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Hello @DownMoreThanUp , sitting with you

@AlwaysMyself , @Chasingsunsets , @tyme

@Chasingsunsets My day today was much better than yesterday. i ended having to take sleepers after midnight to knock me off for my mind was racing a million miles a hour, as it does at times.

@AlwaysMyself @Shaz51 @tyme @AuntGlow

Good news the other mother duck finally has her brood out in the open. 8 new ducklings, though they have to fight of the other (male) ducks trying to keep them away from the food supply. The old mother duck still has 9 ducklings, although the crows did again try hard, and we saw a wedge tail Eagle dive down for a snatch near the our dam edge as well.

However all were still with us this afternoon. We now have still two female Geese on nests. Although for one of them, this is her third nest this season,, the other two she abandon for some reason.

Good afternoon @Shaz51, @AlwaysMyself, @DownMoreThanUp, @Chasingsunsets - How are you all today? 💖

Too cute @DownMoreThanUp ! Have you ever seen the chicks on their parents' backs?

@tyme With swans yes sure, such is greatest sight. The climb on and off all the time, with mother arching her wings. We once tried making a photo but wild swans with young do not like it when there are people walking around. Standing still and all is good, but begin walking and she moves on. Wild swans may or may not be accompanied by a male when they have young we found. i thought they paired for life, they usually do not live near our property, but only come around in Winter early Spring time. When our land is saturated, if not flooded, and the fields around our place provide a lot of food, and places to nest, after harvesting.

Domestic geese on the other hand are rather crude and rude with their young, although very protective when it comes to outside danger, they basically ignore their young growing up otherwise. Not even keeping them warm on cold nights. Nevertheless both mum and dad take care of their young.

Domesticated Ducks on the other hand are not near as protective. The females at times can loose more than 2/3 of their ducklings, though usually only when they are first or second year mums. The males are much more of a bother than good for their brood. For they are far to interested mating the females, a lot of the time chasing, and in our eyes basically tormenting the females with their male need. (Watching them made me understand what God means when he told Adam to 'rule the animals,' and Creation longing to be put back to how it used to be watching such scenes. And makes culling the males a peaceful experience for both the females and their ducklings. For not only do male ducks want to mate 12/7 they also try and harm and duckling coming in for a feed. They truly are what you would say - no parent - but rather an enemy of their own flesh and blood. Right from mid Winter to late Spring, even when they have ducklings.

Have a nice day.

Afternoon @DownMoreThanUp! Awesome pics I actually I think all along there was only one mum duck with ducklings haha now I have caught on that’s there’s two mums with babies!! Lol

So interesting to hear about the geese and there young also!! That’s for all the info!

what are you up to today? Were able to fix your chairs yet 😀

Hope you have a good day and alwayssss loveeeee your pics!!! thanks for sharing 😊

Hi @tyme and @AuntGlow 👋

Hi @AlwaysMyself, hope you are enjoying your holidays 🥳

@Chasingsunsets Yes on the photo there are two mother ducks, now we have three mother ducks. One still with (older) 9 ducklings, one with (new) 8 ducklings and one with (new) 11 ducklings. The crows, and hawks have been trying hard so i'm not sure how many are left, but that was the count last night feeding time.

Just two mother geese to go! Not sure if they will still get a brood or if they left it too late. Wait and see i suppose.

My wife said she took some photos today but i have not seen them yet. i can hear some of them outside though. Will have to wait till feeding time to see them all together at the same time.

if i remember i post some.

EDIT (all (new) ducklings still alive this afternoon at feeding time.)

Feeding timeAll our ducklings in threeThird mother duck with some of her young ones.First (9) ducklings are almost double the size of the new born ones.Second mother with her babiesGeese, fowl and ducks competing for grain.Chicks of a new breed my wife wants to breed.

That's a bit too cute @DownMoreThanUp . I only recently (in the last 1-2 years) realised that the chicks travel on their parents back. It's so cute.

Apologies @DownMoreThanUp I missed this one!! 🙈, just found it going through my emails!

ooommmggg they are soo cute I really love your pics and videos, thanks so much!! What type of chicks are the new breed??

haha @tyme I did not know that, that they go on there parents back 😅 thanks for sharing!!!

@Chasingsunsets They are a new breed from Tasmania called Quamby. Good for egg as well as meat production. And really cute looking.

Sadly the mother duck with 11 lost 10 on last count, the one with 9 lost one, and the one with 8 lost 3. We have had a wedge tail Eagle around, as well as Hawks and Crows. It looks like teir young have been well fed.☹️ So next year they can come and get some more.😫

However we can see that it are the young mums loose most of their babies. The other two mums have become far more careful now, and hug the shore line and tree shadows, apart of the mother who has only got 1 left of course. We are surprised she still has one.

Nice looking chicken