Mallards on our pond

[JohnC6]

We have a pond in the garden and for a few years we've had mallards visiting ,sometimes staying all day and evening,I even seen them still there in the early hours but generally they fly off at dusk. mainly it's two males..or the male and female who my wife calls Mr & Mrs Duck. We give them bird seed and if there isn't any there they will knock on the patio door glass to alert us..they can see us in the living room.Infact when they see me get up from the chair they go to the conservatory door to meet me,they've even stepped inside the conservatory but the female is the bolder one doing this.

In the photo where she's standing,she's standing on the surrounding shelf that is for plants.

 

[Swanseajack]

Nice to see in your garden. They seem like a pair of characters as well.

 

[gary43]

Hi JohnC6, no2 is definitely the stand out image in this set for me. Nice low POV and some great detail. nice one ! Others are less appealing for various reasons eg cluttered or distracting backgrounds. Must be great to see them in your garden !

 

[gramps]

Great to have these visiting your garden

 

[JohnC6]

Many thanks,all. I agree,Gary.. number 2 shows her off well.

When you have wild life in your garden like this you get to see things you wouldn't normally see and their take-off is intriguing. What happens is that one will decide it's time to go and get out of the pond and stand staring ahead.This must convey the message to the other one who then exists but they don't just fly off. The one which got out first starts a slow jerking of the head and it's gets quicker and the quicker as it gets the nearer to launch...the other one joins in this ritual too and then they're off. We don't have a house directly behind us because it's the turning area of the Close over there so they fly up,over our garden wall and away between the houses on the far side making a turn to the right most times,I assume back to the pond/lake nearby and they turn simultaneously,it never fails to impress me and I go to RAF Fairford each year for the Tattoo..lol.

During this week one was here by itself and when it came time to fly off it stood on the lawn gauging the direction of the wind. Because the wind was coming out of the east and not the SW,as normal..it turned round 180 degrees to face east and flew off along the backs of the houses in our road. Another behaviour is that when I put out the seed it's always the female that comes to me at the end of the pond and the males closely behind but he stands back until she's had her fill..or sometimes will join in but after a minute or so. I generally put two lots of seed down so they can have some each at the same time. I've seen the male 'stand guard' whilst the female eats..looking all around. One year the female had chicks in the surrounding gardens and was making a real racket. I went too investigate and she was on the neighbour's shed roof . Cut a long story short I got her and 4 of the chicks in next door's garden along their side passage out to the front and to the nearby brook. I then knocked up the people in the Close behind (8.00am on a Sunday morning ..lol )and got them to help me get the others.They had got into 3 back gardens. I put them in our recycling box and walked to the brook. The female was about to leave with the 4,heard the others as I approached and ran back up the bank of the brook. I gently tipped out the others...seven of them. The last one came tumbling out head over heels like Dopey of the Seven Dwarfs,she ushered them into the brook and off she went with all eleven and looking very pleased..if a duck can look pleased..lol.

 

[gary43]

Hi John, these mallards sound like real characters ! Plenty of great photo opportunities in store for you by the sounds of it. Personally, I am a big fan of bird behaviour shots. Look forward to seeing some more.

 

[Jannyfox]

 

[JohnC6]

Yes,Gary,they are characters. I think if you get an opportunity to study wildlife you will see they have different characteristics..the bold, the timid, the brash,the bullies..etc. We have two males that come and they DO NOT like any other mallards flying in. They lower their heads beaks almost to the ground and run at the 'intruder' across the lawn. Sometimes I see this happen and will put a handful of seed in two other places,apart from the main small pile at the end of the pond so the one that flew in gets a chance to eat.. That behaviour is obviously territorial. We love to hear the female..there are two that come,..with different males..ie. two 'couples' ..one has a bit of a punk hair do..lol.. and they both makes little noises in their throats when I go out to them when they arrive to put out more seed . they come very close to me now.It's excitement at the prospective meal, I'm sure. The males never do that. I assume bird seed is fine .I don't know if there's special feed for ducks. They seem to like it ..lol

The behaviour I've outlined really needs a video on the job. I have photos of them walking on the ice. It was quite funny..not for them though. One winter they flew in landing on the ice and slid along half the length of the pond..it's 19' long and 10'. wide 2'6" deep in the middle so sometimes they go under water and pop up anywhere. Unbelievably, I can mow the lawn and they move only when I get very close to them,they just move a few feet away. When we walk by them and they're sleeping on the lawn or the edge of the pond they open one eye see its myself or my wife and close it again but they never keep their eyes closed for more than 30 seconds or so..just a quick look round with one eye..this is when their heads are tucked into their backs.They will also sometimes fly up onto a neighbour's roof.

I better stop or I'll be ticked off….lol..

 

[gary43]

Thanks for the info. Sounds like you have the perfect subjects to perfect your wildlife photo skills on. The landing shots would be great ! Good opportunity to get nice and close for detail and to get low down for the preferred low-level shots.

 

[JohnC6]

I never thought of getting a shot as they come in,problem is I don't know when they're arriving..one was here at 4.30 am this morning and stayed until 8.30... after his breakfast..lol but none since.The other problem I would have are the houses behind, they would be in the shot and that isn't good.

 

[Jannyfox]

Ordinary bird seed is fine for ducks but there is a variety of other things that are good for them as well (not bread! But then you already know that). The Canal and River Trust website for one will give a few pointers. There are also special duck foods you can buy. Watch for any signs of squabbles or jealousy over you as it could lead to aggression, and be careful not to leave uneaten food on the ground as you could end up with rats and they won't be welcome! Enjoy the ducks!

 

[JohnC6]

Thanks,for taking the time to post this advice, Jan. You're right..I never give them the dreaded bread even though I make ours..both white and wholemeal. It grieves to see families over at the nearby pond/lake giving them likes of Mother's Pride to their toddlers to throw at the ducks.. One winter..a very bad one,I went over there daily with a huge bag of seed and was surrounded by about 70 mallards. We've been to Falmouth and there's a notice there at the quayside requesting that people do not feed bread to the swans. LA's need to do the same at local ponds.

I've put out two foods that have been recommended..oats (porridge oats..I assume that's what was meant) and defrosted peas but they leave them.

There's no chance of rats getting left-overs. The local pigeons have cottoned on and they sit on the roofs waiting for the ducks to get back in the pond,infact sometimes a pigeon will stand inches away from a duck waiting for it to finish..I'm amazed at how spotlessly clean the patio edge stones are after they've visited. We have a white/grey one that's here most of the time on surrounding roofs.

Jealousy ? I'd never given it a thought..Interesting..I assumed the chasing off behaviour was territorial.

I googled the Canal & River Trust and it's all about..er..canals and rivers..lol. I didn't see anything about ducks. Maybe you meant me to contact them.

I get the seed from Blooms garden centre(a national company) ,next time I go I'll see if they have duck food.

Thanks again..

J

 

[Jannyfox]

Google food for ducks