The Seemingly Lost Duck Outside My Apartment
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A bit ago I saw a seemingly lost duck outside my apartment out in front. Then I heard a loud shrill quacking noise.
It wasn’t a “hi there, how are you” type of quack. It was more of a startled “I need help” quack.
So I got up and walked outside to my small front porch, and there just beyond my car was a duck.
I walked slowly toward it, talking to it in what I considered a “motherly” tone of voice. “Are you lost, little duck?”
It turned and started walking in the opposite direction. I figured it was headed to the swimming pool. And when I looked just beyond it I saw another duck swimming in the pool.
The duck didn’t appear to be startled or afraid of me.
I followed behind it until it was in view of the pool again. And then it flew up and over the railing and into the pool with a friend.
I was surprised to see just two ducks. Normally there are a lot more of them. I hear them quacking and flying over my roof a couple of times per day.
Charlie’s Acupuncture Appointment:
Then I took Charlie to his acupuncture appointment. When I began driving the duck was right in front of me. I sat and waited until it meandered out of the way.
When I came back the duck was once again roaming around the parking lot. I walked behind it until it went back into the pool with its friend.
Am I going to become the duck herder?
The ducks apparently consider this their home. They fly here and there but always end up back here.
It drives the maintenance man crazy that the ducks get in the pool.
Ducks Are Unable To Fly Out Of Swimming Pool:
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that I linked to above, ducks cannot fly out of the pool or step up over the high ledge. And they can drown if they become too exhausted trying to get out of the pool.
So if you find a duck in your pool, provide some sort of ramp for it to get out of the pool. It must be something that isn’t too slippery that they can walk up.
Also, if you have a gate around your pool, open it so they can make a quick exit.
Brenda, I hate to say this but it looks like there is only one duck and one swan. Is there another duck somewhere?
No, I didn’t see one anywhere and I was looking. Maybe that’s why the duck was so upset.
That’s not a swan. It’s a male mallard duck and the female is on the left.
I agree with Cathy. That’s a male mallard on the pool and the female is the brown one. I have them on my pond all the time and I’m sure those are mallards.
That’s a male and a female duck. Swans look very different and are much larger.
Unless I have a different picture I do not see a Swan? I see a pair of Mallards – a male and female. Swans have very long necks and are much larger then ducks.
Love it..sweet story!!!…and sounds like you are the “duck whisperer”.. :0)
What a nice story about the ducks. There is a river behind my house and there are very pretty black and white ducks living on the river’s edge!
Mr & Mrs probably having a spat, as mates do, and she stormed off to teach him a lesson (lol).
I would take the story about the ducks belonging to a former tenant who were abandoned when the tenant moved with a grain of salt 🙂 I looked up Mallard ducks on the internet and found out that they are the most “gregarious” of ducks, they “talk” a lot and are friendly around humans. They mate for a season, but do not mate for life. They like to visit swimming pools and kiddie pools. You may have a mating pair visiting for the season, there may be a nest hidden behind some shrubs or hidden behind tall grasses and other growth.
Point taken.
What a cute story about the ducks! I bet there are others around that weren’t visible to you while you were out there. I thought of you when I was out walking with Cooper earlier this morning. I heard unusual ‘chirping’ from a bird up in a nearby tree. The chirping sounded like a clanging bell – very interesting and unusual. Held me captivated for a couple of minutes because I wanted to continue listening to it.
Oh how lovely, any wildlife that comes my way gives me pleasure . In our last house we had a pond and one day I saw a mother duck and 6 of her babies come into the garden and head straight for the pond, they didn’t stay or return as it was a very small pond but it certainly brightened my day.
They probably have a nest nearby the complex too. Glad you herd them out of the parking lot. Not safe there for them. Happy New Week.