March

1.3.04

Socks for the ducks, that would be something. No, they obviously have sufficient brains to go back into their warm house when their feet are cold. I had lots of fun with our feathered friends today, also took two little videos and tried to send one to you and Gerd - so far without success.

It was ever so funny today. I took the wheelbarrow and went into the field to fetch some turves for the edge of the pond. On my second trip the ducks came with me, on my third they went ahead of me. The chicken was there all the time, and she obviously thinks that worms are just for her. So she pecked the ducks on the beak to stop them eating "her" worms, and tried to chase them away. It was hilarious!

2.3.04

It was another exiting day here today. Very heavy frost at first, then lovely sunshine all day. John managed to get into the garden for the first time this year. He dug over a patch of ground and immediately became very popular with our feathered friends, the ducks keeping a respectful distance from the chicken!

When John had finished they all joined me at the round heather bed. The ducks had a go at pecking everything to see if it was edible: heather and other plants, the handle of the bucket I put the weeds into and even my trousers! They get very excited and noisy when they find a worm or a snail. I saw one snail passed from one duck to the other and thought "they can't crack it", but no, it was just an empty shell!

I think John has found the answer to why they run back to the pond so frequently. He said "I bet they need to go and wash their bills". Yes, of course. All that searching in the mud would block up their nostrils! By the way, I saw today that Rudolpho DOES have a black mark at the tip of his bill (and so does Gertie), and the dark markings around his neck are different from Valentino's - so I CAN tell them apart now.

4.3.04

The further adventures of our runner ducks: Gertie fights back

I spent all day today weeding the longest flower bed, and of course the ducks "helped". After a little while I noticed that Gertie was having a go at the chicken, even tried to mount her which, after all, is a gesture of dominance in the animal world. But they still treated the old lady with respect and didn't get too close, except when they could snatch a fat worm from right under her beak - she is rather slower than they are.

A discovery This morning we watched from the window as the ducks came ever closer to the house, and on one expedition they found the second pond! (Here is a photo) And then, all of a sudden, they were standing right outside the conservatory. Their little world is getting bigger every day, isn't it. They went back to the new-found pond twice more this afternoon.

5.3.04

Well, we've said quite a lot about the runner ducks in the meantime, and so far things have gone well, no fox. To tell you the truth I think it would be terrible to fence them in again now or restrict them, when I can see all the time how they are enjoying their freedom. I wish you could see how they roam everywhere, how they come running when they see a garden fork or a wheelbarrow, and could hear what noises they make - that's why I was so keen to send you the video with SOUND.

Certainly they chatter like ducks, but there are chirping noises, and rattling ones when they swallow a worm. They sneeze after sifting through soil, and there is a panic call when one or the other suddenly finds herself alone and runs after the others. And when she catches up with them the late comer does a kind of little dance with a hop and neck bent down low, as if to say: sorry about that - I found something interesting over there and didn't notice you had gone on - but you might have waited for me!

Our ducks quite often have little discussions. They walk around, almost in a circle, chatter and clap their beaks, their heads and necks go up and down, and then they all go off as if tied to a piece of rope. They are very democratic, too, and not at all misogynous. They take it in turns as to who takes the lead, and very often it is Gertie or Pearl.

But all my little ducks do not often swim in the ‚sea'. They spend much time on the margin, do their "rogering" (lots!), drink a great deal and with much noise, but swim - rarely. After one of their first excursions into the "horse" field I saw them running back in a great panic, straight into the middle of the pond - like Charlotte's drawing No 3. A black bird, crow or jackdaw, was chasing them. Three of the ducks came straight back out of the water and waddled this way and that in a worry because the fourth stayed in for about 5 minutes. The same when, a few days ago, two of the ducks decided to go for a swim and the other two ran from one side to the other with great concern.

But they get braver with every day. They chase black birds away now, and when they were "visited" by two mallards the other day, and by a water hen the following, they pursued them - carefully and NOT swimming, this way and that until the intruders gave up. The water hen they followed until it was a long way away from their pond.

Have you any idea how much pleasure we get from our runner ducks? And it's all because of you. We could watch them all day!

8.3.04

Guess what happened today? The first duck egg! The first that we saw, anyway. John let the ducks out this morning and saw the egg at once, lying by the door. If it really was the first I'm not sure (the lady we bought the ducks from said that she could feel an egg forming in one of the ducks as she was grabbing her and putting her into the cardboard box). Maybe there are several already lying at the bottom of the pond? You ask if we can manage to cope with two duck eggs per day. Probably not. But we don't really expect our two to lay as many as the record holding duck I mentioned before.

You also ask if the German "Exkursion" = study trips wouldn't be a more fitting expression for the "forays" of the ducks. Well yes, ‚excursion' would be fine, ‚field trips' also. In my dictionary it gives "outing" as translation for the German ‚Exkursion'. That would also be alright, but the ducks are "out" already. I think I'll stick to "forays" = a hunt for booty. Because they are always on the look-out for booty (worms, slugs, snails) on their trips, and they find them, too! After John had cut the grass last Thursday (4.3.) their forays went ever further and the ducks became ever more confident. We know from experience that thousands of small slugs, almost round in shape, dark on top and white underneath, hide out in the grass. And when we see how the ducks sift through the grass almost like vacuum cleaners from left to right to left ...., now and then making very excited noises, then we're sure they've found such creatures.

I'm pleased you're enjoying my duck tales. You can be sure there'll be plenty more to follow. There's always something happening here. Three days ago the ducks saw the cat for the first time, and they were very curious to see what kind of a funny duck she was. So they followed her, all four of them. You know, don't you, that the cat is already scared of the chicken ... and now there were four chattering things following her. She tried to get away as nonchalantly as possible without actually running, that would have been beneath her dignity. Three days this has been going on now. No wonder the cat is forever standing at the conservatory door begging to be let in!

9.3.04

This morning I planted the second small oak tree (grown from an acorn 3 - or was it 4 - years ago) in the field, and when I came back there was our second duck egg lying in a small hollow next to the grass verge of the pond. It would appear that we'll have to look everywhere every day.

Our ducks are intelligent

I think I've told you before that I told the ducks: "I'm going in now, you'll have to find your own worms", and that they immediately turned around and ran to the pond. Now John has had the same experience. "I'm going in for my lunch now", he said, and they immediately turned around and went away. The funny thing was, though, when I went out again after lunch we couldn't see the ducks anywhere - until I got to where I had left the wheelbarrow: there they all were, lying down asleep (with one eye open), waiting for me to come back and dig up worms again!

Further disputes between the chicken and the ducks.

The chicken is really quite selective in what she eats. The worms have to be of a particular size and of a particular colour before she deigns to eat them - she really prefers wire worms and woodlice. But she's not going to let these young whippersnappers and upstarts, who don't even look like a chicken, have her worms, oh no! But the ducks are quicker than she is. They come from all directions, pinch worms from right under her beak - and then run like hell! !

And they can't half shift! No wonder they're called runner ducks. They are always on the go, especially in the mornings. You see them at one place in the garden, and then they have vanished (the garage and the conservatory often block the view). So then you worry where they've got to, but, ABRACADABRA, they're back. I LOVE MY RUNNER DUCKS!

11.3.04 Another exciting day

I was busy ironing this morning (no, I don't do it all the time. Recently I didn't do any washing or ironing for over a week!), and I asked John if he would let the ducks out a little earlier than usual so that I had something interesting and nice to look at while I was ironing.

Early on there was some "rogering", as usual, but then It looked as if one of the drakes was trying to mate with the other one. He fell off promptly and rolled sideways, but then the one he had a go at pursued him madly flapping his wings - and no doubt telling him off!

The next thing that happened was that Gertie spent at least quarter of an hour in the water, tail up in the air and everything. The others stayed out, but later, after our coffee break at half past ten, I saw that Gertie was swimming again, and this time she had Rudolpho's company in the water!

The ducks seem to have much more confidence in themselves. I saw them chase a magpie away, and then they all went over to a place by the ditch where Harlequin likes to do a bit of mouse hunting. All of a sudden the cat shot out from the thicket, with the ducks in hot pursuit trying to find out about this funny looking duck. The cat must have thought "to hell with dignity" as she didn't know anybody was watching, and ran! When the ducks gave up the chase poor old Harlequin had a good roll in the cat mint to recover her composure.

A little later the ducks had been to the pond by the house and were walking up the flower bed by the side. All of a sudden they turned and run to the bird bath by the garage - they had spotted the chicken, and I'm sure they quacked HELLO!

Just one more thing: when I returned from the ditch after a trip with the wheelbarrow full of rubbish I saw the fourth egg lying by the side of the pond.

22.3.04

After all the storm damage on Saturday John replaced the broken panes in the greenhouses this morning. I was busy in the garden, but the ducks only came to help me with my digging after 5 - they missed a lot of fat worms. Just now John called to tell me the ducks were on the front lawn, near the road. I ran there at once, but they had already moved back near the garage. They are getting to be more and more inquisitive.

Yesterday afternoon I couldn't see them anywhere in the garden and went to the upstairs window. Then I could see them: in the very far corner of the "horse"field before it joins the smaller field, where they kept looking up at the hedge. Whether they "pursued" some birds up to there I don't know. Amazing to see how much braver they get every day. Only last Wednesday 17th they followed me (and the wheelbarrow) just to the middle of the "horse"field, then raced back to their pond as fast as they could. But they are spending more and more time around the pond by the house. When we left for Church yesterday all four were there, fast asleep.

Have I told you how it went on with the eggs? Since 8.3. we got an egg every day. I used four to bake a first cake with them - it turned out very well - and John and I had a boiled egg each with toast, and the taste was very good. Sunday 21st, first day of Spring, there were two eggs for the first time, and this morning we got two as well! What wonderful ducks we have - and it's all thanks to you, Helmut!

23.3.04

I was all excited today because, just before lunch, I saw all four ducks swimming. I took three photos and liked this one best. Hope you like it, too.

From left to right you can see: Rudolpho, Gertie, Valentino, Pearl.

25.3.04

I'm glad you liked the duck "flotilla". It floats not just there, but all over the place, and fast, as you know. Their forays are extended further and further afield. I often see them in the middle of the horse field, and this afternoon we had to chase them off the lawn near the road twice.

31.3.04

Pearl came yesterday to see her namesake and the other three. It was a beautiful, sunny evening, and she had ample opportunity to watch "her" ducks and to photograph them. Yesterday was also the first time that I saw the ducks swimming in the lower pond by the house. Here are two pictures, of Pearl and the ducks.