And then there was 1

Only 8 days ago i took this picture

A young mother with fresh born duckling darlings.

Count them – there’s 8 right?

And now – today – look at what’s happened

She’s got 1 left!

What happened to the other 7? The sneaky cats around here….. Grrrr!

I could hardly get near the one that’s survived. Mother ran around  everywhere this duckling went; understandably very nervous, protective.

For one brief moment they separated – and i took this pic

Hardly much bigger than that fag butt is it?

Fragile life is. Everything is dispensable, disposable.

Upsetting the Gobblers

I goes down to the car park to wind up Gobbler & Co.

Throw out The Indigestible.

Mrs Gobbler is the first to pick up.

Struggling to actually hold it in her red beak.

It looks like bread.

But it tastes like a bit of mouldy old rubber.

She drops it.

Next comes The Gobbler.

Next comes The Gobbler

In for the kill.

What you gonna make of that Gob?

Disgusting. Disgusted!

I thought he was gonna attack me he was so upset.

German Rye bread is an acquired taste.

And best left to Germans to acquire it.

One solitary duck

The light was fading fast (hence the picture quality isn’t great)

Gone for a walk in Hembury Woods. This solitary duck floated by on the river (Dart), heading towards rapid breakwater.

Impulsively, i wanted to follow his headlong glide into the surging torrent. He seemed so small and vulnerable.

I ran along the bank. He’d disappeared. Gone under. Swept away.

Then he re-appeared. He was ok. Been ducking and diving for fish (could a duck that small take a big brown trout i wondered)

Only stayed in there for 10 minutes then returned. Exhausted.

“So much depends

on one single duck

floating, fishing,

fishing, floating

this dark afternoon.

So brave,

so alone

- and so at ease“.

(with my William Carlos Williams hat on)

Duckspick

Ok, i know – another bleedin duck picture. It’s been a slow week.

They’ll spickt you and spuckt you, with their pecky little beakies.

Or obstpuct you.

Right up your back passage.

Careful now! – they’re in a mood.

Ducks in the road

So we’ll waddle-widdle fiddle-faddle along here

right in the middle of the road

- and you’ll just have to wait.

We’re the car-park ducks see.

We rule this town.

(We’re gonna change the name of the dump too:

“Duckfastleigh” – yeah, sounds loads better that!)

Ducking about

I went back to Stover park this evening

i mean, look at all the ducks they’ve got! Bloody Hell! (do your Jim “Royle Family” voice now)

They’ve got Tufted Ducks, and Great Crested Grebes, and Shovelers and….

Mallards…. like this little fella

Happily minding his own business (till i came along)

Splashing, quacking, floating, fluffing about…..

Sticking their bottoms up….

It’s rude that is. Rude.

“Bloody Hell!”….. Lol…

They’re gonna have to behave.

And then there were 10

There were 14 yesterday. Only 10 today.

4 have already gone. Missing? Taken? Eaten?

Well, this was happening yesterday

Cat trying to pick on ducklings too far away from mom.

At any opportunity. The cat was straight in there.

The mother didn’t always know where they all were. Couldn’t keep up with them or keep them in order

A couple of times there were pathetic distress calls coming from little fluffs that had become isolated.

So, i reckon the 4 that have gone have been eaten already.

Several local cats of the vicinity are at this very moment lying around today stuffed

- with bellys full of baby darlings.

It’s the law of the jungle see.

In my car park.

Another 14 little fluffers

A fresh batch of ducks have been born.

Yes, you’re seeing all 14 of them there.

And only 1 day old.

So already ready for life they are. Chasing about like a fluffy blur of yella light

Jumping in little puddles

And yet there’s danger ahead

The prowling around of cats, just waiting to pounce

The mother nonchalantly walks on by, her ducklings oblivious

But just look at how that cat is looking. It’s got “kill” in its eyes.

You’d better watch out kids!

Looking for a gold medal

Down by the allotments.

The Dorchester Duck Olympics.

Going for gold.

And all looking in the wrong place.

Glowy Fluffs

Those ducky fluffs get bigger and bigger.

Must be about 10 weeks old now. Still 9 of them left.

All snuggled up in the night warm.

Glowing.

And dry. Not raining!