It was so dry over the fall that the spring feeding the ditch dried up. Once it started raining, water flowed there again, but the ducks ignored it in favor of their kiddie pool.
At first we just tried driving them into the ditch. "Hey, remember this? You loved it last year!" Even though their feet were wet, I guess they were too scared to realize where they were.
We applied weed-eating and subtle pressure. We moved their food closer and closer to the ditch. Then one day they remembered, or maybe just rediscovered, how much they liked it there.
Happy duck
You've heard that phrase about water and a duck's back...?
One day last spring we saw them wandering towards the far side of the pond. "What in the world are they doing over there?" we wondered, but didn't think much about it. That night they came back to the pen with one less duck in tow... So we're down to seven ducks now. They may forget the ditch, but so far they've never forgotten that there are coyotes beyond the yard.
They are so cute!
ReplyDeleteDucks are cute...no doubt about it. That greenish black one is stunning.
ReplyDeleteWe built a raft in our pond for our first flock of white (that's good camo) pekins when we first moved here. They must have been very tasty because they quickly vanished.
Those are very pretty ducks. I definitely can understand why they are a bit shy about being out there. I've seen your pictures of coyotes and bobcats. Those ducks know the score.
ReplyDeleteNice ducks, so different from the ones we have here. It's always so interesting to see the differences.
ReplyDeleteI guess the first, white duck, must be Donald Duck ;-)
You've got me on the second one though....
how nice it must be. a life with ducks in it :)
ReplyDeleteI just love the 2 photos of the ducks.
ReplyDelete