[NatureNS] Seeking info on black ducks

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Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 16:32:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: Paul MacDonald <paulrita2001@yahoo.com>
To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Hi Flora and All=0AThe neighbors around where I live have a flock of mostly=
 mallards=0Awith a few Blacks mixed in and they spend the winter in the are=
a.=A0=0AThey have a number of houses where they are feed and will fly by=0A=
to see if any food has been put out.=0AWe are close to salt water so they c=
an go there but they come right into the=0Ayard if I put bird food out. Som=
e will even sit on the door step=0Aand in real cold weather will sit on my =
foot to get a little heat.=0AOn those days I can sometimes pick them up and=
 hold them.=0AOn real cold windy days they will huddle in the shelter of a =
building.=0AI was always of the thought that the Blacks were really Mallard=
 crosses.=0APure blacks were always wilder. Backcrossed birds are hard to d=
istinguish.=0AThe Mallards around here are descended from Cyrus Eatons impo=
rtations=0Aat Deep Cove. Wherever those Mallards came from, any migratory i=
nstincts=0Awere gone by now.=0AIf you feed the birds they will stay - I'm s=
ure there is open water near you and=0Athey will go back and forth. Once th=
ey get to know the area, they will bring=0Atheir friend the mallards with t=
hem.=0ARumour has it that as they went in to a friends house for their brea=
kfast, a RCMP=0Apatrol car came by and a collision resulted. I'm not sure i=
f the collision was with the=0Abirds or with the rocks in the ditch - anywa=
y one new patrol car was required.=0AEnjoy the Ducks but make sure they hav=
e a proper landing strip..=0A=0APaul=0A=0A=0A=0A___________________________=
_____=0AFrom: Flora Johnson <sagecopy@gmail.com>=0ATo: naturens@chebucto.ns=
.ca=0ASent: Sunday, October 2, 2011 5:11:54 PM=0ASubject: [NatureNS] Seekin=
g info on black ducks=0A=0A=0AI'm hoping to get some insight into the behav=
ior of a group of black ducks that has been gathering on the little pond--m=
ore of a big puddle, really--behind my farmhouse.=0A=A0=0AFor several years=
 we have a motely crew of domestic ducks that hang out=A0on the pond=A0when=
 the weather is decent=A0but will be herded into warmer quarters once the p=
ond freezes. In past years they have occasionally been visited by wild duck=
s, but the wild ones always move on fairly quickly.=0A=A0=0AThis year somet=
hing different seems to be happening. About a month or so ago, we noticed t=
hat two black ducks had joined=A0our flock=A0and seemed to be=A0sharing=A0t=
heir food. To our surprise, they stayed on the pond. About a week later, a =
third one showed up, and that one also stayed. Yesterday we had=A0five. And=
 today we have seven.=0A=A0=0AWe get a kick out of watching all the ducks a=
nd would be happy to have the wild onces=A0become regular visitors or perma=
nent residents. But we're wondering what these guys are going to do as wint=
er comes. Are they just gathering here on their way south?=A0Will we wake u=
p one morning and find that they've taken off for Florida (or wherever blac=
k ducks go in the winter)? If so, is it possible they'll come back here nex=
t year?=0A=A0=0AIs it possible that they might=A0try to spend the winter on=
 the pond (which will be frozen solid)?=A0=A0If they do hang on, is it ok f=
or us to feed them?=0A=A0=0AAny experiences or insights anyone would care t=
o share will be gratefully received.=0A=A0=0AFlora
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<html><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:ti=
mes new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>Hi Flora a=
nd All</span></div><div><span>The neighbors around where I live have a floc=
k of mostly mallards</span></div><div><span>with a few Blacks mixed in and =
they spend the winter in the area.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span>They have a=
 number of houses where they are feed and will fly by</span></div><div><spa=
n>to see if any food has been put out.</span></div><div><span>We are close =
to salt water so they can go there but they come right into the</span></div=
><div><span>yard if I put bird food out. Some will even sit on the door ste=
p</span></div><div><span>and in real cold weather will sit on my foot to ge=
t a little heat.</span></div><div><span>On those days I can sometimes pick =
them up and hold them.</span></div><div><span>On real cold windy days they =
will huddle in the shelter of a building.</span></div><div><span>I was
 always of the thought that the Blacks were really Mallard crosses.</span><=
/div><div><span>Pure blacks were always wilder. Backcrossed birds are hard =
to distinguish.</span></div><div><span>The Mallards around here are descend=
ed from Cyrus Eatons importations</span></div><div><span>at Deep Cove. Wher=
ever those Mallards came from, any migratory instincts</span></div><div><sp=
an>were gone by now.</span></div><div>If you feed the birds they will stay =
- I'm sure there is open water near you and</div><div>they will go back and=
 forth. Once they get to know the area, they will bring</div><div>their fri=
end the mallards with them.</div><div>Rumour has it that as they went in to=
 a friends house for their breakfast, a RCMP</div><div>patrol car came by a=
nd a collision resulted. I'm not sure if the collision was with the</div><d=
iv>birds or with the rocks in the ditch - anyway one new patrol car was req=
uired.</div><div>Enjoy the Ducks but make sure they have a proper
 landing strip..<br></div><div>Paul</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div=
 style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', time=
s, serif; "><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', =
'new york', times, serif; "><font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><hr size=3D"1">=
<b><span style=3D"font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Flora Johnson &lt;sag=
ecopy@gmail.com&gt;<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b>=
 naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Sent:</sp=
an></b> Sunday, October 2, 2011 5:11:54 PM<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight=
: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [NatureNS] Seeking info on black ducks<br></fo=
nt><br><meta http-eq