Caring For Our Environment

Can you "Spot the Duck" and Her Nest?

Just outside our Banquet Hall on the edge of a busy walkway for both golfers and service carts, our grounds crew were planting the spring flowers and grasses in one of our gardens when one of them noticed something.  Right in "plain sight" but remarkably hidden from view, a pair of Mallard Ducks had built a nest within some of the winter plantings, and they had a large clutch of eggs waiting to hatch.

The nest is amid the white taller plants in the center
 

Can you see her?  See the next picture for a closer view ...
 

You can just see her tail in the upper third of the picture on the left

This picture was brightened to try and show her more clearly - in normal light,
it's even harder!  This is likely the female, based on the colouration. 
The more-brightly coloured male has also been seen and takes his turn on the nest.

Another angle shows how concealed she can be from almost any side

Here's the same picture as above, but with her location highlighted
(even then, she's pretty well invisible)

Note to all members and staff: even though the ducks are cute and look like they need help, PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB THEM OR FEED THEM, as this just attracts attention to their nest from other predators.  What they want right now is to be left alone.  We will be leaving that portion of the garden unplanted until the hatchlings are gone.

About Mallard Ducks

The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a common and widespread dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical areas of North America, Europe and Asia.  It also frequents Central America and the Caribbean.  It is probably the best-known of all ducks.

This dabbling duck is strongly migratory in the northern parts of its breeding range, and winters farther south.  It is highly gregarious outside of the breeding season and will form large flocks.

The breeding male is unmistakable, with a green head, black rear end and a blue speculum edged with white, obvious in flight or at rest.   The females are light brown, with plumage much like most female dabbling ducks.  They can be distinguished from other ducks by the distinctive speculum.

It is a bird of most wetlands, including parks, small ponds and rivers, and usually feeds by dabbling for plant food or grazing.  It nests usually on a river bank, but not always particularly near water.

This is a noisy species.  The male has a nasal call, whereas the female has the very familiar "quack" always associated with ducks.