Late Hatch

The First of September saw the latest hatch of the year.

A mother duck I have been monitoring on the Swans island for some weeks, turned up yesterday morning with 10 ducklings. I have seen later hatches in the past but this is nevertheless pretty late. I will be keeping a close eye on her because she herself has a bad leg and a limp, and already hatched 8 previously which she was forced to abandon due to the drakes.

They in fact were the eight I just released into the river 2 weeks ago. The weather forecast for the next week is good and this will partly determine how the new brood fares. It is vital that people do not draw attention to them by throwing bread at them, this will only serve the gulls and crows who will take them in minutes !