Lonely Duck on the Lake

[Bayer66]

We are visiting friends who have a cottage on a lake in Lenox, Mass. Today is August 5, 2014. I have noticed a solitary little brown duck - Mallard hen we are pretty sure. She's always alone. She stays near a spit of land. She 'bathes???" daily by flapping her wings in the water. Several other ducks of a similar color and breeding do not seem to like her. She never goes near them. I have seen her feeding on land with the Canadian Geese that live on the lake - mutual toleration I'm sure.

Can anyone please explain this behavior and give us an idea of what is going on? I am not knowlegable about ducks, but have read most of the sights regarding behavior, breeding, nesting behavior etc.

Thank you
Renee Flanagan

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! You might want to post in the Duck forum about her https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks I wonder if somebody released her.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Kelsie X2 on the Ducks section. Maybe someone there can help decipher this behavior.

 

[Bayer66]

Thank you. I posted it on the duck site.

Renee

 

[Bayer66]

Thank you. I posted it on the duck site.

Renee

 

[drumstick diva]

Maybe she is an introvert. Maybe the other ducks (drakes especially) have been trying to overbreed her. She has more protection being around fiercely protective Canadian Geese, as long as they don't feel threatened by her. I don't think she is in need of "Match Duck.com"

Most likely she is a free spirit who wants to find herself before being tied down to a nest and future dependents.

I didn't have a child till I was 38. In duck years, she would have been dead a mighty long time ago.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. I'm a chicken person and don't know a lot about ducks (although I've had a few), but I have to admit that ducklings are the ultimate in cute. You've been given a good link to our duck section. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can.

 

[Bayer66]

Thank you for you "opinion." It made my day! I am a little less worried about my lonely little duck.

Renee

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.