The Story of the Wild Ducks At Ken's « Farming Friends Forum

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The Story of the Wild Ducks At Ken's

(16 posts)

Started 3 years ago by admin
Latest reply from Omegaman

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admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi All,

Ken has sent me the a to z of the wild ducks that fly in to his garden each year and nest on his pond and bring up their young and then fly away only to return again the following year. so sit back and watch the story unfold!

(a) Jemima & Mr Darcy fly in

(b) Jemima makes a graceful landing

(c) Checking out the new duck-box

(d) The first outing for the ducklings

(e) Staying close to Mum

(f) Everyone is happy

(g) End of a tiring day

(h) The big climb out

(i) Me and my Mum

(j) Investigating the reeds

(k) The first garden walk

(l) Exploring the shrubs

(m) Resting

(n) Breakfast on the patio

(o) Sunbathing

(p) Jemima relaxes

(q) New plumage looks scruffy

(r) The ducklings are growing

(s) Enjoying the hose pipe

(t) A mistake to leave the door open

(u) Bottoms up

(v) Showing off the new plumage

(w) Harrassing the family

(x) Early flying lessons

(y) First duckling flys away

(z) Last duckling leaves with the moon on her shoulder

What a truely magical story.
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful photos. I can't wait to see Jemima's story unfold this year!
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriends

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Posted 3 years ago #
Mama
Member

Ken, These pics are just awesome. It is a photograph fairy tale, have you ever thought of becoming a wildlife photographer?? You must feel very emotional when they leave but proud that they come back to be well fed and protected. Just lovely. Mama

Goose Girl

Posted 3 years ago #
yanky
Member

Ken---that is just fabulous!! Well done to get these amazing pictures & sharing them.
Yan.

Posted 3 years ago #
Omegaman
Member

Hi All
Thank you so much for your kind comments. It's really pleasing to know that other people appreciate these pictures too.
If all goes well at the hatching in a few days time, I will take some of Jemima's new ducklings and hopefully Sara will be kind enough to put them on the site (...how do you find the time to do all this Sara?)
As for becoming a wildlife photographer, Mama, I would be in heaven!!! combining two of my greatest interests, nature and photography.
I am going to add some of my non-farming nature albums (including butterflies and sunsets) on my Facebook account soon so why not look me up.
Kind regards
Ken

Posted 3 years ago #
Mama
Member

Ken, That would be lovely just give me the link. Wait with anticipation. !!!!!. Mama.

Goose Girl

Posted 3 years ago #
m40mo
Administrator

Ken that was a thrill to see, I have 3 khaki campbells who i got at 1 week old they are now 4 weeks old, they have their own group DUCK DIARIES on face book you and Mama may like it..
please tell us how to find you on facebook xxx
Maureen

mo x

Posted 3 years ago #
JackandVera
Member

How wonderful Ken. You are so lucky. We had a pair of wild ducks land a couple of years ago but they obviously didn't take a fancy to our garden and pond and flew off. They haven't been back since but I don't suppose any more will come as we have Jack and Georgie now. Beautiful, well done.
Jean

Posted 3 years ago #
quax
Member

What simply amazing photos!!!!!!! I absoulutely love them, my family wanted to know what I was ooooing and ahhhing at! I particularly love the one of Jemima landing, oh and the one where the ducklings are sunbathing, oh yes and the one with them sitting underneath her...... I could go on. How nice to have the joy of wild ducks on a regular basis. By the way, love the name Mr Darcy, I am a big Jane Austen fan.
Rachel

Rachel

Posted 3 years ago #
Omegaman
Member

Thank you all again for your lovely comments.
Mama, I am arranging the link for you!!!
Jean, such a shame they didn't come back. I am told that wild ducks mate for life (certainly ours are the same pair returning every year for four years). I am also told that they have a "living" pond where they stay and a number of "feeding" ponds that they visit for food. When ours dropped in the first time for a feed, we fed them well which I am sure encouraged them to come back. The garden is also very quiet and fairly natural.
Rachel, soooo pleased you liked them....what about the frivolity with the hose pipe! We too are Jane Austen fans and thought "Mr Darcy" was most appropriate. He devotedly follows Jemima around but always waits until she finishes eating before he takes any food. Such a gentleman!
Lovely to hear from you all
Ken

Posted 3 years ago #
campbell ridge
Administrator

Super photos and a lovely recurring story. How lovely for you and for them having a safe haven.
Sarah L

Sarah L

Posted 3 years ago #
sue27
Member

Hi all
I stumbled across this site whilst browsing for some information on wild ducks. Those photographs are beautiful. The reason I am posting here is because For the past two years we have had a duck hatch her chicks in a corner of our school courtyard just outside our windows in the infant classes. Last year she hatched twice within a month of each other. This year she returned at Easter, a lot more friendly with children watching her and passing by at a distance. {we cordoned off the corner where she was nesting. This year we were very lucky to watch her lead her brood away from the school across the school field to the nearby river [14 chicks in total) Here is a link of videos that children took and many of us actually observed the chicks hatching one by one. Just when we thought all might be Well Mrs Doolally {children's name for duck] returned to her spot to lay more eggs on Monday so I can only assume her chicks are gone?
She had three eggs in her nest yesterday but unfortunately a crow was seen pecking at them. The duck returned to the nest yesterday looking a bit disorientated and limping, but came again this morning to lay another egg.

We are very fortunate to be able to experience this act of nature even though we loose part of our playground each time it is so worth it.

Get the Flash Videos

Get the Flash Videos

sue

Sue

Posted 3 years ago #
Mama
Member

Hi Sue , What a fabulous thing for the children at the school to see, sure they don't mind giving up their playground. Really enjoyed watching the video. Regards Mama

Goose Girl

Posted 3 years ago #
Omegaman
Member

Hi Sue. What lovely video clips and I agree with Mama, what a wonderful education for the children. I bet the other schools in the area are envious of your "resources". Regards, Ken

Posted 3 years ago #
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends

Hi Sue,
Welcome to the farmingfriends forum.
What wonderful video clips, what an amazing experience for the children to experience. It will be something the children remeber for years to come.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Hope Mrs Doolally is ok.
Kind regards
sara @ farmingfriends

http://www.farmingfriends.com
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Posted 3 years ago #
sue27
Member

Thank you,
Ken I must apologise for intruding on your lovely thread, In hindsight I should have posted in a new thread.

It has been a great experience for all the children. last year I managed to get a web cam up and running so the younger children stood by the laptop observing the daily movements and did a diary of what what happening. Some of the older pupils even set up a lunch time duck club?? doing research and drawings with younger children. One of the older children also has a pet duck so was telling the younger ones about her duck. I was surprised to see the duck return today to lay an egg due to her three eggs being destroyed by the crow. So now in school time we are on crow watch lol. The head teacher last year told all pupils in assembly about the fate of the first chicks and why the duck had returned!!!! Unfortunately whilst it is an act of nature some of them were disturbed[ according to parents] so we have warned the head that we have told the infants that Mrs Doolally is most likely enjoying herself on the river with her chicks and that this duck is most likely her friend lol. Glad you enjoyed the video. Not fantastic quality but when you have excited children recording there are bound to be lots of shakes.

Sue

Posted 3 years ago #
Omegaman
Member

Hi Sue
It was lovely to have your input. In my experience these threads frequently shift direction and emphasis and that's what maintains the constant interest.
I'm glad you are keeping your head teacher under control. I know it's a debatable issue but I personally don't think that very young children need to know the harsh realities of life. There will be plenty of time for that later. My wife (ex-teacher) and eldest daughter (pre-prep teacher) would agree. I too would prefer to think of Mrs Doolally splashing about on the river with the ducklings.
Regards
Ken

Posted 3 years ago #