Duck pics

I borrowed the camera from work. I couldn't stand not being able to take duck pictures.
Yes, I know. Duck duck duck. It's all I talk about.

Okay, so here are my ducks. They got bigger, huh? Yes, it's been two weeks since we got them and they are at least three times the size they were. They have just started to get their feathers. They feel all prickly on their chests and tummies when you pick them up -- feather pins coming in. Seems like that would have to itch, doesn't it?

The one on the left is Pong. The one on the right with the Don King hairdo is Ping. Yes, that fuzzy thing is attached to his head. It's not something sticking up off of Pong from behind him.

Here's another photo. That's Ping on the right. See? It's still there. Looks like Ping is going to have a crest! This cracks me up because crested ducks are really cute and funny looking. (Look 'em up online if you don't believe me. http://www.metzerfarms.com/wht_crest.htm

It's just the luck of the draw what ducklings you get. We chose the two Grayson could catch. I love it that one is crested.

I have to admit, though, that I'm ready for them to move outdoors full time. Man, ducks poop A LOT. They outgrew their box and now I am attempting to keep them corralled in the Red Room and covering the floor with paper. Today they did the majority of their pooping on the part of the floor that was not covered -- right by the door. So tonight I have reconfigured the Gulag of boxes, bikes, boards and tipped over tables that contains them so that they cannot get to any uncovered floor. Still, it's a huge mess and has to be cleaned up twice a day.

They can't stay out all night until they get their feathers, and until they get large enough to defend themselves against a marauding cat (like Oscar, who lives next door). So, for another week at least, they are indoor ducks.

When I get home, I take them out to the garden and we hang out together for a while. They have a pool now, and they love to swim and forage and waddle around pooping on things and tasting everything. They have a particular weakness for purslane and rose moss. My poor purslane plants are pecked half to death. But they also love a particular type of weed, so that about evens it out.

I like to watch them. I love their funny eyelids that close from the bottom up. They also have a second eyelid that is transparent and works like a windshield washer underneath their main eyelid. They close it up when they're going underwater.

And I love their dinosaur feet. Anyone who doubts the evolution of birds from dinosaurs should get a load of these feet.

They are funny and curious and completely unselfconscious. Ping routinely falls off of things and gets stuck on his back, peeping like crazy and kicking his dinosaur feet in the air. They follow me everywhere and peep for me if I go out of sight. And they run to me when I call them, peeping and slapping the ground with their feet. I'm completely crazy about these silly, funny, sweet ducks.