Kim, your little girl is really growing up. I'll bet you miss her, but at the same time it must make you so proud to see her being a real duck. You've done fantastically well with her.
Eliza Ducklittle 4
Glad to hear she still wants to see you even if it is only for a minute.
I had11 of my Mandies come for the day yesterday. Only the 2 males today. Glad Duck Season is almost over and that at least 11 of my 17 are still alive.
Thanks, Mags. Yes, I am very proud of her!
That is wonderful news, Donna! I have found that at one time or another, all of my woodies show up during the winter but rarely at the same time. Knowing this, I am hopeful that more are alive and well.
Hi Kim, these guys/gals are quite social butterflies. They hang close to one another most time while fishing. They're lot of company this time of year. Glad to hear news on Eliza and how well she's doing. Like grown children spreading their wings....
They are so cute. I am glad that they come to visit you...even if they don't come up in your yard ;o) Yes, Eliza has been like a child, you raise them the best you can and then push them out the door...and when you shut the door, you cry. At least, I did not have to buy her a car or send her to college! LOL And she was grown and gone in about 8 months ;o))
No diaper changing, teenage attitudes to deal with, homework, oh I can go on and on. I'm glad she comes to your calls and food.
LOL Well, I did have to deal with her teenage attitude. Luckily, it only lasted a few weeks!
She was in a very playful mood, today. She stayed with me for almost an hour and then she swam towards the waterfowl roosting tree. Of course, what did I leave at home? Yep, the camera! Maybe, tomorrow I will have new pictures.
Oh man, I hate it when that happens! I got interrupted in my last post and only said half of what I wanted to, and by now it is way gone.
Lurker Dahlianut chiming in. duckmother this has been an awesome forever thread. We will all always be here whether we chat or not. Eliza Ducklittle will live forever in our hearts. Personally I'm thinkin in the spring you will have to change your handle to 'granduckmother' ^_^ Thanks everso for sharing ElizaD with us.
Thank you very much, Dahlianut! Eliza will blush when I tell her that she has such a fan club ;o) I hope that she makes me a granduckmother! We will see in a few months...
I finally remembered to take camera to "dinner with Eliza".
Right after eating worms and heading toward birdseed...
Then she set quietly with me and watched the other ducks...I think that she was whispering "Nana nana nana! I got to have worms and you didn't" LOL
Kim, is she still working on those meal worms you ordered? She looks so happy, out on her own !!!
Sandra
Kim I bet if you put her up a Nest Box near where you go to feed her she might lay in it
Oh boys, oh boys! We're talking about grandbaby ducks! Yooohooo!!!
Yes, Sandra, she has just about eaten all of the meal worms that I ordered. Luckily, the mealies that I had have had babies and she should have a pretty good supply throughout the winter.
Donna, she is not in the best area for a box. The hawk, fox and raccoons visit there often. Which is one reason why she roosts on the other side of the lake...where we do have a duck box. Jeff is planning on putting one in our backyard by the creek. I hope she comes home for nesting!
Yeppers, Kim, we better start thinking up names for our new crew ;o)
I meant to say this yesterday, but forgot...if you notice on the second picture on the edges of her tail, there are little streaks of white. Well, actually, it is beige paint. Jeff was painting some boards (back in October or so) and she just had to see what he was doing and rubbed against the boards, the brush and the can :o))
ha. KIDS! always getting into paint.
LOL that's hilarious!
Jeff and I went to the lake to get Eliza and bring her home for the night. I did picked her up and she was toasty warm...and of course, I kissed her a few dozen times. Then she flew all around and we called back and forth to each other. She returned and ate some more food and then she took flight again. She flew across the lake to a group of Mallards...and maybe a few woodies, I could not tell for certain. I only knew that they were Mallards because I could hear them calling to Eliza. We returned home without her. She was just having too much fun with her friends! She may have been warm but mom had on 4 layers and was still cold! ;o)
It's amazing how animals and birds stay warm during the coldest of nights (or days) Tiga wouldn't get off of Dave all day long he said, she just wanted warmth and he just wanted to sleep lol! Guess who won?
Yeah Crissy, it is kind of hard to watch those birds swim around and play in the water when I am dressed for a blizzard...and still cold.
Ducks are specially designed to handle cold air...I think that I would like to borrow a little ;o)) I will try to remember camera this afternoon and take a few pix.
It's going to be nice today!! Just went out to get the paper and there is no cold bite in the air at all! YAY need to tend to my garden a little, perfect day!
Yes, me too...but we may go fishing instead ;o)
I love fishing! That sounds fun too!
We got to see Bogey at Terrye's yesterday, there was patches of ice on the pond and he was talking happily to us, while we were shivering looking at him.
Sandra
Awwww Bogey is such a cutey...and sounds like a ladies man ;o) He probably thought that y'all were shaking tail feathers instead of shivering. LOL
LOL that is so cute! I can just see you ladies lol!
We took this picture on Sunday. Notice that she has food on her face and in her nostrils. I think she is waiting for me to give her a napkin ;o) If you look in her eye, you can see Mom and Dad.
Here she is with her daddy. She looks just like him. LOL
awww
I second that. Awwww. She is just the most gorgeous duck in the whole world.
Ditto --- awww. I just found this thread, read it from the beginning, and am completely captivated by little Eliza. She must be the sweetest duck on the whole planet. Eliza Ducklittle, I blow you affectionate little kisses!
awwww, from me too! ^_^
Thanks everyone for such kind comments! Everyday, I tell her what a large fan club she has ;o)
She does look just like him! No mistaking who Daddy is, that's for sure. Looks like she had quite a feast!
Eliza is so sweet, I want to hug her.
Well, Eliza did something, yesterday that she has never done before and one which I dread with every duckling. She ignored me when I called. She did not swim towards me or call or anything. I did not even see her. As I was leaving, I looked between each duck hoping that she was hidden...she was. I got out of the car and she still did not come to me. She did, however, talk to me. She ate worms and we sat together until it was almost dark. Then she flew to the roost. This may be the end of Eliza having much to do with her parents. Jeff has already started begging me not to take any ducklings this spring...he cannot take another one like Eliza. He loves that little girl more then anything!...we shall see...
Perhaps she is with duck duckmother? Maybe her own duckmotherlyness is kicking in at this time and she focused on being a good duckmother?
I bet the other little ducks were jealous and laughed about her having so many visits from her mom and dad.
KIDS--they can be so ungrateful sometimes !!!!
Sandra
Oh I like your idea, dahlia. Lets hope that you are right. As much as she preens me and lets me know when there is a hawk around, I think that she will make a good duck mommy.
Yes, I have heard the others make fun of her. On the other hand, a few have had to tell her that I am their mother, too ;o) Yes, they can be rather ungrateful...and mean to others. LOL
Oh, I can't wait til the next chapter on Eliza Ducklittle!
Martha