Brian the Drake - RIP

Brain and his sister

We have ducks - and apart from their lack of intelligence, wander round the place, hopefully eating bugs, grubs and other potentially unpleasant things.

But when we came to lock them up  for the night  ( just so that they can remember where to lay their eggs )  we  were one short.

And not difficult to find


















Lots of feathers around the place - and then a carcass . If you are of a senstibvei disposition , avoid  the next couple of photos

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last year we lost a duck to otters in the past.

So tis could be an otter again. But the other possibility is a stoat . there is facebook group  for stoats in Orkney, to report sightings and spread.

and another

and behind a tree I found this . It's not one of our current lot. Ive no idea how long it has been there .

And close to some water, so it's likely an otter  had something to do with this.

or it might have been a stoat. There is an increasing problem with stoats. Details can be found here 

we found the duck

A few days ago one of  our ducks went missing. We did wonder if it was  AWOL, as a duck has been before and would reappear in a month or so , with a few additions.

But we found the missing duck

See it ?




Heres a close-up .

Of the wings

And  bit further on,  the legs

If it was an otter that killed the duck, why would its body be in bits and so far from the water. So perhaps its was caught and killed by an  otter and then a scavenger - a raven or crow - has taken the remains and scattered them about. 

Anyway , we are one duck fewer . 

the duck that went AWOL

Dense undergrowth 

We've had a problem over the last few weeks with one of the ducks persistently escaping after they have been fed and locked up for the night . And we have found  out why. 

She has been broody, made a nest  and may be sitting on some eggs. 

If we look  closely in the dense undergrowth 

You can see a duck !


And if we loiter between about 1810 and 1845 every day we can capture the proof.  She comes out feeds, has a little dip in the pond and then goes back

So in a week or two, we may have a few additions to the crowd. 

Of course she could be following the example of the gees and either sitting on a plate  or sitting on a pile of leaves.