100 out for a duck !

Duck Disaster !

You will find that i am not only concerned exclusively with the Swans and cygnets.

Over the past few weeks we have lost in the region of 100 ducklings on the lower part of the river. This is far worse than last year and is mainly due to the large amount of resident predators.

Hoodie crows have established a nest on a spruce tree overlooking the swans island, from where they have total dominance and take ducklings almost at will.

In addition the 2 herons are also dab hands at exploiting the young, along with the blackback and herring gulls which have a colony just below the footbridge.

Local cats and dogs are also to blame. Only today i was told of an incident recently where a dog was allowed to attack and kill a duck close to the island.

The dog owner was approached and remarked that there were "heaps of ducks".

Again i appeal to residents to avoid throwing bread to newly hatched ducklings as they will be taken by gulls during a feeding frenzy.

Recently two of the saddest sights i witnessed was a drake standing over his mate who had been stoned to death, probably by a catapult. He was trying to pull her up from the water and was probably there for several days. She was one of the best mother ducks on the river, and also the friendliest, many residents will remember her standing on the pathway with her mate.

This sort of wildlife crime is wicked, because it was killed not to be eaten but just because it was there.

In addition the sister of this duck was also killed the same way, but not before suffering with a shattered wing. She was also a beautiful and trusting character, and had tried for 2 years to raise a brood but both years all her chicks were killed.

If anyone knows who is responsible for these crimes, contact the Nairn police on 452222 or email me at, jayteescot1@hotmail.com


Over the years i have learned much about ducks and admired their behaviour, they are real characters, and deserve our kindness and appreciation .

Enclosed pics , of our two lovely ducks and some of their past offspring which they will never ever produce again.