Ducks

[osprey_archer]

There is a duck nesting beneath the bush by my front door. Why has it chosen this place? There's no water nearby and not a lot of green space, either, just a thin strip of garden and then the parking lot. Perhaps the other ducks already took all the nicer places.

She is not a very attentive mother. In fact for a bit I thought she had abandoned the nest, because I never saw her anymore and it was covered over with leaves; but that must have been camouflage, because she's back, and there are more eggs than ever. Some are speckled and some not.

I could've made a duck egg omelet by now if I wanted, although of course I don't, because then there wouldn't be ducklings. Ducklings! My own personal hoard of ducklings.

I foresee a Make Way for Ducklings reprise in my future.

She flies away whenever I try to go inside - as long as I'm just standing on the stoop she doesn't mind, but when I get out my key and unlock the door, that's A Bridge Too Far and away she goes.

It's fortunate she's a duck. I'm pretty sure a goose would go for my ankles in a similar situation. A pair of geese have nested in front of a supermarket near my house; one of them sits on the eggs while the other stands vigilant in front of the automatic doors, looking as if it would happily peck to death anyone who tries to go inside.

Comments

[asakiyume]

Wow! I hope she does manage to incubate them to birth--how cool it will be to be living with a bunch of ducklings!

[osprey_archer]

I know! I'm so excited. Your icon is perfect for this.

I keep thinking of that bit in The Changeling where a bird nests under Ivy & Aunt Evaline's table, and they think it will hatch into something exciting, and Martha wonders about it for ages.

[asakiyume]

That's exactly what it's like ^_^

[ladyherenya]

Ooh, ducklings - that could be delightful!

I am also amused imagining geese outside the supermarket, although I suspect that's the sort of thing that is only amusing from a distance.

I haven't heard of Make Way for Ducklings.

[osprey_archer]

Make Way for Ducklings must be another one of those books that never crossed the Pacific. It's a famous children's book in the US: a pair of ducks nest in a somewhat unsuitable place (maybe this is just something ducks do) and relocate with their ducklings to a park in the center of the city. The police officers who are directing traffic (I guess they didn't have streetlights yet? This is an old book) aid their passage by stopping the cars for the ducklings.

[sovay]

I foresee a Make Way for Ducklings reprise in my future.

I hope so! We raised ducklings for a few years when I was a child. I still have incredibly fond memories of their feather-fluff and their high thin peeping and their particular smell.

[osprey_archer]

They're so tiny and fuzzy and cute!

[thisbluespirit]

Ducklings!

Also inconvenient ducks who are careless mothers, but, as you say... ducklings!

[osprey_archer]

IT'S GONNA BE CUTE.

I hope that they line up and stand still long enough for me to take a photo.

[littlerhymes]

I sincerely hope there will be duckling photos when they hatch!

But geese, WHY near the supermarket? Though... I guess it makes sense... if they need groceries for the babies...

[osprey_archer]

I do too! Hopefully they'll stand still long enough to have their photos taken.

The geese, on the other hand. Well, there's a sort of raised garden thing going on there, so at least they're not nesting right on the concrete? But its still not adjacent to water of any kind, so I don't get it.

[silverusagi]

I hope you end up with a whole flock of ducklings!

[osprey_archer]

So do I! I think the chances are pretty good as long as the mother duck doesn't forget her nest completely, which seems within the realm of possibility.

[brigdh]

Ducklings! How adorable!

I am jealous of your potential baby bird neighbors.

[osprey_archer]

I am awaiting the ducklings with BAITED BREATH.