A duck and her ducklings walked down my road today. - General Discussion

JJ2005 · 20-05-2005, 14:50

I live at least a mile from the nearest river or lake, so I was quite surprised to see a female Mallard with four or five little ducklings walking down the road today.

There are hundreds of Mallards on the river, but that is at least a mile away.

Mummy duck and her brood were walking very fast and very purposefully, so I suppose she knew where she was going. Our area has a lot of cats and foxes so I am nervous for the little birds.

It was however a delightful sight. It is amazing how fast a little duckling can walk.

jra · 20-05-2005, 14:53

Nice.

Did they all observe the green cross code?

Ratinho · 20-05-2005, 14:56

There's a Chinese gardens where I live, within 100 metres of my house.

There's always ducks and swan wandering around. Infact, there were some adorable baby ducks out the other day.

JJ2005 · 20-05-2005, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratinho

There's a Chinese gardens where I live, within 100 metres of my house.

There's always ducks and swan wandering around. Infact, there were some adorable baby ducks out the other day.

I am ashamed to admit that the first thought I had on reading that was Crispy Duck.

Now I know what I am having for dinner tonight.

No, not the Mallard.

Spearman · 20-05-2005, 15:11

Oh, that's lovely. I love seeing ducklings walk - almost as funny as when dogs sneeze.

Snozzwangler · 20-05-2005, 15:21

On the way to nursery each day we pass a little lake. At the moment there is a proud family of geese, with 4 fluffy babies. Fingers crossed it stays that many, as its by a busy road. But its really nice to see, and the mum and dad stand proudly by the little fluff balls proudly displaying to the world.

Spring is a lovely time of year.

20-05-2005, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by jratkinson

Nice.

Did they all observe the green cross code?

It's been known for police to bring city centre traffic to a temporary standstill to escort mother duck and her train of ducklings across the road in safety.

Examinus · 20-05-2005, 17:52

Ducks wake me up almost every morning during the week because they bring their ducklings round the back of my halls where we throw them bread.

It was nice at first but they won't shut up untill you feed them.

camel's toe · 20-05-2005, 20:39

Aw i adore ducks and Ive heard that they can be really tame as pets and follow you around.

rachelb65 · 20-05-2005, 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spearman

Oh, that's lovely. I love seeing ducklings walk - almost as funny as when dogs sneeze.

We can make our dog sneeze on command

We pretend to sneeze and he copies

Examinus · 20-05-2005, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by camel's toe

Aw i adore ducks and Ive heard that they can be really tame as pets and follow you around.

They are and do. The ducks at university take food out of your hand, if you like it or not. They peck at your shoes and jump up at you to get food.

I'm pretty sure they follow me too...

camel's toe · 20-05-2005, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by examinus

They are and do. The ducks at university take food out of your hand, if you like it or not. They peck at your shoes and jump up at you to get food.

I'm pretty sure they follow me too...

Im envious, so cute!!We had one duck at school who got really tame, bless him. He loved to have his back stroked. Sadly one day he was eaten by a fox

so Id be scared to have one as a pet cos foxes always try to take them!!
Why do they quack? i know it sounds stupid but why!!???

Examinus · 20-05-2005, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by camel's toe

Im envious, so cute!!We had one duck at school who got really tame, bless him. He loved to have his back stroked. Sadly one day he was eaten by a fox

so Id be scared to have one as a pet cos foxes always try to take them!!
Why do they quack? i know it sounds stupid but why!!???

Its just them talking! They do qwack all the time though. I think its a fantastic sound, but is it better than this?

Snozzwangler · 20-05-2005, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eusebius

It's been known for police to bring city centre traffic to a temporary standstill to escort mother duck and her train of ducklings across the road in safety.

That reminded me of when I was driving home from work with a friend in the car ... and a mother duck and a very long row of ducklings behind her attempted to cross the road. I threw my car to the side of the road, jumped out and started waving frantically at traffic to alert them ... I had an ice lolly in my hand. I must have looked a right loon

custardcat · 20-05-2005, 21:08

We have about 8 mummy ducks sat on eggs at the moment, last year we had about 20 ducklings and they were all very cute and brown but one was bright yellow and obviously the most cute, however a fox got it.

I fed them all earlier and there are none hatched yet, but it will be soon.
We feed the ducklings Chappie dog food when they come, I hope it does not effect them the same way it does our dog...Phooey

Examinus · 20-05-2005, 21:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by custardcat

We have about 8 mummy ducks sat on eggs at the moment, last year we had about 20 ducklings and they were all very cute and brown but one was bright yellow and obviously the most cute, however a fox got it.

I fed them all earlier and there are none hatched yet, but it will be soon.
We feed the ducklings Chappie dog food when they come, I hope it does not effect them the same way it does our dog...Phooey

Why are some of them yellow? There were two yellow ones near us this year and all the other ducks and ducklings picked on them

custardcat · 20-05-2005, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by examinus

Why are some of them yellow? There were two yellow ones near us this year and all the other ducks and ducklings picked on them

I am not certain, I looked it up last year to see why we had 1 yellow one, it may be that there is a trace of domestic duck in the bloodline.

I am no expert however and could have it completely wrong, I read it in a book in the library.

pad · 20-05-2005, 21:31

Did you hear about the Duck that nested and had ducklings at the foot of a tree outside the US Treasury Building in Washington DC?

The put fences around the tree to protect the duck & family, and assigned two Secret Service agents to patrol the area..

Once the ducklings had grown a little bit they were taken to a local sanctuary.

Apparently US Treasury staff came up with names .. the favourites were T-Bill and Duck Cheney

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/05/01...ion=cnn_latest

jra · 20-05-2005, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eusebius

It's been known for police to bring city centre traffic to a temporary standstill to escort mother duck and her train of ducklings across the road in safety.

I'm glad to hear that.

Ducklings are dead cute.

Ducks in general I think got a great deal when it came to the 'good looks' stakes.

This is the main place I went to see them when I was young, 15 minutes drive from my Dad's house.

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/spe...asp?NNR_ID=142

100 monkeys · 20-05-2005, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by camel's toe

Why do they quack? i know it sounds stupid but why!!???

I've been ridiculed by my friends because i mentioned that i'de heard a duck's quack doesn't echo. Can any of you who live near ducks test this theory for me?
Near where i live there's about 30 swans that all bugger about together. They're extremely majestic creatures. Apparantly the Queen owns all the swans in the UK (Or they're protected by her or something). There's one goose that hangs around with them. I reckon it thinks it's a swan but swans don't make any noise (

) but the goose spends all day making it's God awful honking noise. Smug bastard.

jra · 20-05-2005, 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guilty as Sin

I've been ridiculed by my friends because i mentioned that i'de heard a duck's quack doesn't echo. Can any of you who live near ducks test this theory for me?

A duck's quack doesn't echo and nobody knows why.

Examinus · 20-05-2005, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by jratkinson

A duck's quack doesn't echo and nobody knows why.

A duck's quack does echo.

http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/a.../duck/duck.htm

20-05-2005, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snozzwangler

That reminded me of when I was driving home from work with a friend in the car ... and a mother duck and a very long row of ducklings behind her attempted to cross the road. I threw my car to the side of the road, jumped out and started waving frantically at traffic to alert them ... I had an ice lolly in my hand. I must have looked a right loon

Perfect. Drivers know they have to stop for someone with a lolly in their hand.

"Stop - Ducklings crossing"

jra · 20-05-2005, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by examinus

A duck's quack does echo.

http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/a.../duck/duck.htm

I'm glad to hear it.

I don't think ducks should have non echo rights. It's just not fair.

Examinus · 20-05-2005, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jratkinson

I'm glad to hear it.

I don't think ducks should have non echo rights. It's just not fair.

I agree. If anything, they should have a louder echo than anything else. Such a fantastic sound.

20-05-2005, 14:50	#1
JJ2005 Banned User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: A secure padded cell. Services: Myself usually Posts: 3,295	A duck and her ducklings walked down my road today. I live at least a mile from the nearest river or lake, so I was quite surprised to see a female Mallard with four or five little ducklings walking down the road today. There are hundreds of Mallards on the river, but that is at least a mile away. Mummy duck and her brood were walking very fast and very purposefully, so I suppose she knew where she was going. Our area has a lot of cats and foxes so I am nervous for the little birds. It was however a delightful sight. It is amazing how fast a little duckling can walk.

20-05-2005, 14:53	#2
jra Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 11,482	Nice. Did they all observe the green cross code?

20-05-2005, 14:56	#3
Ratinho Banned User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Puppies - Taste like Chicken Posts: 4,589	There's a Chinese gardens where I live, within 100 metres of my house. There's always ducks and swan wandering around. Infact, there were some adorable baby ducks out the other day.

20-05-2005, 15:11	#5
Spearman Banned User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Nottinghamshire Services: NTL Base Pack TV, phone, 1Mb Broadband and DAB (NOW Notts, D1, BBC) Posts: 4,450	Oh, that's lovely. I love seeing ducklings walk - almost as funny as when dogs sneeze.

20-05-2005, 15:21	#6
Snozzwangler Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Betty landscaper Posts: 49,816	On the way to nursery each day we pass a little lake. At the moment there is a proud family of geese, with 4 fluffy babies. Fingers crossed it stays that many, as its by a busy road. But its really nice to see, and the mum and dad stand proudly by the little fluff balls proudly displaying to the world. Spring is a lovely time of year.

20-05-2005, 17:52	#8
Examinus Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Spooner Street Services: Petercopter Posts: 16,630 Blog Entries: 17	Ducks wake me up almost every morning during the week because they bring their ducklings round the back of my halls where we throw them bread. It was nice at first but they won't shut up untill you feed them.

20-05-2005, 20:39	#9
camel's toe Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Gender: Female Location: South East London Services: Not In Service Posts: 1,350	Aw i adore ducks and Ive heard that they can be really tame as pets and follow you around.

20-05-2005, 21:08	#15
custardcat Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: on a rainy mountain in wales Services: sky Posts: 114	We have about 8 mummy ducks sat on eggs at the moment, last year we had about 20 ducklings and they were all very cute and brown but one was bright yellow and obviously the most cute, however a fox got it. I fed them all earlier and there are none hatched yet, but it will be soon. We feed the ducklings Chappie dog food when they come, I hope it does not effect them the same way it does our dog...Phooey

20-05-2005, 21:31	#18
pad Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Here .. duh! Services: Pipex 1Mb,Wi-Fi Speedtouch 570 Router,win Xp,2003,Linux, Freeview, Kettle Posts: 5,214	Did you hear about the Duck that nested and had ducklings at the foot of a tree outside the US Treasury Building in Washington DC? The put fences around the tree to protect the duck & family, and assigned two Secret Service agents to patrol the area.. Once the ducklings had grown a little bit they were taken to a local sanctuary. Apparently US Treasury staff came up with names .. the favourites were T-Bill and Duck Cheney http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/05/01...ion=cnn_latest