Unreasonable Expectations
‘You cannot be serious!’ – seems apt as a comment from the ducklings to their mother. I watched these youngsters for a good 10 minutes or more, struggling against the flow and the sight of the waterfall in front of them, while their mother stood by. I have no idea how she thought her youngsters would get up the fall.
None But The Brave
I did admire the courage of the youngsters, some disappeared behind the fall before being shot out again by the flow. If I’d had a bucket, a pair of wellies and some steps to get down to the river I might have been inclined to do a rescue job. (Though, I’m sure I’d have made matters worse as the ducklings would have scattered and there was an outside chance the mother might abandon them altogether.)
Update
Yes, they did come together again – though strangely the ducklings continued to swim up the ‘rapids’ – then I saw the Drake still on the top section – maybe it was him that started the whole episode off in the first place!!.
—Stephen—
Stephen G Hipperson 
poor things, I hope they survived
Sorry, yes they did – I’ve added an update image to the post – should have put it in to start with.
That’s a harsh call! Wonder if Mum realised the impossible mission and settled back down stream?
Sorry, added an update picture to the same post, which I should have added in the first place.
That is such an amazing story, a real reason to take a camera everywhere with you.
You’re right there!
In my experience, I usually see something or other of interest when I go out – but we do have to keep an open mind on subject matter – today natural history, tomorrow social comment?
I sometimes feel some photographers are “a jack of all trades, a master of none” and it is good to know what type of Photographer you are. In saying that, if you come across a scene outside of your “speciality”, why not photograph it, just maybe keep it out of the portfolio.
So very true. My inclination is towards ‘shoots’ when I go out with one or two subject areas in mind and then sweep up anything else as a snack.
What I do think helps is a photographer’s breadth of experience in looking at photographs or having knowledge of different areas so they can be on the lookout for something else – or at least recognise it when they see it.
Oh bless! They are pretty hardy despite their cuteness 🙂
Yes! I couldn’t believe there persistence – I suspect their lightness and waterproofing kept them right on top of the waters surface.
Nature doesn’t pull it punches does it!!
No! Though I wonder if we are unique in the animal kingdom with our sensibilities and our ‘Aaawww’ reaction to young and vulnerable things.
Observing without interfering is a good posture to take with Nature, I think. 🙂
But as we know, sometimes it can be very difficult to stop the urge to get involved. 😉
Wow, Stephen. What a capture! I was worried there for a few seconds as I hurried to find out what happened to the babies! All’s well that ends well, I reckon. An altogether fine post! 🙂
Thank you, George!
Poor little divils 😦 I’m always amazed at the impossible tasks ducks seem to set their young – I wonder if they’re alone in the bird world in this respect?
Have you ever seen the film of Wood Ducklings diving out of trees – there first experience of land is when they hit it from on high.
I did – it fact I was thinking about that when I saw your photo. As I said – poor little divils!
🙂
I do wonder about mother ducks – they seem to do the most ridiculous things, perhaps ducklings are particularly demanding babies and they’ve just had enough!!! Lovely to hear that they survived though.
Maybe it’s a question of first time mothers.?
(Next time, perhaps she will nest on the other side of the weir).
We have a little artificial pond near the flat in Solihull and every year a mother duck will take her babies into it and there is absolutely no way out for them. Fortunately it is usual for some kind hearted soul to go and get a plank of wood or something to make them a little bridge and out they all come. Often though the mums take em straight back in.
We watched a couple of blackbirds last year in the garden here, the baby had got itself onto the drive and there was a step back up to the safety of the border and they spent an age trying to teach it how to hop up. The thing was that about two yards further down the drive there is no step. I know birds are wonderful and nature is amazing but sometimes when man made stuff comes into the picture it all seems to go a bit wrong.
The nuthatches here are still busy feeding their young (we did get a picture in the end did you see it?)and he spends a lot of his time repairing the mud around the entrance to the nursery. I do hope that we are able to see the littlies when they emerge.
Whenever I see a pond in a place where I might have some influence, I always recommend they place some sort of ramp in, if there is no shallow end as such. It’s useful for all sorts of creatures to be able to get out of the water – anything from insects (that have trouble breaking free from the surface film) to mammals.
When I see something like your blackbird incident, I often wonder if it isn’t just part of their teaching of life skills.
Although, our house is rural in the sense it faces onto an arable field, we have never had a nuthatch visit our small garden. We’ve had the odd the odd Woodpecker visit a feeder and recently a Parakeet has been seen flitting around the neighbourhood, but no Nuthatch – I’ve very envious, I hope all goes well when they fledge their young.
It is fascinating watching them. they are constantly repairing the entrance to the nesting hole, apparently (according to my bird books) they make the hole the right size by sticking wood chip and saliva glue around it and every time is rains he has to repair it.
we are very fortunate here, we have a black shouldered kite who comes every year at this time to hunt in the woods and fields around us, we usually have at least one hoopoe and every now and again we have a Golden Oriel, they are the outstanding visiting birds but we have lots of others and yes, we have a tiny pond with what my hubby calls a wheelchair ramp!!!
Yes, I thought the Nuthatch’s tactic in ‘right-sizing’ their nest hole pretty neat. Most other birds I know seem to always chip away at their nest holes to make them a little bigger, even if they are the right size!
So where in the world are you to see a Black Shouldered Kite?!
As for Golden Oriels – I don’t think I’ve ever seen one – though I’ve heard a few – fantastic song, something almost ‘African’ about it.
You have to be quick don’t you to see the golden bird, we did have one that used to come to the bottom of the garden and sit in one of the oaks. All you had was a flash of brilliant yellow and poof he was past. We are in South West France. We have a place here that is in the middle of the Foret de La Double and so we have all manner of creatures including deer, wild boar, hares, snakes of course, and all the usual suspects. It’s wonderful.
Ah ha! Lucky you!
I’ve only been to France once, but it’s the only place on my list of where I would live if I didn’t live in the UK.
our other base in near Birmingham!!!! still it’s in a nice village and we have the canal right outside so we can still get a wildlife fix. Very duck rich!!!
🙂
First thought? “Gotta have faith!” Something we talked about at Bible class Thursday evening.
Second thought? Frank Sinatra’s song. “But he’s got high hopes, he’s got high hopes. He’s got high apple pie, in the sky hopes” (http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank+sinatra/high+hopes_20055241.html).
Sometimes we just have to “let it go” and let it happen. All on its own.
“And it did! It did,” Tweety Bird might say.
I’m not sure whether faith has anything to do with the incident – as the incident would have occurred had I been there or not, seen it or not.
As for high hopes, is this a question of parents foisting their hopes on their children, the youngsters were probably happy in the lower section, but the parents wanted aspired to something higher.
If we just let it go, are we not just observers – in which case what good are we?
And as for Tweety Bird, in his gilded cage, could he ever make his way in the real world, like these ducklings? Probably not, I’m sure Sylvester would have something to say about that
Thank you for stirring the ol’ grey matter this morning! Much appreciated!
Observers, ahh. Remember the Star Trek mantra?
🙂 – after the day of the missionary, unfortunately.
A difficult decision to make – do we allow death to occur when we could do something to prevent it…..?
I like this story! Admittedly, I had my worries, but a great ending!
🙂