Lucky Duck
While out walking Itsy and Ginger I came upon this pear…opps, pare -I mean pair of ducks in a rain-flooded rut of a dirt access road. We have a beautiful lake right down over the hill from where they are, why would they choose the puddle over the Lake? Then I saw them fishing.
I surmised there must be something there that they are eating. Bugs, maybe? Or a mineral they need in their diets? Maybe it’s just a convenient source of water close to where they chose to make a nest. I don’t know.
While taking pictures the female gets up and looks towards the bank while the male continues to feed.
She watches for a bit but soon goes back to feeding.
I got bored with the ducks and was getting ready to move on when a cardinal flew past me. I turned to watch him.
A bright red cardinal would be way more interesting than two ducks in a puddle, I thought. I started to move towards where the cardinal had landed and fired off a quick shot. Sometimes that’s all you get, you know what I mean?
All of a sudden I heard a whistle-growl-yip; twig-snapping, leaf and weed-crackling, wings-flapping, ducks-squawking, water-splashing ruckus. In the time it took me to turn my head all I see is something dark, furry and low to the ground slinking backwards into the weeds. I raised my camera and starting shooting. Look who’s in front would ya’. The female. Not that he’s hiding behind her or anything, I’m sure.
He settles his wings and she’s still watching.
He waddles over and looks with her.
I can just kick myself over the whole thing!
“Why’s that, Peg?” you ask.
If I hadn’t of turned away from the ducks, there’s a chance I may have captured the whole thing on digital. Hmmm. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as ‘captured the whole thing on film’ does now, does it?
I think the critter was faster and smarter than the ducks. It lured the ducks to the edge of the puddle and jumped out before they knew what was going on. And that’s why, despite what I saw, I suspect it was a fox. I don’t think whistle pigs hunt ducks. Although the color was right the size was wrong. And are ground hogs smart? I don’t know but I do know this: ‘sly like a fox’ comes from somewhere. Whether he saw me or missed - I don’t know, but there is one more thing that I do know and it’s for sure.
“What’s that, Peg!”
Lucky duck.
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