You can herd ducks.
Yes, Theresa The Duck is back. You might remember a couple of months ago she decided that the grassy quadrangle surrounded by hospital buildings on 4 sides would be a good place to rear a family? Those ducklings perished, we thought due to her being disturbed off the nest by Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Well she's back. Last week she had 9 ducklings, today she has 3. I think a combination of uncovered drainage holes, possible rodent predation and becoming cold while mum is off feeding may have killed the first 6. (If I'd lost 6 kids in a week, Social Services would be round like a shot!)
Anyway, I've reinstated the pond (large deep sided plastic tray for cleaning BBQ grills), pinched some chick crumb from Mrs Glum, erected a small shelter (top of kitty litter tray) and redesigned the ramps to allow the ducklings to get off the path and back on the grass when they get stuck. the reception staff had reinforced the barrier to prevent them falling down the fire escape last week.
Yesterday I was visited by an irate secretary from the floor above, waving a cardboard box and sporting a bad attitude. She had arrived to 'rescue' the ducks and release them as the mother duck was distressed. I showed her the environment, taught her duck speak. Mother "Quack, you OK kids?", Kids, "Yes mum, we're OK, are you OK?" and so on and so forth. after a 10 minute natural history talk she left her cardboard box with me, turned and said, "I'm so glad you're looking after them, thank you for caring."
She'd wanted to knock my block off about half an hour ago! I prefer ducks to people some days.
