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Our one surviving Call duck is still going strong and is determined to get a mate. Last year it was amusing to watch as he muscled in on a pair of Mallards.
This year he is doing the same but appears to be the dominant one of the pair this season.
He is a real feisty character and will tackle the biggest and strongest of the Mallard Drakes.
In the world of Ducks, being big isn't everything !
It's good to see some old duck characters still on the go after quite a few years in the river. One of them I am particularly fond of is Hookie, a drake with a deformed left foot. I first noticed him in 2008, the foot is like a hook and think perhaps he was born with the deformity. He gets picked on by the other ducks, because he is different - just like most species! Nevertheless he has survived at least 7 years, and I do feed him when I see him.
Meanwhile the bantam call ducks are thriving and very bossy, they have no problem scaring off the Mallards.
Sari and Jo are also doing OK, but Jo has an injured right leg, she can still use it but has a limp, hopefully she will recover completely. This mild spell is causing a lot of excitement among the ducks, far too spring like !
The tufted ducks have now departed the river with the mild weather, what characters they are !
The four Bantam call ducks that were released into the river a while back are still together and surviving well.
In fact I would say they are in better condition now due to adequate feeding by me. The man who put them in the river reckons they are wild now and declined to give me a donation for their upkeep, how wrong and mean can you get ! They are doing well and surprisingly spirited, and will have a go at even the largest of the river ducks, they all fly well and I'm hoping they will nest next season.
The drakes have no white ring on the neck but will tackle any others that come near them, short video below. (witness one nipping another larger Mallard ).
