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I think we have lost another…
I think we have lost another 2 ducklings leaving just 2. Yesterday I only saw 3 but thought I would check again today but found only 2 this morning. Its just possible that 1 was hiding somewhere but I am not hopeful. The nights have not been cold lately so that isn’t the reason, but [...]
Yesterday I was worried all day about the Ducklings…
Yesterday I was worried all day about the Ducklings because I didn’t go down the Slea and went to Welney to photograph hundreds of swans instead. I wondered if they had survived the very cold night, but today I saw all 4 so they have made it through 2 more nights, this give hope that [...]
The Ducklings looked cold this morning…
The Ducklings looked cold this morning, they were on the bank all huddled together. The night was cold but this morning there was cloud which meant the sun didn’t come out to warm them up. At least all 4 survived another night but I am a little worried that I didn’t see mum who still [...]
I was ‘stalked’ today by…
I was ‘stalked’ today by……. ‘Stifflegs’ the Mallard who cannot paddle very well because he has stiff legs similar to how arthritis would affect them. He is only 1 of 2 ducks I feed on a regular basis (the other one I call ‘One eye’ for obvious reasons). Everytime I looked around ‘Stifflegs’ came into [...]
All 4 ducklings survived the night but…
All 4 ducklings survived the night but this morning 3 of them, and mum, were on the Slea and the other one was in the mouth of the Old Slea weir. The last couple of times some ducklings have been in the weir, I have left them to their own devises because mum has been [...]
Last of the Summer wine…
An extra picture today as I liked the sunlight glinting on the water where our 4 remaining ducklings were paddling… Alan and I were joined by Mel yesterday and walked downstream of Cogglesford Mill, on our way back we were told we looked like a scene from ‘Last of the Summer wine’. I don’t mind [...]
Did the Ducklings survive the coooooold night….
Did the Ducklings survive the coooooold night…. again there were 3 ducklings and mum down the Old Slea weir just as yesterday, again I hoped they would get back to the Slea all on their own. Again I didnt see them actually do it but mum and 3 ducklings got back themselves but it looked [...]
They were down there again…
They were down there again, but first I went down the Slea yesterday afternoon and could only find 6 ducklings so it looks like we lost one during the day. To me the most likely reason to lose a duckling during the day is when people feed the ducks and create a mass of heaving [...]
The ducklings had an adventure today…
The ducklings had an adventure today. Walking the Slea with Allan today we saw 5 ducklings down the old Slea weir, we assume the other 2 were still on the Slea, I would imagine ‘mum’ was hassled by males and went down there to get away from them and the little ones followed. Two ducklings [...]
It looks like they are starting to build…
It looks like they are starting to build the winding hole (for boats to turn around) near the Hub as 2 men were in the Slea clearing it just where the winding hole will be Do we really want boats traveling up and down the Slea ? I know I do NOT because the Slea [...]
There are definitely…
There are definitely 5 Dabchicks 2 ‘pairs’ and our youngster. This morning 1 pair and the youngster were quite near each other without any problem so I think the parent that has been missing for a few weeks is probably back. The tide has turned though because I watched the other pair swim from downstream [...]
Last night was cold so I was a little worried…
Last night was cold so I was a little worried about the 11 ducklings, but they all survived. I think their mum is doing a great job as she must have kept all 11 warm last night and she sees off any other duck that comes near to them very efficiently The Dabchick were hiding [...]
I am not going ‘doolally’ am I…
I am not going ‘doolally’ am I because I think there were 5 (FIVE) Dabchicks on the Slea this morning. Every time I tried to walk the length of the Slea I would only see 4 BUT I am 90% certain that I saw 4 ADULTS as well as our youngster. I was with Paul [...]
Just a quick post to say…
Just a quick post to say that I saw all 4 Dabchicks this morning  I didn’t see anything of the new ducklings but the night was not cold so I would think they survived. I had quite a long view of a Water Vole until a Moorhen decided to chase it off, something I [...]
I am seeing more of the….
I am seeing more of the Kingfisher(s) now, it/they seem to use the whole stretch from Quackers to the Railway (past Cogglesford Mill). I saw 3 Dabchicks this morning, the youngster was the only absent one but I feel sure he/she was around somewhere. Here are the latest arrivals on the Slea… …sadly if the [...]