Update on Trouble and Peaches

I didn't realize I went so long without updating everyone on the ducks at the lake.

First, I wanted to update everyone on Boat Dock Peaches and her ducklings.  A few days after my last post, Peaches only had one duckling.

I wasn't able to visit the lake until much later and she had no ducklings left at all.

Trouble gave me a good close-up.  He is so curious about everyone and all the other ducks:

He was beginning to get a little errant feather right where the back of his head and neck meet.

I saw him a little bit later and he had grown.  But, he was so far away I couldn't see any details.  A week or so later, I looked for him at least twice and didn't see anything that looked like the duck in the photos above.  The closest I've seen is the duck pictured below.  He's only slightly larger than Trouble and has the errant feather and correct head and body shape.  But, appears to be a much older duck.  I have a feeling that this might not be Trouble and Trouble may have passed on.  But, I know of no other ducks that are the same size and shape that Trouble was.

Ducky Ducky looks a lot better and has even gained a little weight.

The two wood ducks, old and new, are still there.  The younger one is getting his drake colors again while the older one looks like he's not going to be full colored anymore, but still looks healthy.

Wednesday, I found this recently released rehabbed mallard acting weird.  I thought she was sick.  But, she was actually hooked together by a nasty 8-pronged fishing hook and lure.  I'm so glad I asked for help with her because I thought she was sick and dying.  She was unhooked and all the hooks were removed and she was re-released.

RIP Big Bumblefoot:

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine rescued Big Bumblefoot to help him with his foot infections.  When she couldn't find the source of the infections, it was agreed that she would keep him comfortable.  I told her that I didn't think he would live a lot longer.  I actually expected him to live anywhere from 3 months to about a year.  Unfortunately, he died about 8 or 9 days later.  But, during that time, he was spoiled and loved upon.  He died in his sleep in comfort.  His new owner was disappointed that he couldn't enjoy his retirement longer.

This picture was taken only a couple of days before he was rescued.  He had an awesome temperament and loved being with people.

Old and young generation wood ducks

I thought I would post this photo of Doodle's Son, an older wood duck, and a younger one, perhaps Doodle's grandson.  They seem to be best buddies.  I haven't seen any wood duck females at Lake Murray in a long time.

Update on Ducky Ducky:

Several attempts were tried to catch Ducky Ducky who is totally beaten up and not doing well.  But, all were unsuccessful.  However, someone wanted to help out Big Bumblefoot with his infected feet, so he was caught instead.  However, his feet are so bad that the only option for him is a series of painful surgeries that the lady who is caring for him thinks would not be humane.  So, Big Bumblefoot is going to stay at her house in comfort with good food and plenty of attention until he passes away.

Big Bumblefoot

Snowie's baby is returned and other baby bird news

Snowie's stolen duckling was still with his ducklingnapper this morning, snuggled against her while they swam.  But, later, she went back to Snowie's family, which still contained 7 babies, and he mixed in with his brothers and sisters:

When the family moved on, he went with him, but mostly stayed by himself.  However, when he felt uncomfortable, he went back to Snowie.  The other female took a nap and later went looking for the family and, when she found them, she stayed nearby.

Snowie was having a hard time with her mate and her son.  She has her mad mama face on while she chased her son away:

Still 5 goslings in the same area.  They're starting to get big:

One of the goslings has zooming around under water:

Dad seems confused as to where his gosling went (he's under the water) .  But, the gosling was fine:

There's still three babies in the front heron's nest.  The other two in the other nest seem to have completely fledged:

It appears that the two baby osprey that were left in the nest have fledged.  I think one even returned.

Baby Blue and his mate whom I found out was named Ducky Ducky by the man who dumped her:

Mrs. Pekin looks absolutely awful.  She is now the last surviving domestic female dumped before last September.  I hope she gets better.  Little Sissy, the buff, is dead.  

Orange-crowned warbler and one less Pekin

I think this is an orange-crowned warbler, one of the birds I know is always at Lake Murray, but I rarely see.  He was hopping around on this fence.  Didn't seem shy at all.

Big Mama Cooper's Hawk didn't seem to mind me taking her picture, either, even with the flash going.  Later, I found a half-eaten dead coot in the area.  It's unusual for her not to eat her entire kill, but she may have been disturbed by people walking by.

This is Bumblefoot and her mate.  She's very vocal:

And, she loves her mate.  Here she is saying "I love you" by doing head bobbing at him. She was actually walking better today.

Big Daddy thought I had some food, but I didn't:

Today, the black Swedish duck known as Oreo was by himself.  His friend, Aflac, was found dead and mostly eaten and it looks like raccoons got him and dragged him to the reeds near where they sleep.  Oreo was acting fairly normally, but when his flock containing Cinnamon and her boyfriends moved to another area, he stayed behind.  He's perhaps hoping his friend will "wake up" or show up again and, then, they will go together.

Here's a photo taken a couple of weeks after they arrived in late March/early April, 2011:

Cinnamon and her boyfriends (including Stubby) are OK, but I worry that the predator will be back for the rest of the ducks.

Weird hairdos

These dumped crested Pekin ducks are really cute.  Too bad the gene for crests  in ducks is a nasty one.

I would name this one Leia, except it's a boy.

Here he is with some of his friends.  The other crested one is a female:

Hurt Wing is still alive and well!

I think she might have a new boyfriend:

I think this duck is either Neo or Indy's brother:

Lots of vultures hanging around, lately:

Saturday morning at the lake

The two ducklings are still there, but don't seem to be growing normally, though they are feathering out correctly for their age of almost three weeks.

Here is the yellow-ish duckling:

 Zippy, or the black duckling.  Something also seems to be wrong with her eyes.  Actually, both of their eyes don't look right.  Zippy seemed a little tired-er than usual, too.

Mom is very good at handling predators so far.  There were gulls and herons to deal with today, but, last I saw them, they were OK and safe.

These dumped 3 month old Pekins are doing well and squeak-waaak at me.  The leader came right up and checked out my hand to see if I had a treat, but they all left when they realized I had no food.  Then, suddenly, they all ran into the water.  Finger-biter and Chocolate were swimming by and I think they are scared of them.

I found an osprey feather today under the osprey nest.  By law, I can't take it home, so I just looked at it and took a photo.  But, I have a feeling that someone else picked it up, anyway.

The young killdeer, whom I think are two of Junior's chicks, were together.  Here is the female:

Here is the male, whom is very protective of the female.

I did not see Bossy or Neo today, nor did I see the other two ducklings someone says lives in a different area than the two that I have been photographing.