When she read about the demise of Mrs. Mallard and my lack of good photos of her, my friend came to the rescue. Last year, while I was living in Saskatchewan and missing my animals she took video footage of my critters with her camera and, lucky for me, she still had them on her computer. The above clip has Mrs. Mallard holding forth in the background. Several people have asked about the ‘Howling Duck’ and it is Mrs. Mallard’s voice which gave the name to the ranch. On the morning that a cougar bellied up to the goat pen and contemplated breakfast, it was her enraged voice that pitched me out of bed like a rocket from its launch-pad in realization that something must be terribly wrong. While not the glorious photo of her that I wish I had, it encapsulates the familiar sound that is mourned for and missed here on the farm.
Below is a clip of the ducks that used to live here on the farm. Some of them we ate, some of them were taken by foxes and the two big black Muscovy drakes (one of them jumps through the water dish) I butchered and took to the Rod and Gun Club fundraiser dinner and dance. Mrs. Mallard is the only Mallard duck in the bunch and keeps at the back of the bunch in the video. Since the untimely death of Mrs. Mallard a few days ago we no longer have ducks on the farm.
Awww Poor Mrs Mallard
We all Miss her terribly
Its very sad for your loss
Will you get more duck in the future?
Mitch
I don’t know if I’ll get more ducks. The Muscovys were brought over to us as babies as a surprise house warming present. Who could turn away six baby ducks? And Mr and Mrs Mallard were someone’s pets from about 400 kilometers away who needed to find them a home. They were delivered by the regional freight truck and arrived one Friday night at about midnight! So, I never really planned to have ducks. However, I now really miss them and find myself looking for Mrs Mallard on the pond. It seems so empty without her.
Oh, this makes me miss my duckies…
Poor Mrs Mallard – what a character.
I don’t know where I’d be without my Indian Runners, they always put a smile on my face! I need to sneak an egg or two under one of the broody hens, I’d love some more ducks.