Ducklings Then and Now

It's only 7 weeks since I rescued the Seven Halloween ducklings from the river - but what a change in their size!  The nights have been long and frosty, with only 7 hours outdoors and the other 17 spent inside the coop. They are strong and should be capable of flight in a couple of weeks - all being well.   (Short video below.)

Lucky 7 Move Home

The lucky 7 ducklings will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, and good fortune still falls on them in the form of benign mild weather. Today I decided to move them into the coop and Aviary since the weather was favourable. Although only 3 weeks old, their size is equivalent to 6 weeks good summer growth in the river - the result of adequate food being available at all times. This was their first time outdoors since I brought them home. The coop is heated against the night time chill. (short wary vid in the shower tray below)

Halloween Rescue

Today I was astonished to see yet another late brood of ducklings on the river, a mother turned up with 8 ducklings looking for food around mid-day. Mindful of the last brood ten days ago that were all killed within 48 hours, I was determined not to let this happen again. I have never seen ducklings hatched this late ever, and I know  they would stand no chance of survival beyond a couple of days. They would have to survive 10 weeks until they could fly, this would take them beyond the new year, which is totally impossible !   
Later this afternoon I headed down to try and catch both the mother and the ducklings. My heart sank when I saw half a dozen women throwing bread towards the mother and ducklings, with seagulls swirling and diving on the bread ! 

I explained that they were in danger of having all the ducklings killed by the gulls so they stopped and the mother duck moved away. After an hour or so the mother came over looking for food, the cold and darkness was beginning to fall but I managed to give her some grain with all the ducklings close by.
I took the plunge and grabbed the net, but the mother flew a few yards away before I could catch her. The ducklings were easier to catch and I managed to scoop all 7 that were still alive ! They are now safely in the brooder box under a heat lamp and I'm confident of their survival now. 

I know some people will think they should have been left alone to their fate, this I could not bear ! As a member of the top predator species on the Planet, I have merely deprived the lesser predators- namely mink, crows and gulls of a quick meal. Ten days ago I had the chance to save two of the last brood but chickened out, to my regret they were both killed the following day. I could not let it happen again ! I will try and capture the mother if possible, for it would be better if she reared them in the safety of my coop and aviary. At least I know they will survive until I can release them back to the river, and the mother will also survive. 

Letting them be killed was not an option for me at this juncture, the nights are long and cold, and there are no insects or food available for the ducklings. Allowing them to be killed would take the total of fatalities this year beyond 100, this is more than the entire mallard population of the river. Short video below

2 Too Late

The Swans Island produced yet another brood of ducklings today, just after midday one of the ducks I reared last year (the sister of the mother of the white ducks) came over to me with 2 ducklings underneath !
I know she laid some eggs earlier in the year which were flooded and eaten by the crows. She had been acting as though she was sitting on eggs over the past couple of weeks, but I thought it was far too late in the year to be true. I believe she had more earlier in the day, for I see a pic of her on the Gurn showing 4 ducklings. The hoodie crows and seagulls will most likely have them all by tomorrow, this is virtually winter regarding food supplies! I have never seen ducklings this late in the year and I just can't see them surviving now, the days are too short with no insects, and long cold nights to get through. The last lot of ducklings in August, started with 8 and finally ended up with two.