Where Have all the Ducklings Gone?

By Corey • May 15, 2007 • 7 comments

I'm scared!

My lunchtime walk in Congress Park today was accompanied by many fewer ducklings then I had expected. Last week I saw three broods totaling 23 ducklings and today I only saw 8! Whether it was crows, cats, people, or other predators I don’t know, but I guess this is why Mallards have large broods.

The other major change I noticed in the park today is that the apple trees are in bloom:

Gray Catbird in blooming apple tree

In addition to the Gray Catbird enjoying the apple blossoms above, I also spotted Chestnut-sided and Yellow Warblers and an Eastern Kingbird, pretty good for a small urban park.

I’ll end this short post with a rather mangy Gray Squirrel:

mangy Gray Squirrel

Tags: Congress Park, ducklings, Saratoga County, Trips

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About the Author

Corey

Corey is a New Yorker who has lived most of his life upstate but has spent the last three years in Queens. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy, their son, Desmond Shearwater, and their two indoor cats, Hunter and B.B.

7 Responses to “Where Have all the Ducklings Gone?”

Marcella May 16th, 2007 at 8:43 am
I think the resident homeless ate the ducklings. They were roasted over trashcan fires behind the library. Incidentally, I think that squirrel is next on the menu. Sorry to have to be the one to break the bad news, animal lover!
Corey May 16th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I’m pretty sure you’re making that up. I really hope you’re making that up. If not, mmm…ducklings…mmm.
Will May 16th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Thanks Corey for bringing that ‘Duckling Pie’ the other night! It was sure delicious, when are you going to get more? *wink*wink*nod*nod*
Larry May 16th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
I saw an Eastern Kingbird doing some aerial maneuvers today on a college campus-they make quite an odd noise too-really cool bird.
That’s odd how the ducks just up an left: maybe they found a hiding place or maybe something is eating them.
Roy Gregory May 17th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
One day while walking my dog around a small dam I saw a duck with all her new brood and counted eight fluffy ducklings.
Two days later I returned to the dam and noticed that the duck had now only one duckling following her……..I wondered what had happened to the rest.
Then to my dismay I found a few of them ‘dead’ floating in the edge of the dam……I fished one out………it had been shot by an air gun!
Hu’ I suppose that’s called hunting…..I bet the lads that did it had a really good laugh……..Well done lads..WELL DONE!
Nicole Jul 9th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I already saw lots of ducklings down at moss landing. I was taking a lake tour and in oak (?) soulugh, I saw a mother duck with all her ducklings following her. U r probably wrong. Tell the truth the golden rule.
Corey Jul 9th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
@Ron: Some people just, well, don’t get me started!
@Nicole: I’m not sure what you are referring too or where moss landing is, but we here at 10,000 Birds report what we see…