One of the four ducklings is bigger than the others and tends to be a bit remote (well it keeps getting onto the other side of whatever fence is in front of it). I’m assuming it is a male and that the others are females. I hope so because this is not just about heart-twinkling – I want some eggs!
What Mr bigduckling doesn’t seem to realize is that he is inside the yard and the (let’s assume they are) ‘girls’ are outside and free. He is actually in the yard where Queenie looks after her peachicks and he keeps stealing their food.
I have had a few scares already; at dusk last night I couldn’t find the ducklings and assumed the worst (crows, foxes drowning), but then this morning Ming (who didn’t even know I’d got the ducklings) said, sternly, “So I see you got four.” Delighted, I ignored his disapproving frown and raced out to see them. Later in the day Ming himself panicked a bit when he found them unable to get out of the pond. The pond is a long way from the yards for little ducklings so I am amazed they even got there. I have now filled it to the brim and put some branches in so they have ways to get out. Ming had picked them all out of the pond but said he won’t be doing it again – “The birds are your responsibility, Mum,” he said, with a breathtaking smile.
As I was heading back to the house, I was shocked to see Gutsy9 actually flirting with one of the peacocks. G9 is only 13 months old. I told her off after I took the photos, but she doesn’t take much notice of my advice these days.
I told G9 to pull her head in so she did. Then she bit my finger.
jmgoyder 
Love! Ducklings look so cute.
You would love them!
They are so lovely, so lovely…. Thank you, love, nia
Wish you could see them Nia!
You must tell her that such flirting is beneath her.. 😉
I will pass your message onto her!
The ducklings are just soooooo cute. I feel liking flying over to your place and picking them up for a cuddle & stroking session.
I wish you could just fly over!
You know if she has chicks she;s going to bring them to you??
You never know!
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Ming telling YOU to be responsible for the little ones. And so the child grows up. 🙂
Yes – he reprimands me constantly!
haha nothing can stop the course of love!
Alas! Let’s hope her heart isn’t broken haha!
The ducklings are sooooo adorable! Gutsy-9 is now a teenager so you can expect all kinds of back talk and going after the boys, you can give her all the advice in the world and guarantee it, she will sass you back lol. I find that it gets old quite quickly when the human children start trying out their “adult” wings on their parents. My baby boy has done that every once in a while, the first time I thought “how cute” not so much afterwards. 😀
She is very very sassy!
😀
Oh Gutsy9 – it’s all downhill now 😀
Yep!
Aww yes the family dynamics, mother/daughter with G9 rings a bell. 😉
Very true!
Oh, I enjoyed this Julie. I used to watch the mother ducks lead her brand new ducklings across the barnyard, through the field, through the yard where the house was to the back where the pond was. Yes, some had better parenting skills than others and we humans did a couple of rescues. One of the guests at this bed and breakfast bought a “Duck Crossing” sign and placed it in the yard where they would always travel. I enjoyed this and the memories. i like how you tell the story around your fine-feathered friends. i guess Gutsy is a teen now-you can tell them but you can’t tell them much.
What a delightful duck story – thank you!
Imagine! Gutsy flirting! And to think how close he came to being dispatched because of his foot.
Haha – he’s a she now!
Oops! 😉
Ha!
There’s gratitude for you.
She is a brat!
Baby everythings are so cute!
Very!
Oh they look so cute
They are adorable!
Ming chastising you? That’s rich! 😉
Such lovely little ducklings. So glad you shared, Julie!
Those ducklings …. how adorable and soft – please let me pick them up.
Gusty she has really come a long way – a young woman now .. and no wonder she has fallen for that handsome and vain man. Wonderful photos, Julie.
I just want to snuggle with those adorable chicks! And I can’t believe how Gutsy has grown! And flirting already.
Julie, Now your smiling and giggling like a school girl, I can hear you singing the theme to love boat, gosh it’s nice to see happy. Take care, Bill