Missy and Mister Duck Update

 

Since the last update on MissyMister 6 days ago, Missy and Mister our resident Mottled Ducks, disappeared for 48 hours and I thought she was somewhere sitting on eggs, since she appeared to be in broody setting mode, the day before, spending 5 hours hiding in the grass the day before they vanishes.

On June 16, they appeared and have now been HOME for 48 hours. The above photos taken yesterday, June 17, she spent most of the day in that tall grass. Mister came and went. There is nothing in the grass but grass and duck. She is in setting mode but has no eggs. Fine with me, the ducklings would not survive, because they are favorites of raccoons and we have three in the yard next door, sometimes in our yard.

I have said before, I don't feed them, we have plenty growing for them to eat. But unable to leave the yard, I feared they would not have enough and this morning, on our walk, I saw many weeds next door that they love. 

I picked the seeds off the grass that has gone to seed, they love it, and put a few stalks and one flower in a bowl, you can see it in the first photo today.

I was over joyed when Missy was first at the seed dish, and Mister quickly followed. They would pick a seed, dip in the water pan, go back for another and each ate 4 times. per the internet, it says to remove the pan after 15 minutes from the time they stop eating. I place all the ones I cut in a glass jar with lid, and we will see how this goes.. Yesterday they disappeared and I found them behind the rain barrel eating the tips off my aloe plant, almost all the tips are gone. 

The flowers are safe, they are Indian Blanket wild flowers.

Lest you think I think of nothing but ducks, 😏😏😃 Update on the Humans and Canine, is the same old same old which is a good thing. 

Ducks, Crows and Woodpeckers

I laughed out loud when a  7 inch crow slid down the aluminum pool ladder railing and hopped off onto the lip of the pool

Hearing a weird noise outside the bedroom window I found a very young tiny female downy pecking on a living tree, the weird sound was it is not a tree they peck on, it is green and  soft, not hard and rotted.. Totally different Sound

Found this little one on a Blog HERE

I saw a sweet, gentle Mourning Dove attack a blue jay and a Male Mocking Bird attack a fish crow. 

I laughed out loud as I walked Beau. The silly loud mocking bird sitting on the top of the street light singing  about 20 songs. Over and Over.

I watched Daddy Dove teaching baby dove to eat from the ground and practice flying. Once Daddy Dove was on the roof, ON GUARD, the nest in outside our gate in a stump with tall grass. I waved at him and HE DID A DOUBLE TAKE. He really did.  June 13 I saw the baby on the ground and Beau walking that way and the baby lifted up to the roof with no problem. I guess training is over now.

Yes, Missy and Mister are still here. They have been here 9 weeks now.

She dropped 2 eggs on the pool lip.

Research found, she is a juvenile and probably not aware of what to do with the eggs yet. They are called OOPS eggs. She is supposed to make a nest, and deposit them but so far has not built a nest. Yam says duck eggs taste better than chicken, but I can't eat my grand ducks, ha ha People do raise ducks for the eggs.

I found Mottled Ducks are protected species in Florida because they are native ducks to Florida. We are not allowed to touch or move or destroy a nest. If there is a problem we call Fish and Wildlife.

It is OK to toss eggs found on a pool deck in the trash, because they will not hatch unless she sits on them in a nest. She will not move this egg, but does move with her beak if she has eggs in the nest.

They have plenty of food, the above weeds are growing in 2 pots that I planted grass in for Beau to eat. The grass went to seed and I watched her strip the grass seeds off two blades of grass gone to seed. the grass looks like the front weed, and the two back weeds the seeds have been eaten, and the dirt you see, picked up by beaks, dipped in their water bowl and they swallow the mud to process the seeds in their gizzards.

Missy, the one on the left below, hat bonded with me. She came to the door and called me by making chirping and  funny sounds and when I   came to the door and go out, she walked beside me making the noise, wagging her tail and bobbing her head. I am love by ducks and love the ducks.

I have turned into a bird watcher. Thank you David G.

for those interested this is from AI on affection. 

Physical Signs of Affection

Excited Head Bobbing: Mottled ducks will bob their necks up and down rapidly when they are happy to see a trusted human. This is an acknowledgment of a positive social bond.

Gentle Nibbling and Dabbing: They will use their bills to softly nibble at your hands, clothes, or shoes. This behavior simulates the natural mutual preening that closely bonded ducks perform within their flock.

Shadowing and Following: An affectionate or imprinted mottled duck will follow you closely around the yard, viewing you as the leader or a safe member of their flock.Tail Wagging: Similar to dogs, ducks will rapidly wag their tail feathers side to side when they feel content and relaxed in your presence.

Good Dog Gone Bad (BeauSpeak)

Beau, sleeping by Daddy's bed June, 8, 2026

Do I look like a bad boy? Mama says after 6 years, I am a Good dog gone Bad..

Sunday morning, Mama came flying in the door, grabbed her cell phone and was outside before

Daddy could finish his sentence, of “ what now?”

She came back with photos of a Gopher Tortoise, so excited she could not talk. Showing the pictures to daddy she was in “chat mode” and making plans to have a pet gopher, named Tommy Turtle, even though she said he/she is a Tortoise not a turtle.

Size about 10 inch by 6 inch wide

I told Mama I needed to go out, and when she opened the door I sprinted to the gopher and batted it with my paw, rolled it over like a basket ball, grabbed it with my teeth, it peed on its shell, I picked it up by putting my teeth inside he hole the head was and mama was yelling no at the top of her lungs and I would not stop until suddenly, I was yanked backwards by my collar and dragged in the house. I have never been yanked before.

She came into the house and called the neighbor behind us, which has a jungle back yard with raccoons and possums and 5 birdbaths and NO dog. She asked if they would keep it in their yard and they were thrilled and Ken and Jo came to the fence and Tommy was handed off to paradise. When mama left the fence, she could hear both of them talking to the turtle. She talks to her birds like Mama does.

 

Mama came inside and sighing with relief it was gone, she asked her cell phone what to feed a gopher tortoise and read to Daddy and Me for hours. 

AI said 

Do NOT feed a gopher tortoise, they are in USA a protected species, 

It is illegal to touch or handle a gopher tortoise in Florida without an official permit. Because they are a state-protected, threatened species, it is against the law to harm, harass, possess, or move them, as well as disturb their burrows. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission | FWC

She called Jo and said we just broke the laFish and Wildlifew and told her the story from Ai.

Imagine Mama’s surprise, when she did further research and found It is a Red Ear Slider and a menace to the entire world because it can survive anything, even crocodiles. Turtle Haven 

This means I am not a bad dog,The turtle is a turtle and was in no danger of me killing him. I did not try to kill an endangered species, and Mama will keep putting it in the neighbors yard. HA 

This is a good thing, because an hour after mama gave Tommy to Ken and Jo, he showed up right back in our yard… he stayed an hour and disappeared.

What this means is mama miss-ID and cause the whole ruckus.

AI says sliders appear in back yards when they are traveling to find a pond. Now we don’t know if he has been swimming in Duckhaven Pond or not. Will he stay? Will Mister and Missy have a new friend? 

She is going to call her today and let her know the FWL will not be serving us with a warrant when they read our blog.