I see you

Bean was fascinated by a male Paradise Shelduck swimming in her pond this afternoon. 

He was quacking loudly and paddling in circles; quite clearly trying to persuade Bean to chase him so he could lead her away from his clutch of ducklings, which were hidden in the waterside bushes way off to our left. 

Bean watched for a while, decided he wasn’t interesting and came to sit on my feet. The Shelduck then sailed past us and reunited with his mate and the ducklings. 

At this point the female decided we were a risk after all and she ‘limped’ over the pond and into the paddock, where she ran and stumbled up the slope with wings flapping pathetically, in apparent distress. This did attract Bean’s attention and she gave chase.

It was a few minutes of fascinating animal behaviour. 

Bean takes not a jot of interest in Paradise Shelduck most of the year, but as soon as this carry-on starts, she’s all ears and running legs and enthusiasm. It makes me wonder if the ducks release some kind of a distress aroma, as well as behaving differently.

The weather has done a real flip this afternoon. From sunshine and 26C it dropped to 14C in a southerly bringing rain laced with hail. Thunderstorms are promised too.