Donald & Daffney have had Duckings

Its lovely they have had chicks! Daffney has brought them to show us! She has had 8 in total and hopefully they will all keep safe! She nested in the stream in Meadow Bluebell and has brought them up to the pond behind the house! Its lovely to see them. There are so many obsticles that they have to endure on the journey. She keeps doing the same daily routine so I do hope they don't get run over as it is so hard to see them when you are in a car! She follows the same route everyday and battles against children, dogs and cars!

Daffney and Chicks

Today she is teaching them how to preen themselves. Everyday she does something different with them!

There are 6 today

Everday when the chicks come up from the stream we do a head count! Daffney originally had 8 chicks but today there are only 6 - sadly two have gone!

So vunerable now!

They are growing rapidly now but are still very vunerable. Daffney initially had 8 chicks but now only has 5. She has done so well to keep the remainder safe. They can't fly so they all keep together walking in a straight line. She doesn't know her highway code though! as she just walks straight across the main road and we have gasped sometimes as cars can't really see them and there has been a few close calls!

Growing by the day!

They are starting to loose their baby feathers and growing tail feathers

Cheeky chap!

They are so friendly and allow you to go so close to them.

They are supposed to be wild

They have got so used to us now they take the bread off you and feed off your hand!

Donald and Daffney and Ducklings

Donald (with the green head) and Daffney (next to him) are trying to keep their distance as I think they want the Ducklings to be more independant. For months Daffney wouldn't let Donald come anywhere near them and for days he would just sit on his own by the pond waiting for them all to come up from the stream. Once they did Dafney would then chase him away! It was quite sad to watch as he has been so faithful to her. Over the last few days though she has now finally allowed him to join them (it must be time soon for the Ducklings to get their independance).

Famous Five

They are getting really cheeky now! Each one has their own characteristics. They have been flapping their wings constantly trying to make them work but only getting a few inches off the ground!

Ducklings no longer!

The Ducklings are nearly full size now!
For the last week they have been trying their wings and making crash landings on the grass!
Today though they finally made it and they flew from our garden pond down to the stream in Meadow Bluebell. They have finally got their independance and no longer rely on Donald and Daffney! sad day as they will fly off soon. Everyday for months they have waddled in for their feed so we will miss them! I do hope they come back and maybe they will have ducklings of their own