My New Year wasn’t brought in by fireworks, the popping of corks or Auld Lang Syne, but by the incessant quacking of the mallards on our pond. All this wet weather may have spoiled the traditional White Christmas but there’s no doubt that it’s been great weather for ducks. Usually we struggle to attract them to our pond and in summer a pair of territorial coots keeps them at bay. But this autumn, as the water increased so did the numbers of mallards and last night we had a raucous party of 11 welcoming in 2013.
Yes, there are rarer birds and more unusual species but part of being a naturalist is the enjoyment of the ordinary as well as the extraordinary and although mallards are common, they’re never boring. ‘Ducks’ are one of the first birds we learn to identify as children but standing chucking mouldy bread in the park doesn’t really give you an insight into their habits. I never knew they were so nocturnal until they started keeping me awake. And winter is the best time to see the males' velvety green head and blue speculum. A great way to get through your January blues is to monitor your local flock for the first brood of ducklings. But be warned - they may end up the same way as Jemima’s, as female ducks seem to be fairly casual mothers.
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