A New Neighbor In The Neighborhood

A new addition has come to the neighborhood by way of mother nature.  We aren't sure if it is the same family that was here a week or so, or a new one all together.  The first family had 13 offspring and there is either only one now or this is all the mother had.

We live on a pond so the wildlife is always changing.  Our worst guest is the geese.  The ducks, herons, hawks,frogs and toads, big toads, and fish are just fine.  Geese are just plain annoying with their noise, fighting and of course constantly leaving their calling cards.

We have a red "laser" light like the one people use to point with that can be used at night to run them off.  There is something about the light that really annoys them.  It is totally legal, in fact, it is the only thing that is allowed to be used to get rid of them other than a trained dog.  You can't shoot them except during hunting season and that has a small bag limit.  You can take as many down as you want as long as you use an airplane with people on board but you aren't really allowed to run over them with your much safer car.  It is like going to Michigan where if you hit a deer you must report it.  You won't get into trouble but they like to know for some reason.

Anyway, getting back to the new arrival, we think the mother is possibly from last years brew.  She knows to come up to our deck and quack for us, even when we aren't outside.  She knows the sound of the slider screen when it is opened.  We also figure she is a young mother because she comes to be fed and she lets her baby come too.  Two years ago a duck had 13, lost one right away because some brat kid threw a rock and hit one.  Then he said, Mr., do something.  The little thing was moving but upside down with its feet skyward.  The remaining twelve got reduced to six over time somehow.  Maybe the hawks in the area?  As the summer wore on they got closer and closer to one day they climbed up on the deck and ran around wanting fed.  Point here is, the mother never got close.  She hung back watching for danger, be it us or something else.  There was constant low sounds coming from her as she directed her young.  If she called them, they didn't quack back one more minute, they took off for her protection.

The male with the mother is the dad we assume.  He is the only one allowed to hang around.  The other males are just here.  Bachelors.

The Family

The new arrival

Along side mom

Heading back to the pond