldn't keep up with them. I picked
her up and set her down near the group and a bucket of water, and while
keeping watch I saw her hanging back and sitting down a lot. It was very
nice to see that one of the others sat down with her to keep her company.
After some time they went into the frog pond, and again, GG had trouble walking - let alone running - and I carried her to the edge of the pond. Every time the others went out to preen and forage she was reluctant to get out of the water, and yet I could see her trembling or shivering all the time she was in. Maybe she'd caught a chill with her chest being downy again in the moult? Why on earth didn't she keep out of the water like Splodge did when he was off colour 2 or 3 days ago?
Eventually she did follow them slowly when they went on a forage into
the orchard. It was the furthest they'd ventured on their own and I took
a couple of snaps from the upstairs window: I put a faint arrow where
they show in a gap to the left of the Berberis and the two bright red
Dahlias. After some time they came running back to the frog pond, 
but without GG. John picked her up when she sat down at the edge of the
orchard, but she quacked loudly and flapped desperately trying to join
the others in the water.
She was last out again for the next forage, and the 10 actually turned back for her as she'd sat down just a metre from the pond. I couldn't take it any longer then. I picked her up and took her into the conservatory, wrapped her into a towel, gave her ½ an aspirin (with difficulty! Just like a dog spitting out a tablet time and again) and a drink, and let her rest. She stopped shivering after about half an hour, settled nicely on the floor - I don't know if she remembered her "childhood" time in the conservatory, but she was quiet all the time.
We decided to leave her in there for the night, hoping she'll be better in the morning.
Sunday, 28th
I just couldn't believe it when John told me that GG had died during the night, it's the last thing I expected. On waking up I had made plans to let her have a snuffle in the newly mown grass before letting her mates out. She hadn't seemed that bad. She had stopped shivering, taken drink, taken notice of everything going on around her, and her eyes had looked bright.
Her body already felt stiff when I touched her. John had found her in the corner of the conservatory next to the kitchen, her legs stretched out behind her and her head bent back. There was evidence that she had taken a little food during the night and had moved quite a bit in an area of about 2 square metres - some of this under the cane furniture. I hope she had some comfort from getting under the settee like she did in her early days.
It's hard to believe how fast these things can happen, first the Twin collapsing without warning, and now GG after just a few hours since first noticing her inability to keep up with the others. Thinking back to our first duck that died, Pearl, we had only been aware of her being ill for one day. That these lovely ducks, who appear so robust, can be so fragile is hard to take in.
I've been full of recrimination. Should I have done this, that or the other differently. Should I have been better informed. Am I even a fit person to keep ducks. Should I have kept them all out of the water once I noticed them moulting. But that would have been almost impossible with the duck hut emptying straight onto the new pond, and once out in the garden they have access to the frog pond from three directions - and which I know from experience is very difficult to block. I suppose proper smallholders take such losses philosophically, I'm struggling.
Monday, 29th
Sitting in the conservatory yesterday morning, mourning the loss of GG
and keeping an eye on the ducks in the frog pond, I suddenly saw the/a
waterhen leaning over and watching them from the middle section of the
triple pond. And a little later it was standing on and near the pebbles,
even when the ducks were coming out. Of course, I fetched the camera and
took several shots through the double doors - I didn't want to disturb
the scene. 
The
ducks don't seem quite sure what to do with this thing. The Twin has made
a half-hearted attempt at chasing it (nothing like Rudolpho's style of
chasing), otherwise they just look at it. And the waterhen appears to
have adopted them, keeps hanging around, and only gets out of the way
if one of their beaks actually nudges it.
We only ever see this one waterhen, and I don't know if it is a survivor from when the foxes had a "clean-up" in the area or if it wandered in afresh from Coleorton Pool across the main road. It looks small, so I guess it is a female. John has been seeing it quite frequently since early July, I first saw it on the 19th and at odd times since. When I used to put food out for the ducks at the bottom of the frog pond we would sometimes see the waterhen pinching some of it.
All the information on duck keeping says you should keep your domestics away from wild birds for fear of infection - easier said than done!
(... the moles have been active again, can you see?)
