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#201773 - 04/16/08 05:28 AM If you build it ... they will come!
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	I always look out the bathroom window first thing when I get up in the morning, and imagine my surprise when I saw THIS!!! I can't even imagine how they found this little hole in the ground - we've never had them anywhere around here before!!! See the poor guy on the grass to the right? He was constantly being chased by the other 3 - wonder what he did to upset them so much?!? Poor outcast! QUACK... QUACK... QUACCCCCCCCCCCCCK!!! (they guy on the left!) Anyone know if they eat fathead minnows? I just put them in the pond last Saturday - got them free from the county health dept., as they are supposed to eat mosquito larvae. _________________________ ...............
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#201787 - 04/16/08 05:39 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
tamara tamara NORTHERN STAR Garden Helper Registered: 06/04/03 Posts: 15843 Loc: NB Canada	Oh, how wonderful Lynne. Such a pretty site to see in the morning. Sorry about the minnows though, I'm sure you'll find a few missing. _________________________ Tamara's Photos I'm the keeper of the cows again.
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#201823 - 04/16/08 07:56 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: tamara]
Thornius Thornius The Bird Man Dream Gardener Registered: 05/24/05 Posts: 3978 Loc: Nashville, TN	Those are Mallards are notorious for finding and using even the smallest body of water. My Low-lying front yard (not my current house) flooded after massive rains one night. The next morning there was a male Mallard swimming around my front porch. I was one to two miles away from the nearest PERMANENT body of water at that time. _________________________ Why a Duck?
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#201833 - 04/16/08 09:09 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: Thornius]
Bestofour Bestofour Patriot Gardening Pro Registered: 08/10/03 Posts: 7307 Loc: Monroe, NC	did they ever let the outcast in the water? _________________________ http://www.picturetrail.com/bestofour
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#201857 - 04/16/08 11:08 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: Bestofour]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	I know they are mallards, Thorny - but we don't have a permanent body of water for several miles from here. When I got home just now, there was one male by the side of the pond - I'm figuring he was the outcast? I took a few pictures and will download them later when I have a bit of time. _________________________ ...............
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#201861 - 04/16/08 11:20 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
JunieGirl JunieGirl Frogger Gardening Pro Registered: 10/13/06 Posts: 9023 Loc: Worden, Illinois	Oh how nice for you--thanks for sharing, Lynne--I will anxoiusly await more of your pictures. _________________________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! Still Praying for Cindy
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#201951 - 04/16/08 07:06 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: JunieGirl]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Here's the best picture from this afternoon... _________________________ ...............
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#201962 - 04/16/08 07:17 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
loz loz Big Trouble Garden Helper Registered: 05/18/03 Posts: 40463 Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...	Who would've thought you'd have DUCKS! Looks like they are enjoying their new home....I wonder if they'll take up permanent residence. _________________________ for Cindy to get better!!!!!
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#202059 - 04/17/08 05:12 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: loz]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Originally Posted By: loz Who would've thought you'd have DUCKS! Looks like they are enjoying their new home....I wonder if they'll take up permanent residence. I know, right loz?!?!?!? Well it does look like they paired off, and the couple has taken up residence this morning! Here they are after an early morning swim, and preening and now resting. _________________________ ...............
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#202084 - 04/17/08 05:35 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
tamara tamara NORTHERN STAR Garden Helper Registered: 06/04/03 Posts: 15843 Loc: NB Canada	They do look comfey(sp?) don't they? _________________________ Tamara's Photos I'm the keeper of the cows again.
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#202122 - 04/17/08 06:31 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: tamara]
JunieGirl JunieGirl Frogger Gardening Pro Registered: 10/13/06 Posts: 9023 Loc: Worden, Illinois	great pictures, Lynne---I hope at least 1 pair stays---what a wonderful summer that will be, if they do. such fun to watch. _________________________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! Still Praying for Cindy
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#202126 - 04/17/08 07:17 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: JunieGirl]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Well... unfortunately it looks like they will have to go! I just called the pond store and they told me "they most certainly could eat your baby koi fish!" And that I should put a net over the pond - I am not going to do that - it's too fussy for me - but I don't want them getting my fish! And all along I've been worried about the racoons getting the fish - who ever thought some ducks would find that pond?!? _________________________ ...............
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#202149 - 04/17/08 10:09 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
loz loz Big Trouble Garden Helper Registered: 05/18/03 Posts: 40463 Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...	What will you do Lynne? I mean how will you get rid of them? Maybe if you just keep chasing them they'll leave---or spray them with the hose? Not too hard of course, I mean they are beautiful birds.....but I'd be scared of them eating the fish. _________________________ for Cindy to get better!!!!!
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#202150 - 04/17/08 10:30 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: loz]
Bill Bill Mountain Man Garden Helper Registered: 08/22/02 Posts: 11741 Loc: Cedar Hill Washington	Are you sure that Mallard Ducks eat fish? I thought they were more into veggies and grains. _________________________
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#202151 - 04/17/08 10:42 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: Bill]
afgreyparrot afgreyparrot Officia Garden Helper Registered: 03/01/04 Posts: 60532 Loc: Cedar Hill	Bill is right...Mallards don't eat fish...so give them some bread and enjoy watching them. Here's some info... what do mallards eat? _________________________ I still run with scissors!
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#202172 - 04/17/08 03:19 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: afgreyparrot]
loz loz Big Trouble Garden Helper Registered: 05/18/03 Posts: 40463 Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...	You know, more than the eating of the fish I'd be worried about them pooping in the pond a lot. _________________________ for Cindy to get better!!!!!
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#202173 - 04/17/08 03:36 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: loz]
jonni13 jonni13 Webkinz Queen Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/05 Posts: 15413 Loc: So. Cal.	I think that is cool. I love the ducks. We had a mallard male winter over in our back yard one year when I was a kid. I have had a lot of coons playing and washing themselves around my pond. But they haven't gone fishing much. We have rocks all around on the bottom for the fish to hide under and they do. They have been safe there. Now when we moved them to the empty jacuzzi while we were cleaning up the pond, the coons had a field day fishing. But our fish are not expensive ones. _________________________ ~Tina It is only your very best friends who see who you really are and love you anyway.
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#202208 - 04/17/08 06:41 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: Bill]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Originally Posted By: Bill Are you sure that Mallard Ducks eat fish? I thought they were more into veggies and grains. I have read on numerous sites that mallard ducks eat small fish, and the woman at the ponding store (over the phone) was emphatic about how they WILL eat the small koi. She was very pushy about putting a net over the pond - I'm not into that, so I'll have to try to keep them away. I'm hoping that once Don turns on the waterfall they might move on, as they have been sunbathing on the rocks on the falls. Otherwise I might have to "gently" spray them when I go out there. I do love all things in nature, but not at the cost of another of my pets... loz - I have been concerned about the duck-poop ever since I firt saw them yesterday. They've already left a not-so-nice deposit today! _________________________ ...............
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#202228 - 04/17/08 08:20 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
loz loz Big Trouble Garden Helper Registered: 05/18/03 Posts: 40463 Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...	The poop was the first thing that came to my mind. My fish put enough poop in the pond, I wouldn't need duck poop too. _________________________ for Cindy to get better!!!!!
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#202243 - 04/17/08 08:43 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: loz]
JunieGirl JunieGirl Frogger Gardening Pro Registered: 10/13/06 Posts: 9023 Loc: Worden, Illinois	and Loz, the duck 'poop' will not be IN the pond=== _________________________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! Still Praying for Cindy
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#202259 - 04/18/08 04:28 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: JunieGirl]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Interestingly... the ducks are not here this morning! Maybe they didn't like the fact that Don spent a lot of time working on the waterfall yesterday? I hope they found a very nice place to move on to, so I don't have to feel guilty about not wanting them to get at my fish! We'll see what happens throughout today... _________________________ ...............
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#202282 - 04/18/08 05:29 AM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: plants 'n pots]
JunieGirl JunieGirl Frogger Gardening Pro Registered: 10/13/06 Posts: 9023 Loc: Worden, Illinois	* This is me wishing you the best of luck, and that your "ducks" have moved on to greener pastures,--so to speak--- _________________________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! Still Praying for Cindy
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#202862 - 04/19/08 09:24 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: JunieGirl]
faerywatcher faerywatcher Twinkle Dream Gardener Registered: 09/20/06 Posts: 3087 Loc: jackson county,tn.	Oh how funny to see that! I am glad that maybe they have moved on. I am like you, I love all animals but seeing the food chain demonstrated on something that I care and tend to is not going to happen on my watch! They were pretty but hope for you and the fish that they have moved on! _________________________ Wendy's photos Cindy, fight as hard as you can for yourself and all who love you!
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#203737 - 04/22/08 09:00 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: faerywatcher]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 692 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	Oh how cool that you had visitors!! I LOVE ducks.. I always try to get my hubby to let me get a couple babies from tractor supply in the spring.. but he says they are too messy. _________________________
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#204734 - 04/26/08 07:15 PM Re: If you build it ... they will come! [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 22685 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Well... they are really messy I'm afraid, Jennifer. That and the fact that they could eat my fish, were the reasons I didn't want them around - otherwise it would have been fun to have them here. But here's a funny story... The past couple of days I've been hearing quacking outside, but haven't seen the ducks anywhere around. I'd hear them a couple of times a day, but the past 2 days while gardening for hours on end, I heard quacking A LOT!!! I finally realized that... it was the mockingbird!!! YEP - he has his whole repertoire, and included in it is very realistic sounding duck quacks!!! SILLY BIRD! _________________________ ...............
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