We've had six little ducks and their mother living in the big pond at P2 since July 3rd. The littlest duck of the six became disabled on Saturday August 18th, I was shocked to see him mortally wounded when he came ashore to eat. He has always been small and had a weird strut but he stayed with his siblings and hung in there. Life in the wild is really hard. Guppie is 48 days old today.
When I first saw Guppie today he was visibly walking in a horrible deformed and torturous manner, it was heart breaking to see. It was as though the whole crew of brothers and sisters realized Guppie was not going to make it. As they left the corn feeding area they all paused by Guppie, as if to say goodbye to their little brother.
Sunday Guppie did not come to the feeding area, he pushed himself into some tall grass away from the other ducks. Mary and I contemplated any life saving strategies for Guppie but it was not to be, by 4 'o'clock a little motionless body laid lifeless by the pond. By morning his remains were gone, the dinner for some other wild animal that forages on third-shift.
Thankfully the five other young ducks in our brood are doing well. Today is Monday August 20th and there are 10 ducks hanging out together and schwim schwimming together. Our little family of ducks has been joined by several other ducks that "momma duck" approves of, she chased all the others away. For some reason she's letting the kids party with strangers today, perhaps part of the process of socialization.
I'll miss Guppie, I always cheer for the underdog, his beautiful spirit lives on in my memory.
Good luck next time little guy!
