Five Little Ducks...stories played out!

The children's song about the little ducks leaving the nest to fly away has always been one of my favorites.  Every mother has seen their babies fly away and rejoiced. Life comes full circle. Animals live that same cycle. Babies grow up. Birds leave the nest. Life goes on.

So when the three ducks show up every year near my patio I am not surprised. But I am puzzled that it always seems to be the same three. Something just doesn't seem right. It appears the one did not fly away at all.

Five little ducks

Went out to play

Over the hills and far away.

The mommy duck went "quack, quack quack,"

Four little ducks came swimming back...

And then Three

Two

and One.

A drake, a female duck (a hen) and a not quite a drake but still not a hen gather here on the 5th green of the golf course. She leads and the other two follow along obediently. They eat, sleep, and guard each other. Each and every day this time of year they come. 

I have not named them. Jinxing them would be very possible. See, an eagle and a very large owl live in the trees next to the street. Naming them just doesn't seem like a good idea.

So I just watch. Each time they come, I am more interested and puzzled.

It has been suggested that this is a m

énage à trois 

but it just doesn't appear to be a romantic threesome. Then someone suggested that the not quite a Drake or a hen was a teenager who refused to leave home. I believe that could be possible. Does that happen in the duck community? 

A month had passed when one day she took a break from Drake and the teen. I suppose she was tired of being followed around. I was worried. The Drake didn't go to sleep on the ground but stood on one leg watching. She was gone that day but as surely as the sun came up the next day, there she was. 

When this extra drake showed up, Drake and Drake/hen acted very cool and disinterested.  But he came back the next day. He was intruding and Drake and Drake/hen did not like that. Within a short time, they were in hot pursuit. They all waddled into the bushes...only two came out...the Drake and the Drake/hen. The extra guy flew away and I haven't seen him since. I will always wonder what happened.

I have a lake just on the other side of my backyard golf green. A large flock of ducks gather every spring and a few nest close by. It is a hard life...the nest is constantly under attack but if the hen can help them survive until they can swim it seems they have a chance. 

As for the teen flying over the hill and far away...he may never do that. Maybe he will stay behind guarding his flock. That is my hope. Like mommy duck, I want him to be safe.

Have a wonderful Easter!

Oh and stay posted...just in case she actually builds a nest and has a new clutch of babies!

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Things that Go Bump in the Night

Do you live alone? Are you afraid? Do noises make you jump?

My little dog is a barker and noises make her jump. She barks at her reflection in the mirror, a shadow on the floor and the people walking on the sidewalk a block away. She is vigilant, careful, and noisy. Other than that she is perfect. At less than 5 lbs her personality is very big. If she is really onto something, she will come and find me to make sure that I know. Things like the yellow Preen container or anything that she has not seen before will send her into action. 

A wagon full of flowers
and Annie

But things that go bump in the night? This is a whole new thing. I was going about my evening routine when she turned inside out and startled me. "Oh...Annie what are you doing? It is fine"...I sounded so sure and confident until I heard it too. I couldn't locate the sound. Was it on the roof scrape, scratch, drag, thump!!! What in the world was going on? Where and what was that.

Annie calmed down but my heart was thumping. What was that? Of course, I will never know. I know our neighborhood owl does hunt. Owls seem really big to me but what do I know. I hope the owl and a lively catch had a battle royal on my roof. If that is not the case, I might be a little concerned.

I went to bed, covered up my head, and, wonder of wonders, woke up in the morning! Everything was fine, Annie was sound asleep beside me.

But when I had the roof inspected the next day, no one said a word about owls or carcasses. Surely someone would notice that sort of thing don't you think?

Am I afraid?....no, not at all. I am more apt to get up and look. But things that go bump in the night and a barking dog will get my attention.

How about you? Are you afraid?

Hope you are having a wonderful March.

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