RIP Peaches and 2 Pekin Ducks

Peaches

Last week, just after Mother's Day on a Tuesday night, Peaches was run over and killed in the main parking lot at Lake Murray. Apparently, she had been harassed all day by the male ducks and may have been run over trying to get away. That, combined with people feeding her from their cars, probably contributed to her death. It  happened near the end of closing on the 12th. Peaches was about five years old and often nested near the boat dock.

Here's a photo of her in the parking lot last March with her two body guards.

I also have a Youtube video of her coming up to my car on that day:


In addition, 2 healthy Pekin drakes were killed. One was killed by coyotes. He was one of the three that used to hang out on the east end of the parking lot. For several days, ducks that also hung out in that area hung around where his body was seen. I don't even think that these ducks really knew the dead duck. The two that were with him moved away from the area:

The second Pekin used to hang out across the lake. He's one of the ones who was at war with Mr. Squeaky and was beating him up very badly. Mr. Squeaky looked near death when I first saw him after I noticed the other duck had disappeared, but has improved over the last few days. He enjoys hanging out with the girl with the banana bill and the angel wing. I saw him today and he looked so much better and seems to be very happy.

Mr. Squeaky and friends

Mr. Squeaky

The other duck's friend is extremely depressed, though Arthritis duck, who is also one of Mr. Squeaky's friend, comes over and sits near him now and then.

Sissy is having a problem. Even though Runner Duck and her other friend do a really good job protecting her, she is being harassed by the same two males that harassed Peaches all the time. Today, she seems to want to hide from them.

Here are the males attacking her. She doesn't seem to be protesting too much, though. I think she likes those male ducks, but is too overwhelmed by them.

Gosling news!

Almost forgot to add the obligatory photo!  I only have this one right now. You can hardly see her. She and the other five nearly grown ones are doing great and getting more grass. The big ones are practicing flying now.

However, Squeaker's husband is being a pain. He's biting people in the buttocks and laying down and sleeping in the road.  He might not be around long.

Updates on the ducks

I didn't realize that it's been a couple of weeks since I last posted (I thought it had only been one week).  I have been out taking photos, but haven't found any that were that great that I could write a whole blog post about.

Gaddy is still doing well, but has gotten very possessive with his girlfriend lately.  It's now the height of the breeding season and the males are getting more aggressive. When she wanders towards another male, he will grab at her.  Then, he will walk around her quacking loudly in his cute little voice.  He's also been fighting as you can see from his chest.

Bigboi is having a problems with parasites and, perhaps, something else.  I caught him coughing and gaping today, but it didn't seem too serious.  He's also itching really bad, too.  He was a little slow to wake up today, too.

Cinnamon says to leave her alone, she wants to sleep.  I think she laid a small egg today.  She tends to lay smallish eggs.

She's surrounded by her boyfriends.

And, Big Daddy is there, too.

This duck is acting strangely.  He doesn't move when people walk up and if you try to touch him, he will bite hard.  Today, I brought him food and he was much more friendly.  He has a hip/leg issue, which is why is probably doesn't get up when people walk up to him.  He also likes his food dry and in a bowl, not wet and on the ground (though he will eat it that way if he has to).  I am going to see if I can find a home for him.  If he acts like he's in too much pain, I will probably take him to the shelter.  He also likes to follow around fishing boats.  Overall, he seems to want to be with humans and not other ducks.

There was a pair of redheads, too.

And, finally, Smudge (who looks a LOT like her dad, Pollux), is a popular female killdeer on the lake.  She has yet another suitor interested in her.  She doesn't seem to be interested in him, though.