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Post by cats4jan on Aug 15, 2022 1:49:13 GMT
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Muscovy_Duck/overview(The above link goes to the Cornell website - which is your best source for all things 'bird') Muscovy Ducks hang out near our neighborhood PDQ - If there is water in the ditch next to the parking lot, they are there. Or sometimes they are just strolling through the parking lot (I think they are looking for french fries) In this case, one of them decided to lay her eggs near the door - in the bushes next to the building. There were also broken egg shells. I do not know who stole her eggs, but she still has three left. Although hard to tell the sex of these ducks, I know this is a female because she was 'trilling' as noted in the description of how to tell males from females. She did not like me bothering her but did not run away - her mothering instinct was stronger than her fear -- what a good mother.
BTW - PDQ is a fast food restaurant specializing in chicken - we were eating outside today, because it was 'cool' - only 85 degrees and humid. Yes, that is cool, when the usual summer temperature around here is 90 at 8:00 in the morning. Photos: cats4jan
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Post by jackscrap on Aug 15, 2022 5:07:11 GMT
Great to read about these ducks, I'm sure there are some in our local pond, where they make their nests on clumps of reeds out in the middle of the water. I wonder why she chose this location to nest, very open to predators I would think. I like your layout on this page, interesting background complements the subject perfectly.
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 15, 2022 11:56:02 GMT
The background was created from scrapbook paper blended with a solid color. Same technique for the strip of coordinating color.
There is a pond at the apartment complex very near this parking lot. These ducks are often wandering around the restaurant parking lot. But like you, I am wondering why she chose so far from “home” to have her babies.
She really was well hidden, I was looking around for where the workers were connecting the hose they use for cleaning the outdoor tables. The area is always so nice and clean and for some reason we were talking about how they managed to clean the area. When I was looking at the side of the building for a place to connect a hose, I spotted her behind the bush. I never would’ve noticed her otherwise. Good thing we now always have a camera at our fingertips.
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Post by Lillias on Aug 15, 2022 12:40:41 GMT
I would die in your temperatures Janice. We have been around 75/83degrees for two or three days running and that really is unusual for us. Down in England I believe they have had these temps and warmer for 3 or 4 weeks now. In Scotland we are just not used to such temperatures and when they hit you all of a sudden out of the blue it's NOT good. Thankfully we are back to a bit cooler and some rain.
BTW Love your page and the duck story.
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 15, 2022 15:04:58 GMT
Yep - those temps are really awful. When asked how I stand it, I say - "I don't have to shovel humidity"
When we had bad winter weather, I was staying in, so staying in because it's too hot isn't much different. It's better to be in a hot climate because you never have to stay home because the roads are too dangerous to drive. Don't know how many appointments were canceled because I couldn't chance driving in the snow/ice.
We do hop from air conditioned house to a/c'd car to a/c'd destination, so it's just a small amount of dealing with the weather. However, I have to admit it - this is 'getting old' - my tolerance is waning.
A lot of people here are 'snowbirds' - that's where you have a winter home here and you go back to your home town for the summer. We just never wanted to maintain two homes. I would've always have been worrying about whichever house was empty. We used to travel back 'home' during the hot weather when we were still driving long distances, but now we stay around here most of the time. Maybe that's why we are losing tolerance for the hot weather.
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 15, 2022 15:10:31 GMT
BTW - look at the size of her eggs. They are the size of hen's eggs - then again, she is the size of a hen. I was surprised at the large size of the eggs.
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Post by hmca on Aug 15, 2022 17:24:56 GMT
An interesting subject on a perfectly constructed page where every element seems to be in perfect harmony. Love this!
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 15, 2022 18:00:06 GMT
Thanks Helen - I love nature - especially the unusual and boy, are these ducks unusual - with those bumps all over their heads.
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 21, 2022 18:22:18 GMT
Back to PDQ - she's still there - sitting on about 8 eggs. Thought she would be thirsty, so I filled a bowl and she went right to it to drink. She trilled a bit - telling me she wasn't really comfortable with me being around, but that didn't stop her from having a drink.  This layout is a combo of two templates. Here's how they looked before I combined them: (I used them pretty much as designed)  |
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Post by hmca on Aug 22, 2022 1:02:50 GMT
That's pretty neat the way you combined the two templates, Janice.
Your pictures work together really well.
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 22, 2022 1:25:18 GMT
Thanks Helen. I really wanted to have multiple photos and one template just wasn’t going to work. And it’s funny, multiple photo templates usually have portrait orientation. I don’t usually take portrait oriented photos, so it’s kinda hard to find a template that will work.
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Post by jackscrap on Aug 22, 2022 10:04:49 GMT
How thoughtful of you to provide her with some water, loving this series of the mom-to-be
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 22, 2022 11:14:47 GMT
How thoughtful of you to provide her with some water, loving this series of the mom-to-be I think others are doing it, too. The bowl was out there - all I did was fill it. She is far away from the little pond that is probably home. Do not understand why she chose to have her babies in the bushes - next to a building. She isn't very well protected, either. Don't know what's going to happen if the eggs hatch - it will be a long walk. |
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Post by cats4jan on Aug 28, 2022 23:59:23 GMT
Stopped by to see how she was doing - brought her some water. Nothing new. Saw no broken shells. I know I'll miss the big day, but I'll keep stopping by This layout was made by placing the photos first - then making the background to coordinate with the other two layouts so they would be a set - then added things from my stash to make it less plain |
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Post by jackscrap on Aug 29, 2022 1:53:26 GMT
She'll have her hands (wings) full when they all hatch! Thanks for keeping us up to date.
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