skip to main |
skip to sidebar
After an extended journey of two and half weeks , the Links Mother duck with the first 15 ducklings finally made it to the river.
The detour via the River Trust Aviary, will at least have given the ducklings a chance of survival.
The second brood of 13 ducklings are now down to one after 6 days in the river, It's tough being a duck. With the help of Trust member George, we transported the mother Duck and her 15 ducklings to a safe spot away from the single Drakes.
This should give her a chance to choose whether to take the ducklings upstream or down the river without unwanted attention from the drakes. It will be interesting to see where she goes, and how many survive over the coming weeks.
George tells me he spotted another duck with 5 ducklings near the granites this morning, lets hope some of them survive.
UPDATE. I saw the ducklings tonight minus one already, and the mother who had 13 has lost them all. Short vid of the ducklings below.
The Two Squabs = Young Wood pigeons, (Woody and Alan) are doing well in spite of my inexperience with young nestlings. They seem to be growing fast on the diet of liquidised wild bird seed, wheat oats, chick starter and lettuce.
I have now started to give them some of the solid mashed residue from the liquidiser, messy but getting them used to solids.There's no doubt caring for young birds is messy but rewarding ! Short vid below prior to feeding.
Meanwhile the Mother duck and 15 ducklings are also doing well and starting to grow.
Mother Duck and Ducklings have taken to the Aviary like a duck to water, and they are behaving as though they were on the riverside.
Every so often she calls them over and gets them warm under her wings and has a nap.
Like any babies they need fed every few hours, so she takes them to the shower tray and they peck around for the chick starter feed, mealworm, and whatever else they can find.
The gale force winds on the river and snow melt spate would have cost a few duckling lives over the past 24 hours, so I'm glad they are safe and sound meanwhile.
Having 15 ducklings underneath one duck gets more difficult by the day, and if you look you will see a wee one looking out.
The warm southerly wind has brought the first sand martins of the season, and I saw about a dozen yesterday over the river.
Two Goosanders were also fishing in the turbid water today.
It might be the 13th of April, but this was a very lucky day for Nairns first duckling brood. I received a call from Moray Coast Vets this afternoon from one of my regular blog viewers, Helen Wright.
Helen had seen the mother duck crossing the links with 15 ducklings in tow, being diverted by some children the duck entered the garden of Ryden House when Helen gave me the call.
When I got there several people had gathered and Helen agreed to help with getting the family into the box. Fortunately the duck knew me, and readily started eating some grain I offered, surrounded by her brood.
Knowing the key to success was catching the mother first, I managed without any problems, after a bit of chasing around the shrubbery we managed to catch all 15 ducklings and get them into the box with Mum. I have now placed them in the safety of the Aviary, rather than take them to the river where they would certainly perish.
The weather is not only cold, but more importantly there is no insect life available for the ducklings to eat, in addition the crows and gulls would have them within 24 hours for the same reason, little food available.
When they are big enough to survive, I will put them into the river. For her compassion, doing the right thing and showing the Wright stuff - pun intended. The River Nairn Swans & Waterfowl trust gives Helen Wright this years membership to the Trust FREE of Charge, Welcome Helen ! Enjoy the pics and short video.
