Update on "Crazy Duck"

[Henk Peter]

Here is an update on the "Crazy Duck" thread http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/showthread.php?t=36689

The eggs started to hatch yesterday afternoon, I think she took the chicks to the water this morning early. Please enjoy.







P.S. Mr. Boughen: the dog is not old or blind , the hen and nest must be quite neutral of smell plus the dog is used to the smell of ducks on our yard.

[assafx]

I loved the second one. i guess now you got another project to photograph


Assaf

[refiningman]

Henk: Please pass on to her our congratulations. I hope she has a high survival rate for her young ones. Here unfortunately the herons take a lot of the ducklings.

Peter

[Hokuto]

That's great news. Just keep the dog at a distance. Our cat caught a stray pheasant chick several years ago and I felt pretty bad about it.

[Henk Peter]

They disappeared into the "polder", safer with regard to the dog but into the hunting grounds of herons, pike and raptors. Only a few will survive.

[Ravenwing]

Aww, cute little fellers! Well, she hatched them out successfully at any rate, time and the fates are in charge now. Great pictures, Henk.

[DonR]

I love the second one. It's ashame they have to face the world and all it's dangers.

[Henk Peter]

Thank you guys.

It's ashame they have to face the world and all it's dangers.

Hey, that's life.

[tb2]

At my last house Henk, every year, mallards nested on the stream that bordered my garden. The female brought the ducklings (always numbering between 8 and 14) into the garden and we all made appreciative noises and fed them. Then the ducklings got bigger and each one left large smelly "presents" each time they called. As they got bigger still they came on to the terrace and pecked the window to be fed, leaving still more, and even larger, "presents". Eventually we discouraged their visits! This happened every year: I used to wonder who the bird brains were - us or them .

I like the first shot Henk. Takes me back to my youth searching for nests in the woods by the river.

Regards, Tony