I had fed Mr Flowers out the front then walked to the car, around the back, to go into town for my morning visit to my MiL and as I drove round the drive Quacker quacked loudly to me from a puddle in the back drive way.
Goodness you move fast Quacker, I said – because I know for sure that speaking to oneself and speaking to a duck are both quite sane behavior. Then I drove down the drive a little bit more coming around the front and I saw Quacker eating her feed with Mr. Flowers and I said to myself – that’s weird. She is moving suspiciously fast.
So I reversed back up the drive and around to the puddle and there was Quacker Number Two still standing there. Quacking quite melodiously.
You can imagine my surprise. So here’s the first photo of Quackers new friend, I think it’s a mallard. Probably a female.
I’ve never really thought about how big this breed gets but I think this one is young. Probably two thirds the size of Quacker. And female – no green head. So I left the bird to it because it’s best to stay right away when there’s a wild bird in the drive.
And then I came back and she was still there and she was standing close to Quacker. So I threw out some bird food and this little thing just ran to me on her short little duck legs and was eating right at my feet, a wild bird, who is not wild.
I was flabbergasted – mallards are wild birds. This one flew in I imagine. Hungry and tired.
The majority of the hens are still locked up in their pen for being bad and hiding their eggs, which is good for a Little Quacker (the full mob can be a bit daunting) so we’ll see what happens next.
It’s not afraid of dogs or cars so was bred around people though I did not realize that was a thing here.
Quacker took her for a walk across the lawn and through the garden and round the rockery, and into the pond to show her where the water was, and it was the sweetest thing seeing this little duck, running along behind Quacker, like her own duckling. Makes my heart feel good.
But she can fly away at any time so let’s enjoy visit! And be ready for when she decides to answer the call of the wild. Because eventually she will. That is the way of these things. We don’t cage wild things.
Pop over to TKG Take 10 – there’s a whole 10 minutes of her sleeping in a puddle in my driveway with Quacker.
Good morning!
Little Quacker is still here this morning. And sticking close to Quacker. I can’t believe it!
Amazing!
Love Celi
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27 responses to “Quacker has a Visitor from the Wild 😀”
How sweet!
She is very beautiful and on close up very much smaller! I know we cannot predict an outcome but -secretly- I hope she decides to stick around.
Yes. I hope so too. They are so sweet together and have not separated all morning.😀
I live in an urban area and had a neighbor who had two duck eggs that hatched and raised them with her daughter. These were wild mallards but they imprinted on my neighbor and became very tame. Maybe that is what happened to “little girl”?
That may be! She does not behave like a wild bird at all. She follows Quacker very closely so it will be interesting to see how long she sticks around.
How lovely for Quacker! I’m waiting to see if the wild ducks return here for spring – they are more fun than the carp.
Oh yes!! Your ducks supply lots more stories!
How wonderful. Don’t you know Quacker was pleased to play hostess, showing off all The Farmy’s ducky charm. Will you name her? How about Jemima (Puddle-Duck)?
Or Mary Pop-In?
Mary pop in is very sweet!!
I am not naming her in case she leaves. Though I am afraid I am already referring to her as Little Quacker!
I lived in a place next to a wide ditch that had mallards who stayed year round. They were not at all afraid of humans and we would occasionally see a non-mallard with the flock, so they do cross breed and she will likely stick around if she’s decided she and Quackers are now a couple. What good luck!
Now, that is interesting. Especially that those mallards were not afraid either. Quacker is female too of course – unless this is a male and has not grown into his green head yet. I am not sure what age that happens with mallards.
They usually get their green heads in the first year, so if the new mallard is young, maybe it’s a male and you have the start of your own flock 🙂
It is quite small – in comparison to Quacker – but I guess we will see what happens. They have quickly bonded but maybe that is a duck thing! We’ll see. Let’s hope she/he is a frequent visitor anyway.
What a heartwarming story! It will turn out however it does but you can enjoy these lovely moments. I like ducks and there are many around here. Geese are another story…
Oh yes! Geese! And swans can be mean! I had a goose rest here only once – then was gone by night. Thankfully.
Another delightful story from the farmy, fingers tightly crossed, though as you say what will be will be!
Yes! We will see but I was happy to see she was still here this morning. 😀 – it is nice to have a visitor from the wild.
I have one Rouen hen, also known as giant mallards – they’re so big they can’t fly. Anyway, yesterday morning I saw her desperately trying to bathe in a narrow little puddle formed by the snow melting off the coop roof so I dug out her little pool (a large oil change thing), dumped out the mega ice slab and filled it up. There is nothing so joyous as a duck with fresh water in it’s pool. Betty the duck is 14 years old!
You are right about the loving a good swim. These ones are enjoying the pond which I need to clean out obviously but it’s full of ice. 14 years old is, old.
Oh that is just the sweetest thing…I’m so glad Quackers finally has a friend just like her..well almost. Since Quackers is a domestic duck do you know what kind she is? Evidently it doesn’t make any difference to them. Are you worried that if she leaves, she will convince Quackers to join her? I don’t think she would…she has fine feathered life right where she is. 🙂
Quacker is a khaki Campbell. And Quacker can’t fly far. But who knows what is in store!
Mallards are pretty friendly when there’s food involved. When we go to our local pond they always swim over to see us, expecting that we’ll feed them.
Oh good thinking, maybe this little mallard is a city duck.😀
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