I was up this morning making coffee and watching the Sunday talk shows when I noticed a duck swimming in the pool out the window. The ducks seem to like our pool because it is just over a fence from a small lake that they spend all year swimming in. Unfortunately, they poop in the pool and, in the summer heat, algae becomes a serious problem. My first response when seeing ducks in the pool is to chase them out. This time was different.
When I started to go out the door, I noticed that the female duck had an escort. She had her duckling swimming right along her right wing tip. I watched them for a while and finally opened the door. The mother duck squawked and jumped out of the pool. The duckling could not get up to the deck from the water. The distance was too great. After a few minutes, the mother duck gave up flew away. I decided I would help the duckling out of the water although I couldn’t see how he had gotten into the yard. He must have walked under the gate which does have a gap of about 6 inches although it is screened by a lot of flowers.
As soon as the duckling saw me, he was excited and, as soon as I headed his way, he would madly paddle the other. He practically was airborne he was paddling so furiously. I tried to use the small skimmer net to lift him out but he was just too fast. Finally, I went up and woke Cindy to help me. We came downstairs and looked out but no duckling. I figured he had gotten out somehow. Cindy was up now and she decided to lie in the sun while I watched the rest of the talk show.
A few minutes later, she opened the door and came in with the duckling in her hand. She had decided to look in the pool skimmer and there he was. He went madly paddling away but came back to the skimmer and she caught him. We decided to put him through the fence onto the sand next to the larger lake. We couldn’t see the mother duck but hoped she would find him before a coyote did. Cindy set him down and he huddled on the sand.
After a few minutes, she reached down to pet him and he took off running to the lake. He dove in and then the mother, who had been sitting under a tree nearby, came flying over and took him in hand. A few minutes later, they were paddling around the lake as though nothing had happened. I hope she learned her lesson as we might not be here to rescue the ducking the next time.
Another quiet Arizona Sunday morning.
What a lovely respite from the political follies of the week, Mike K. I’m glad you posted this.
Only one duckling?? it always seems like they have a dozen. We waited forever for our local ducks to hatch, but there were so many drakes around that I guess they put an end to that. Then I saw a mama with about ducklings in an irrigation ditch and I worried about them getting caught in a culvert..anyway good for you for saving them doc.
They do seem to wander about curiously, esp in mating season. A couple always show up outside my place of work, every year, just standing there as everyone walks by, looking at us but not moving.
Guess that’s were “odd duck” comes from.
There are lots of coyotes and we live about a block from a wild area along Tanque Verde creek, dry of course right now. When it rains, and this is monsoon season, the creek will fill up and even go over its banks. Two summers ago there was a really wet period and some damage. This year there was a lot of rain two weeks ago when I was over here but none this weekend. The local lakes are semi-artificial. The creek goes by them but they are kept circulating and there are fish. Lots of ducks but I suspect the coyotes get a lot of ducklings. We had a quail family last time I was here. We keep a bird block in the back yard and it is popular. I have a hummingbird feeder, too but it is an odd design and I’m going to replace it. It leaks.
No duckling this morning so maybe they learned their lesson.
Cute story, Doc; got a smile and “aww” out of me.
Funny you mentioned the Sunday talk shows, though; I started watching Fox News yesterday morning and I just couldn’t take it.
When Rangel and DeMint (DEMINT for God’s sake!!!) starting going on about how they’re both onboard with extending unemployment benefits I just shut the damn set off.
I mean I’ve been unemployed. I know what it’s like – the reality. I’m not a heartless ba$tard, but let’s have a little innovative thinking from the Republicans (because we’re sure as heck not gonna get any from the Dems).
For example…
OK. I can see extending benefits. We’re in a relative crisis as far as unemployment goes. That said…
My suggestion: Let’s say the government extends benefits by 10 weeks.
Let’s say unemployed Citizen Jones has been receiving $500/wk in benefits.
So… ten week extension…
1st of the ten weeks… Citizen Jones gets “docked” 5%; meaning instead of receiving a check for $500 Citizen Jones receives a check for $475.
2nd week… another 5% “dock.”
3rd week… another 5% dock.”
And so on and so forth.
Hey… like I wrote above, I don’t consider myself a cold-hearted ba$tard, but enough is enough. I’m already paying for my fellow citizens to receive up to $4,500 of “my” money to buy a new Volkswagen, Toyota, or other foreign car with… (While I continue making payments on MY personal vehicles which nobody helped ME pay for…)
Ahh… to be a little baby duck…(*SMILE*)
BILL
P.S. – Hope all’s well in Arizona! Drudge is reporting an earthquake!
I saw the earthquake story but I didn’t feel it. It was in Baja which about 500 miles away.
Cindy saw the ducks again yesterday so they are OK.