Feeding the Ducks
I know I shouldn’t feed the ducks, but when I stand in front of a pond full of ducks with a couple of slices of bread in hand, I am transformed back from an adult to a child…
Yes, I know. Feeding ducks bread isn’t too good for them.
In fact, I probably shouldn’t do it at all. But when I stand in front of a pond full of ducks with a couple of slices of bread in hand, I am transformed from a mature adult to a child again.
I just love seeing them swim around with eager excitement at the prospect of getting a small piece of tasty bread!
There’s a beautiful but secluded pond near my workplace which contains a rather odd assortment of waterfowl including several hardheads (Aythya australis), dozens of Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa), a hybrid Muscovy (Cairina moschata), Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), a White Mallard and Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata) as well as a pair of Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) and a substantial number of moorhens.
I have recently made a habit of walking through the park during my lunch break.
Being cold and wet, I assume that duck food isn’t too plentiful at the moment because it wasn’t too long before I noticed that I was being followed by the assorted waterfowl as I walked past the pond.
So I decided to take them some bread and before I knew it about sixty birds had arrived. Even prior to the first piece of bread hitting the water, there was pandemonium as ducks frantically swam across or flew from the other side of the lake. As interesting as it all was, the arrival of the resident black swans was the most spectacular sight.
What the swans gain in size and power they lose in agility, so when it comes to competing for bread, it’s a fairly even contest between the ducks and swans. Soon the swans realise that looking cute is a more effective method of gaining attention…
With two slices of bread for sixty birds, it doesn’t go far (which is a good thing).
I’ll try and be good and not feed them too often, but I must confess that this simple activity brings a lot of joy. Perhaps I will see if I can take them some more appropriate and healthy food in future.
Comments
One response to “Feeding the Ducks”
I was not going to put an observation on this blog, but after thinking about it, and reading it all again I feel the need to say how very enjoyable it was to read such a pleasant article. You made me realise so many of the simple small pleasures are among the best of all. I feel quite uplifted after looking at your excellent photos of the occasion, and reading about the interlude in your working day.