Across The Canal

Once Mama got them across the canal, I watched for about a half an hour.

The photo here is hard to see, but Mama and babes are grooming across the canal. The first swim is a short one.

I waited all day for them to come back.

They didn't come back.

In fact, I rarely saw them over the course

of the next 2 weeks.

I guess our friendship was all in my mind!

Babies and Mama On The Move

When the babies hatch, they are wet and weak. It doesn't take but a mere 24 hours or so from the time they all hatch that Mama and brood emerge from the nest. Here is Mama Elsa and her babies on the first walk-about. After 30 minutes or so in the grass, they go right off to the canal. It's amazing!

Mama Elsa

As I said before, one day Mama Elsa shows up, and we become friends. The day she chose the back side of my pool fountain to make her nest, I was so surprised. I didn't know they did such things. This started my research on these ducks.

She sat there for the required 34 days. I counted down the days and checked on her every morning.

Here is birthday, March 2008.

For The Record.....

Meet "The 17's".

These Muscovy ducks live at the lake across the street.

Before I tell my tale, I feel its important to know a little about me. I am not an animal husbandry major, a vet, or any other water fowl professional. I am a city girl from Los Angeles. The most nature I came across is when my neighbor put a goat in his back yard. (that's another blog). ^_^


What I can say about me, is that I take care of things. People mostly. I care for my two parents, 3 Katz and The Engineer. I am a sentimental fool! When I was young, and my brothers were mean to my stuffed animals, I would cry because I thought the stuffed animals had feelings. (what a dork!!)



Before I moved here, I never heard of a Muscovy duck. In fact, we had company from the UK that raised them and told us all about them. Apparently Muscovy's are the veal of ducks. Ew.


I have come to find them to be nice companions while I am out back, reading or swimming. They're quiet and friendly.



I have come to really enjoy my Muscovy ducks. :)

In The Beginning...........

........There was Mama Elsa. She came to visit in 2007. I gave her some bread, and that was it. We were buds!

She was a lovely Muscovy Duck and just wanted bread. I just moved here and wanted a friend. I found one.

Here she is. Mama came to see me in January of 2009. She had a bite to eat, swam away and I never saw her again.....