2 embryo in 1 egg? Please look at picture

[lucysducks11]

I have been on hawk watch for almost 3 hours, I'm half frozen but the ducks are safe, I think maybe he moved on for the day, my will power to sit on the bank was more than he could stand... Hopefully he's gone. For now...

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I have been on hawk watch for almost 3 hours, I'm half frozen but the ducks are safe, I think maybe he moved on for the day, my will power to sit on the bank was more than he could stand... Hopefully he's gone. For now...

go get warmed up and have some soup/cocoa

crazy duck lady

 

[microchick]

They have territories. I watch the red tails around us and right now the hawks are pairing off and fighting for territories. They scream at one another all day and swoop around the forest edges. It's not unusual to see four or five of them chasing one another. We have found the remains of their kills in our pasture, usually just feathers that are scattered in a circular pattern or hair from rabbits and squirrels. My husband usually takes one of his RC planes out, the faster the better and tries to get above them. He doesn't hurt them, no hawks are ever damaged or killed, but he dives around them and scares them off. They hate those RC 'birds' and with repeated forays into their airspace, they generally retreat to the timber. Our rabbit population here has been high this winter so I'm not surprised that I am seeing a lot of them around right now hopefully once the population drops the bird population will also.

Lucy, bless you. Woe be it to any predator that gets between you and your babies. And you getting over pneumonia! Bad Lucy!

I

 

[lucysducks11]

  go get warmed up and have some soup/cocoa  

crazy duck lady

I was so cold I couldn't feel my fingers or toes, all warm now...

 

[lucysducks11]

They have territories. I watch the red tails around us and right now the hawks are pairing off and fighting for territories. They scream at one another all day and swoop around the forest edges. It's not unusual to see four or five of them chasing one another. We have found the remains of their kills in our pasture, usually just feathers that are scattered in a circular pattern or hair from rabbits and squirrels. My husband usually takes one of his RC planes out, the faster the better and tries to get above them. He doesn't hurt them, no hawks are ever damaged or killed, but he dives around them and scares them off. They hate those RC 'birds' and with repeated forays into their airspace, they generally retreat to the timber. Our rabbit population here has been high this winter so I'm not surprised that I am seeing a lot of them around right now hopefully once the population drops the bird population will also.

Lucy, bless you. Woe be it to any predator that gets between you and your babies. And you getting over pneumonia! Bad Lucy!

I

I didn't even think about it really, I was in my PJs and saw two Hawks circling the pond so I threw on jeans over my PJs, my rubber boots, long sleeve shirt, coat and bolted out the door. Of course the second the ducks see me, they all come running out of the water to say hello so I just plopped down with them and made my presence known...Sorta became a hard head having a Mexican stand off with the Hawks..

 

[microchick]

I didn't even think about it really, I was in my PJs and saw two Hawks circling the pond so I threw on jeans over my PJs, my rubber boots, long sleeve shirt, coat and bolted out the door. Of course the second the ducks see me, they all come running out of the water to say hello so I just plopped down with them and made my presence known...Sorta became a hard head having a Mexican stand off with the Hawks..

Been there done that when I've heard my chickens squawking about something. Last time it was a rat trying to get in the grow out pen. Needless to say I found an oak club sized stick and Mr Raton is now buried in the berry patch. First and only rat I've seen to dat.

Yeah, the message was clear. Don't mess with my birds!

 

[FridayYet]

I didn't even think about it really, I was in my PJs and saw two Hawks circling the pond so I threw on jeans over my PJs, my rubber boots, long sleeve shirt, coat and bolted out the door. Of course the second the ducks see me, they all come running out of the water to say hello so I just plopped down with them and made my presence known...Sorta became a hard head having a Mexican stand off with the Hawks..

Unfortunately the hawks now know where there is prey. do you have hiding places for them?

 

[lucysducks11]

Unfortunately the hawks now know where there is prey. do you have hiding places for them?

I alone can't catch them, my pond is literally 2 almost 3 acres with an island in the middle, I don't know how I would round them up

 

[WVduckchick]

I alone can't catch them, my pond is literally 2 almost 3 acres with an island in the middle, I don't know how I would round them up

Are there trees or any cover on the island? I want my hubby to build an island in my pond.

Sadly, you will lose more ducks, and I know all too well how that is. But they are happy now, and they make you happy. I don't mean to make it sound trivial, because I love my ducks too, but you and I risk their safety in exchange for their happiness while it lasts. My drakes live at my camp, on my pond. They love it and I can tell. They are open to predators, yes, but they help protect each other, and they live good, for as long as they can. Cycle of life.

 

[lucysducks11]

Are there trees or any cover on the island? I want my hubby to build an island in my pond.

Sadly, you will lose more ducks, and I know all too well how that is. But they are happy now, and they make you happy. I don't mean to make it sound trivial, because I love my ducks too, but you and I risk their safety in exchange for their happiness while it lasts. My drakes live at my camp, on my pond. They love it and I can tell. They are open to predators, yes, but they help protect each other, and they live good, for as long as they can. Cycle of life.

There's a few trees around the pond but it's pretty much open, my husband keeps trying to plant wheat but as soon as he does they plow through it and it's gone. There's not a lot of trees around the pond either, it's all pretty much open space. I have noticed that the calls stay on the Island 90% of the time but today they stayed in the water or in the root line of the tree trunks.
I'm not going to expect this to be a 1 time event but I am hoping that maybe it won't happen again.. Wishful thinking I am sure. My husband said today I can't just sit out there and of course I thought, "you wanna bet"
I know that they are happy, I can't stand the thought of keeping them pinned up away from the freedom I have given them. It's a catch 22..With freedom comes risks, it's the price I pay for letting them free range. I guess the good thing is aside from the Mallards getting eaten by the river otter Pandora is the first duck I have lost to a hawk. I honestly didn't expect my original ducks to make it through the winter because we have coyotes, but they did. The only duck from my original 10 that died was Fatty and he had bumble foot. I guess that's pretty good when you think about it..