[NatureNS] Seeking info on black ducks

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Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 17:36:43 -0300
From: Flora Johnson <sagecopy@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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What a great story, Paul! It had never occurred to me that they might
actually come up to the house for food--so far, they've been pretty edgy,
flying away when we take food down to the pond and then coming back when
we're gone.

Flora

On Sun, Oct 2, 2011 at 8:32 PM, Paul MacDonald <paulrita2001@yahoo.com>wrote:

> Hi Flora and All
> The neighbors around where I live have a flock of mostly mallards
> with a few Blacks mixed in and they spend the winter in the area.
> They have a number of houses where they are feed and will fly by
> to see if any food has been put out.
> We are close to salt water so they can go there but they come right into
> the
> yard if I put bird food out. Some will even sit on the door step
> and in real cold weather will sit on my foot to get a little heat.
> On those days I can sometimes pick them up and hold them.
> On real cold windy days they will huddle in the shelter of a building.
> I was always of the thought that the Blacks were really Mallard crosses.
> Pure blacks were always wilder. Backcrossed birds are hard to distinguish.
> The Mallards around here are descended from Cyrus Eatons importations
> at Deep Cove. Wherever those Mallards came from, any migratory instincts
> were gone by now.
> If you feed the birds they will stay - I'm sure there is open water near
> you and
> they will go back and forth. Once they get to know the area, they will
> bring
> their friend the mallards with them.
> Rumour has it that as they went in to a friends house for their breakfast,
> a RCMP
> patrol car came by and a collision resulted. I'm not sure if the collision
> was with the
> birds or with the rocks in the ditch - anyway one new patrol car was
> required.
> Enjoy the Ducks but make sure they have a proper landing strip..
> Paul
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Flora Johnson <sagecopy@gmail.com>
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> *Sent:* Sunday, October 2, 2011 5:11:54 PM
> *Subject:* [NatureNS] Seeking info on black ducks
>
> I'm hoping to get some insight into the behavior of a group of black ducks
> that has been gathering on the little pond--more of a big puddle,
> really--behind my farmhouse.
>
> For several years we have a motely crew of domestic ducks that hang out on
> the pond when the weather is decent but will be herded into warmer quarters
> once the pond freezes. In past years they have occasionally been visited by
> wild ducks, but the wild ones always move on fairly quickly.
>
> This year something different seems to be happening. About a month or so
> ago, we noticed that two black ducks had joined our flock and seemed to
> be sharing their 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 five. And today we have seven.
>
> We get a kick out of watching all the ducks and would be happy to have the
> wild onces become regular visitors or permanent residents. But we're
> wondering what these guys are going to do as winter comes. Are they just
> gathering here on their way south? Will we wake up one morning and find that
> they've taken off for Florida (or wherever black ducks go in the winter)? If
> so, is it possible they'll come back here next year?
>
> Is it possible that they might try to spend the winter on the pond (which
> will be frozen solid)?  If they do hang on, is it ok for us to feed them?
>
> Any experiences or insights anyone would care to share will be gratefully
> received.
>
> Flora
>
>
>
>

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<div>What a great story, Paul! It had never occurred to me that they might =
actually come up to the house for food--so far, they&#39;ve been pretty edg=
y, flying away when we take food down to the pond and then coming back when=
 we&#39;re gone.</div>
<div>=A0</div><div>Flora<br><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Oc=
t 2, 2011 at 8:32 PM, Paul MacDonald <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailt=
o:paulrita2001@yahoo.com">paulrita2001@yahoo.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><=
blockquote style=3D"margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-le=
ft-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: so=
lid;" class=3D"gmail_quote">
<div><div style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: times new roman, new y=
ork, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=
<div><span>Hi Flora and All</span></div><div><span>The neighbors around whe=
re I live have a flock of mostly mallards</span></div>
<div><span>with a few Blacks mixed in and they spend the winter in the area=
.=A0</span></div><div><span>They have a number of houses where they are fee=
d and will fly by</span></div><div><span>to see if any food has been put ou=
t.</span></div>
<div><span>We are close to salt water so they can go there but they come ri=
ght into the</span></div><div><span>yard if I put bird food out. Some will =
even sit on the door step</span></div><div><span>and in real cold weather w=
ill sit on my foot to get 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. Wherever those Mallards came from, any migratory i=
nstincts</span></div><div><span>were gone by now.</span></div><div>If you f=
eed the birds they will stay - I&#39;m sure there is open water near you an=
d</div>
<div>they will go back and forth. Once they get to know the area, they will=
 bring</div><div>their friend 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 and a collision resulted. I&#39;m not sure if the c=
ollision was with the</div><div>birds or with the rocks in the ditch - anyw=
ay one new patrol car was required.</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-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;, &quot;new york&quot;, t=
imes, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style=3D"font-family: &quot;times new r=
oman&quot;, &quot;new york&quot;, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><hr size=3D"1"><b><span style=3D"font-weigh=
t: bold;">From:</span></b> Flora Johnson &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:sagecopy@gma=
il.com" target=3D"_blank">sagecopy@gmail.com</a>&gt;<br><b><span style=3D"f=
ont-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> <a href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=
" target=3D"_blank">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a><br>
<b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Sunday, October 2, 2=
011 5:11:54 PM<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b>=
 [NatureNS] Seeking info on black ducks<br></font><div><div></div><div clas=
s=3D"h5">
<br><div><div>I&#39;m hoping to get some insight into the behavior of a gro=
up of black ducks that has been gathering on the little pond--more of a big=
 puddle, really--behind my farmhouse.</div><div>
=A0</div><div>For several years we have a motely crew of domestic ducks tha=
t hang out=A0on the pond=A0when the weather is decent=A0but will be herded =
into warmer quarters once the pond freezes. In past years they have occasio=
nally been visited by wild ducks, but the wild ones always move on fairly q=
uickly.</div>

<div>=A0</div><div>This year something different seems to be happening. Abo=
ut a month or so ago, we noticed that two black ducks had joined=A0our floc=
k=A0and seemed to be=A0sharing=A0their food. To our surprise, they stayed o=
n the pond. About a week later, a third one showed up, and that one also st=
ayed. Yesterday we had=A0five. And today we have seven.</div>

<div>=A0</div><div>We get a kick out of watching all the ducks and would be=
 happy to have the wild onces=A0become regular visitors or permanent reside=
nts. But we&#39;re wondering what these guys are going to do as winter come=
s. Are they just gathering here on their way south?=A0Will we wake up one m=
orning and find that they&#39;ve taken off for Florida (or wherever black d=
ucks go in the winter)? If so, is it possible they&#39;ll come back here ne=
xt year?</div>

<div>=A0</div><div>Is 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 o=
k for us to feed them?</div><div>
=A0</div><div>Any experiences or insights anyone would care to share will b=
e gratefully received.</div><div>=A0</div><div>Flora</div><br>
</div><br><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br>

--20cf303bff82d649ac04ae6aeef3--

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