Got a pair of visitors today!

[Snipes]

Coming home after volunteering for a few hours, I looked outside and saw 5 mallards instead of just my 3 drake mallards. A male/female pair must have flown over and thought they might like some company. I went outside with peas and food for my drakes' evening nibbles, and as usual they were excited and happy to see me, running up to me and begging for attention and treats. The new male wasn't interested, but his girl was really interested at this happening, and seemed a bit perplexed how my boys were so easy around me. She was curious about the food too, and I threw her some peas which she went after. She started edging in closer, but not within 8 feet or so, giving a sound I have not heard my boys make, and it sounded like she was very nervous. When I gave them their food meal, she was even more interested and got within about 6 feet, edging closer but unwilling to come close enough to eat out of the bowl while it was so close to me. I pushed the bowl out a bit and she came in closer and was willing to try it when it was 5 feet away, but not before her advances scared off the boys. Yes, the three males, who have never ever seen a female in their lives, and full of pep and bites in this the mating season, were completely cowed by her and ran when she came to eat the food. After a minute, she spooked and walked away a bit and the boys came back to eat. When I brought the boys inside for the night, the new pair set down in the pool for the night.
I find it so funny that the boys don't know what to do with a female! I think they think of humans as brother/male competetor the same as they regard themselves, so it's like they only know the male gender! It's too bad that I am leaving in a week for Central America and they will be boarded by someone else. If the newcomers wanted to stick around, it's too bad they wouldn't have a human caretaker after a week or so.

 

[Mahonri]

I knew a gentleman farmer in Indiana that would have wild mallards come to his pond every year... He kept them well fed.

Buena Suerte en la America Central!

 

[Matapatos]

Thats way cool! I love seeing the wild birds and how they interact with people for the first time, or this might be old hat for them, stopping in at farmyards for a meal! To tell you the truth, it probably stops right there. They wouldn't want a human caretaker around their nest, most likely. But that would be cool to see them nest, hatch em out and watch em grow!

Travis

 

[Snipes]

Yeah, they're still there today, and I get a feeling that if I kept feeding them, they would hang around to raise their d'ings (ha, cute shorthand for ducklings, dings). Too bad I am going away

. Today when I went out to give them some pea treats, it seemed to trigger her memory from yesterday of them tasting REALLY GOOD, so when I put out my hand and the boys were quickly gobbling them up, she actually came in and ate off of my hand! Her male stayed where he lay, but I could see his throat moving like he was quietly quacking.
Should I not encourage them to be friends, or avoid touching the wild ducks? I worry a bit about disease/parasites, though they seem to be in good health and condition and I see no observable signs of them being sick or having parasites.
Why do you think my boys aren't literally jumping on the female?