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Index of Subjects ---2114655128-1908242877-1317598344=:23760 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Flora and All=0AThe neighbors around where I live have a flock of mostly= mallards=0Awith a few Blacks mixed in and they spend the winter in the are= a.=A0=0AThey have a number of houses where they are feed and will fly by=0A= to see if any food has been put out.=0AWe are close to salt water so they c= an go there but they come right into the=0Ayard if I put bird food out. Som= e will even sit on the door step=0Aand in real cold weather will sit on my = foot to get a little heat.=0AOn those days I can sometimes pick them up and= hold them.=0AOn real cold windy days they will huddle in the shelter of a = building.=0AI was always of the thought that the Blacks were really Mallard= crosses.=0APure blacks were always wilder. Backcrossed birds are hard to d= istinguish.=0AThe Mallards around here are descended from Cyrus Eatons impo= rtations=0Aat Deep Cove. Wherever those Mallards came from, any migratory i= nstincts=0Awere gone by now.=0AIf you feed the birds they will stay - I'm s= ure there is open water near you and=0Athey will go back and forth. Once th= ey get to know the area, they will bring=0Atheir friend the mallards with t= hem.=0ARumour has it that as they went in to a friends house for their brea= kfast, a RCMP=0Apatrol car came by and a collision resulted. I'm not sure i= f the collision was with the=0Abirds or with the rocks in the ditch - anywa= y one new patrol car was required.=0AEnjoy the Ducks but make sure they hav= e a proper landing strip..=0A=0APaul=0A=0A=0A=0A___________________________= _____=0AFrom: Flora Johnson <sagecopy@gmail.com>=0ATo: naturens@chebucto.ns= .ca=0ASent: Sunday, October 2, 2011 5:11:54 PM=0ASubject: [NatureNS] Seekin= g info on black ducks=0A=0A=0AI'm hoping to get some insight into the behav= ior of a group of black ducks that has been gathering on the little pond--m= ore of a big puddle, really--behind my farmhouse.=0A=A0=0AFor several years= we have a motely crew of domestic ducks that hang out=A0on the pond=A0when= the weather is decent=A0but will be herded into warmer quarters once the p= ond freezes. In past years they have occasionally been visited by wild duck= s, but the wild ones always move on fairly quickly.=0A=A0=0AThis year somet= hing different seems to be happening. About a month or so ago, we noticed t= hat two black ducks had joined=A0our flock=A0and seemed to be=A0sharing=A0t= heir food. To our surprise, they stayed on the pond. About a week later, a = third one showed up, and that one also stayed. Yesterday we had=A0five. And= today we have seven.=0A=A0=0AWe get a kick out of watching all the ducks a= nd would be happy to have the wild onces=A0become regular visitors or perma= nent residents. But we're wondering what these guys are going to do as wint= er comes. Are they just gathering here on their way south?=A0Will we wake u= p one morning and find that they've taken off for Florida (or wherever blac= k ducks go in the winter)? If so, is it possible they'll come back here nex= t year?=0A=A0=0AIs it possible that they might=A0try to spend the winter on= the pond (which will be frozen solid)?=A0=A0If they do hang on, is it ok f= or us to feed them?=0A=A0=0AAny experiences or insights anyone would care t= o share will be gratefully received.=0A=A0=0AFlora ---2114655128-1908242877-1317598344=:23760 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:ti= mes new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>Hi Flora a= nd All</span></div><div><span>The neighbors around where I live have a floc= k of mostly mallards</span></div><div><span>with a few Blacks mixed in and = they spend the winter in the area. </span></div><div><span>They have a= number of houses where they are feed and will fly by</span></div><div><spa= n>to see if any food has been put out.</span></div><div><span>We are close = to salt water so they can go there but they come right into the</span></div= ><div><span>yard if I put bird food out. Some will even sit on the door ste= p</span></div><div><span>and in real cold weather will sit on my foot to ge= t a little heat.</span></div><div><span>On those days I can sometimes pick = them up and hold them.</span></div><div><span>On real cold windy days they = will huddle in the shelter of a building.</span></div><div><span>I was always of the thought that the Blacks were really Mallard crosses.</span><= /div><div><span>Pure blacks were always wilder. Backcrossed birds are hard = to distinguish.</span></div><div><span>The Mallards around here are descend= ed from Cyrus Eatons importations</span></div><div><span>at Deep Cove. Wher= ever those Mallards came from, any migratory instincts</span></div><div><sp= an>were gone by now.</span></div><div>If you feed the birds they will stay = - I'm sure there is open water near you and</div><div>they will go back and= forth. Once they get to know the area, they will bring</div><div>their fri= end the mallards with them.</div><div>Rumour has it that as they went in to= a friends house for their breakfast, a RCMP</div><div>patrol car came by a= nd a collision resulted. I'm not sure if the collision was with the</div><d= iv>birds or with the rocks in the ditch - anyway one new patrol car was req= uired.</div><div>Enjoy the Ducks but make sure they have a proper landing strip..<br></div><div>Paul</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div= style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', time= s, serif; "><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', = 'new york', times, serif; "><font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><hr size=3D"1">= <b><span style=3D"font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Flora Johnson <sag= ecopy@gmail.com><br><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b>= naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Sent:</sp= an></b> Sunday, October 2, 2011 5:11:54 PM<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight= : bold;">Subject:</span></b> [NatureNS] Seeking info on black ducks<br></fo= nt><br><meta http-eq