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Author Topic: What happens if you encourage ducks  (Read 2322 times)

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Offline whiskyb

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What happens if you encourage ducks
« on: April 07, 2010, 02:39:28 PM »
Last week I mentioned about encouraging a pair of mallard ducks to stick around. Today I looked out my bedroom window and at the top of my waterfall is a new visitor! I heard the ducks leave moments before looking out so I imagine they noticed him first. I guess the only good thing is that if the fox is hanging around the mink and heron might not show up to steal my fish
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Offline Kittyzee

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2010, 04:16:32 PM »
Oh how lucky are you!  :) I love foxes but don't see them much at all anymore due to the coyote population here.  Coyotes have run them out for now.  What a great picture that is too! 

That is for sure the deal with the mink and the heron, might be sweet to have him stick around for a while.  I bought the granddaughters a DVD called "The Fox and the Child"--$5.00 at WalMart for something to watch one afternoon.   It turned out to be such a good teaching movie and the photography is just stunning!   8)
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Offline PondmaninAL

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2010, 04:21:41 PM »
One problem with the fox hanging around. No nesting Mallards. The fox will eat the eggs. :(
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Offline whiskyb

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2010, 04:48:16 PM »
I did a google search on "red fox diet" and see that they eat mollusks ,crayfish and small fish. I never would have imagined a fox going into the water in search of food.I guess it all depends on how hungry it is though. I do have besides the mallards a healthy population of moles that would interest him as well. Kinda nice to see for a change, tonight as I was out on the deck deep frying some chicken wings all I could think of was the fox lurking in the bush's licking his chops!
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Offline miguynmkoi

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2010, 04:53:17 PM »
Wow!  Great shot of your fox and your waterfall! 
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Offline Pa Nancy

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2010, 05:33:30 PM »
A family of ducks in your pond means BIG time pooping and messing your pond up.
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Offline LynneNY

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2010, 06:34:48 PM »
Quote from: Pa Nancy on April 07, 2010, 05:33:30 PM
A family of ducks in your pond means BIG time pooping and messing your pond up.

Exactly what I was going to say!!!  We had 5 mallards in our pond the first year it was filled with water and while I enjoyed watching them I had to chase them away for fear of the messes that would soon come.

Your picture of the fox is wonderful.  O0 We had a red fox in our yard about 2 months ago, sunning in the one spot of yard that was not covered in snow.  Such a nice sight to see.
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Offline emm

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2010, 03:18:00 AM »
Wow, that is some waterfall!  Beautiful setting you have too, no wonder all the animals come to visit.

emm
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Offline Kittyzee

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2010, 04:29:13 AM »
A fox is an opportunist and will eat anything they can, because they have to to live.  I can't imagine a fox diving into a deep pond looking for fish, I may be 100% wrong.  But little pockets of water that hold crawdads, small minnows, streams that they can find little tidbits to eat.  Mice, voles, moles and birds, even dead stuff laying around.  But I can't imagine a fox hanging around a man-made pond for dinner.  Just my opinion again.   ;)
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LuAnn

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Offline Kat

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2010, 04:30:15 AM »
Wonderful picture.  Hope the fox doesn't get too many snacks from your pond.
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Offline whiskyb

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2010, 06:27:36 AM »
That picture shows about the top half of the falls, their set on a timer and would have been coming on very shortly after the picture was taken. Hopefully I can get a shot of him again with the water flowing
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Offline Indiana Karen

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2010, 08:15:42 AM »
I love this picture.  :o  Hope you can get another one with the water flowing!
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Offline Mikey

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2010, 10:39:07 AM »
Cats seem to prefer moving water to drink.  I'm wondering if perhaps the fox has been to the waterfall before when the waterfall was running and perhaps also prefers running water......  In any event, great photo of your new visitor.  "Build it and they will come...."
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Offline whiskyb

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2010, 02:00:19 PM »
I guess he is almost sitting their thinking to himself "where did the water go" 
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Offline Julles

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2010, 09:17:23 PM »
That is really something!  I get so used to living in the city, and seeing only "normal" wild animals on TV, I can hardly believe that animals like that actually exist, and so close to where people live!
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Offline perplexed ponder

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Re: What happens if you encourage ducks
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2010, 11:23:01 AM »
WOW! What a great shot! We have foxes in the neighborhood (the neighbors say) but I have never seen one. I'd love to have one come!

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