Eleven Wood Ducklings

4 September 2016

Eleven Wood Ducklings followed their parents after hatching from their high tree hollow to 'frog dam' at Jarowair on a Fathers Day.  It is quite some years since we have had ducklings residing on our property, despite seeing adults all the time.  

Sadly two of the ducklings didn't look too healthy. One was hiding under some grass in the water on the dams edge, and another was struggling to keep up with it's parents and siblings and got left behind.  We came to the rescue and took the two into care overnight.  The one lagging behind had a dreadful deformity of the leg, both survived overnight, kept warm and quite inside, and I took them down to the best Avian vet we have locally the following morning.  Unfortunately the one who had stayed in the water passed away on it's own just prior to reaching Gatton, the second one had it's leg x-rayed to check if it was a dislocation, but it turned out to be a birth defect that would affect it's survival in the wild and had to be euthanized. 

This left 9 ducklings and a few days later there were 8, which was still remarkable.  










9 September 2016

Then there were 8...


Come 30th September there are now seven and all are growing quickly. The parents have kept the ducklings on our property - we guess they must feel safe here without dogs or cats.  It is really enjoyable to watch them grow and graze for grass seeds on the lawn.

J &B.

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