The ducks are wandering..... again

 Male (white) and female call duck

Spring is heralded by many factors.... Here at RectoryReserve one of the prime indicators is the heightened activity of the ducks.
All year round the 10 Call and 6 Indian Runner ducks live happily within the confines of the pen and poultry house they share with the chickens. Most of the day they paddle and sleep, interspersed with bursts of poking around in the ground or disappearing into the poultry house to eat. Unlike chickens, they don't mate and they don't lay eggs.

Male (small mallard) call duck with 2 female Runner ducks

But that all changes when 'spring' is on the way. Ducks that haven't waddled more than 12 metres in any direction for 9 months become long distance runners  and convincing Houdinis, not to mention sex maniacs! They used to get through the vertical rungs in the wrought iron gate to their pen; but I stopped that so now they go out via the adjoining pig pens and down to the fields. Obviously there's a lot more (bugs as well as grass) to feed on down there and, if they go far enough, there is a natural pond. You would think they would fly but the Call ducks, whilst very adept at it, rarely do and the Runners' wings are out of all proportion to their bodies so, whilst they flap alot, they can only do extended hops! Mostly, therefore, they all waddle - the Runners more elegantly than the tubby little Call ducks.
We only acquired the Runners last year. Up till now they have flocked together rubbing alongside, but never joining, the Call ducks.
However, there is only one male Runner duck and he appears to be a timid fellow. So one of the Call Ducks males has adopted the female Runners and is now firmly 'in charge' of them, escorting them everywhere and leading them frequently and often down to the pond. I don't know if this is abnormal but it is certainly 'odd' and always makes me chuckle. He looks so important!!! I haven't seen him trying to mate with them but I've no doubt he's tried.

Call drake leading Runner ducks down to the pond

Meanwhile, the other call ducks are pairing up and bustling about looking for safe, secluded places to 'nest'. Unfortunately, their idea of 'safe' is ill-founded. Pig arks with nice fresh straw are very attractive to them. Several of the pigs have enjoyed fresh eggs for breakfast over the past week! There's just one vacant, freshly strawed ark at the moment but some young gilts will be moving in there tomorrow..... I think they may find an unexpected welcoming gift!!!

The ducks would be enjoying a perfectly idyllic time but for one factor!
They are extremely attractive to dogs - whose natural instinct is to chase them!
The ducks therefore become a "training exercise" and - as long as I am around - the spaniels quickly learn to "leave" them. Of course, the ducks don't know that! As soon as they catch sight of the dogs they make their way as quickly as possible back to their pen.....
There are usually a few early 'mishaps' - occasioned by my being rather slow and the dogs being rather fast to react to the sight of a flock of happily hunting birds. Luckily the springers all have soft mouths so the ducks suffer nothing more than shock! An incident a couple of weeks back is a case in point. When the Runners were new to this wandering business and I was unaware that they were out Gunner found one, picked it up and brought it to me. It was totally floppy when he gave it to me but there was not a mark on it. I carried it to the Poultry Palace and laid it gently on the floor. Expecting the worst. She stayed there motionless - for fully 30 seconds.
Then she got up, shrugged purposefully  - and waddled quickly across to the door leading out to the pond!!!
But all this fun will end when summer comes and the ducks return to their normal restrained selves; but will the Call Drake still be in charge of his lady Runners? That remains to be seen...................