Originally Posted by PerryNZ
Originally Posted by anthropic
You must have a lot fewer predators than we do here in the US. Dogs, cats, coyotes, opossums, raccoons, wild pigs, etc, etc, would make raising a duck family on shore a perilous & probably futile endeavour.
We don't have raccoons or coyotes in NZ. The rest of your list: yes. Rats, mustelids* and hawks are predators here, but Trevor keeps her eye on the sky and I have plenty of cover (tree canopy). I have many rat bait stations around, too, plus one ferret trap.
Originally Posted by anthropic
Can't speak for everybody else on PB, but our little pond place in the woods of east Texas was a true blessing, a refuge in time of panic.
Sounds like a multi-faceted sanctuary.

Do tell an ignoramus from far away: what are the hieroglyphics in your signature? confused

* Ferrets, stoats, weasels.

Sounds good, Perry. Raccoons in particular are extremely common here and death on any eggs they can reach. They can swim, too, and have cleared out goose eggs on our island. Don't mind that, to be honest, but I hate the thought of them getting duck eggs. At our place we've chosen to leave any non-dangerous dead trees alone, as wood ducks can pretty safely use holes for nests. Eagles like them for vantage point, also.

I use hieroglyphics because I want a written record of pond history, including stocking. Signature space is limited, so abbreviated. But I'm writing for and to myself, so it's okay.

Last edited by anthropic; 01/02/21 11:46 PM.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160