we have a pond we have nesting park ducks living in
the first few eggs were taken by the crow who lives in a tree at the
bottom the garden, it was messy and he ate them in the bird bath, well
he eats everything there, it looks likea scene from ER most of the time
but now 2 and then 4 eggs have just clean dissappeared , no debris and
shell anywhere in the bird bath area.
could the crow have changed its modus operandi or is there likely to be
another culprit, the eggs have gone in broad daylight, surley not a cat
or a fox?
on both heists not all the eggs have gone
and today she laid a small bantam size egg and was very distressed at
loosing 4 eggs
and is there anything we can do to help Matilda (the duck)
if you want any more info mail me

cheers andrew

"andrew fox"wrote
we have a pond we have nesting park ducks living in
the first few eggs were taken by the crow who lives in a tree at the
bottom the garden, it was messy and he ate them in the bird bath, well he
eats everything there, it looks likea scene from ER most of the time
but now 2 and then 4 eggs have just clean dissappeared , no debris and
shell anywhere in the bird bath area.
could the crow have changed its modus operandi or is there likely to be
another culprit, the eggs have gone in broad daylight, surley not a cat or
a fox?
on both heists not all the eggs have gone
and today she laid a small bantam size egg and was very distressed at
loosing 4 eggs
and is there anything we can do to help Matilda (the duck)
if you want any more info mail me


Probably a Fox, they bury them on our allotment sometimes and are about
during the day as well as at night.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On 23/5/05 17:08, in article ,
"andrew fox" wrote:

we have a pond we have nesting park ducks living in
the first few eggs were taken by the crow who lives in a tree at the
bottom the garden, it was messy and he ate them in the bird bath, well
he eats everything there, it looks likea scene from ER most of the time
but now 2 and then 4 eggs have just clean dissappeared , no debris and
shell anywhere in the bird bath area.
could the crow have changed its modus operandi or is there likely to be
another culprit, the eggs have gone in broad daylight, surley not a cat
or a fox?
on both heists not all the eggs have gone
and today she laid a small bantam size egg and was very distressed at
loosing 4 eggs
and is there anything we can do to help Matilda (the duck)
if you want any more info mail me

cheers andrew

Squirrels and rats will take eggs as will things like stoats. Foxes would
take the whole duck, too. You could try putting some wire netting across
the pond to contain her in one area and then some of that very light weight
plastic netting over that for a while.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Sacha wrote:
On 23/5/05 17:08, in article ,
"andrew fox" wrote:

we have a pond we have nesting park ducks living in
the first few eggs were taken by the crow who lives in a tree at the
bottom the garden, it was messy and he ate them in the bird bath,
well he eats everything there, it looks likea scene from ER most of
the time but now 2 and then 4 eggs have just clean dissappeared , no
debris and shell anywhere in the bird bath area.
could the crow have changed its modus operandi or is there likely to
be another culprit, the eggs have gone in broad daylight, surley not
a cat or a fox?
on both heists not all the eggs have gone
and today she laid a small bantam size egg and was very distressed at
loosing 4 eggs
and is there anything we can do to help Matilda (the duck)
if you want any more info mail me

cheers andrew

Squirrels and rats will take eggs as will things like stoats. Foxes
would take the whole duck, too. You could try putting some wire
netting across the pond to contain her in one area and then some of
that very light weight plastic netting over that for a while.

Hedgehogs and squirrels are also rather partial to birds' eggs, though a
duck's might be rather on the large side...

--
In memory of MS MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
Sacha wrote:
On 23/5/05 17:08, in article ,
"andrew fox" wrote:

we have a pond we have nesting park ducks living in
the first few eggs were taken by the crow who lives in a tree at the
bottom the garden, it was messy and he ate them in the bird bath,
well he eats everything there, it looks likea scene from ER most of
the time but now 2 and then 4 eggs have just clean dissappeared , no
debris and shell anywhere in the bird bath area.
could the crow have changed its modus operandi or is there likely to
be another culprit, the eggs have gone in broad daylight, surley not
a cat or a fox?
on both heists not all the eggs have gone
and today she laid a small bantam size egg and was very distressed at
loosing 4 eggs
and is there anything we can do to help Matilda (the duck)
if you want any more info mail me

cheers andrew

Squirrels and rats will take eggs as will things like stoats. Foxes
would take the whole duck, too. You could try putting some wire
netting across the pond to contain her in one area and then some of
that very light weight plastic netting over that for a while.

Hedgehogs and squirrels are also rather partial to birds' eggs, though a
duck's might be rather on the large side...


Let's face it - almost anything big enough to fit the egg in its mouth or
beak could be regarded as a 'suspect'. Hopefully, the duck will choose a
safer nesting site next year, although some Mallards seem to specialise in
picking all sorts of daft places.

The message
from "BAC" contains these words:

Hedgehogs and squirrels are also rather partial to birds' eggs, though a
duck's might be rather on the large side...


Let's face it - almost anything big enough to fit the egg in its mouth or
beak could be regarded as a 'suspect'. Hopefully, the duck will choose a
safer nesting site next year, although some Mallards seem to specialise in
picking all sorts of daft places.

Somewhere I've a book which includes a pic of a couple of rats
carrying-off a large egg. One at is hugging the egg while the other rat
drags the egg-hugger by the tail.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/