That is one of a kind pest! I am glad you posted, it's not every day one would see something like that.

Glad you are not making omelets...while you end up with less tomatoes and lettuce and peas and whatever else she consumed - they know they are in safe place...Rina

Next year you could put some better fencing around your veggies? But.......(and I know you're frustrated)........I think it's pretty darned cool! I live in the woods and have had to be pretty creative trying to protect my garden (and trees and bushes and flowers and.....). So I would live and let live this year, but really try to protect your veggies better somehow next year. Thanks for sharing! :)

She was one determined duck. We tried rope, stakes, snow fencing... Short of a metal box we were not going to win. Apparently there's nothing a mallard finds more desirable than a spot she has to squeeze past stuff to get into.

I just didn't have the heart to evict her once she started laying... They have a physiological imperative to lay to a set # of eggs;. Keep removing them and she'll keep on laying to the detriment of her own body resources.

Next year I think I'll try setting her up her own container BETWEEN the stuff I want to keep... Cuz they return to their nest-spots year after year.

And, it's pretty cool having her down there! She lets me water around her, pick tomatoes, fill my water tank.

alys

I really like that you share the little space you have...Pretty soon there will be whole family of ducklings - please post photo when they hatch!

Rina

So kind of you to share your space !! That's so cute!!

laura

Too cute!

Jane

The Great Eggspectation continues... Perhaps three more days?

I've set up my weather-proof camera now for her to get used to it, no issues there!

Downloaded the first pics and found this one:

Which is funny because when I set up the camera I'd pulled down the snow fencing.

I have noooo idea how it sprang back up:

Ok, I see...

And she has been leaving the second planter alone:

Or, at least what she can't reach from the eggs.

:-)

Well, I got that wrong,

apparently there was activity under her belly:

so far I've spotted 3 heads.

Congrats on your new ducklings !!!

Congrats!!

This is my favorite GW discussion.

If you've got a half-hour or so,

i managed to video them hatching/just after hatching as the sun went down.

I can't edit it to be shorter, but if you want to see 7 little eggheads under mom, you can view it here:

https://youtu.be/ZdcsXdC0KBs

The first couple of minutes or so are a bit dry...

I recommend turning the sound down, they don't make a lot of noise, but my dog sure does!

Cute. I would be scared. Please post pics of the little ducklings.

Off to a life aquatic:

Alys

That is really fast - imagine if kids could walk within couple of days after being born :)

Are they going to come back? - I guess not...

OMG!!! That's got to be the most extraordinary "pest" thread I've ever seen/read, thanks for sharing alys.

Recently, I did see a mother goose nesting in an old horse drawn wagon that was being used for a display by the entrance of a nursery.

My mom tried fighting this battle with Swallows nesting above her front porch light, they also return,and are a bit messy; but what can you do?

Rob

This was delightful. Thank you for capturing this and sharing!

Thank you for feeding broody duck and giving the brood room and board for the incubation period!