"NO WORRIES - SUPERDUCK IS HERE"

Mallard Duck - 5 Photos

It was a steady stream of Prussian Carp coming down the small waterfall from the top pond, across the wall and into the channel below. Obviously, it's spawning season for the carp, again. 

I pleaded with the Night Heron, who was sitting in the dead fir tree to come and feast.

I pleaded with the Coyote, who all he/she had to do was stand next to the waterfall and pick them out.

I pleaded with the Kingfisher who thought the channels and big pond were better spots to fish.

I sent out a telepathic message to the Mink, who never showed up.

No one took my suggestion.

But eventually, along came this Mallard Duck. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts of chasing the carp through the water, the duck figured it out. From then on, it was chase the fish back up against the rocks and pin them in. This duck literally chased the fish down and picked them off against the rocks (Photo #1 through Photo #4).

According to some quick website research, Mallard Ducks will eat "small", injured or dead fish to supplement their diet of plant matter and grains. It also says they are not specialized fish predators like other duck species such as mergansers who dive for their food. 

Well, I don't know if one could consider some of these Prussian Carp small. They weren't minnows by any definition. If a Mallard Duck's bill can be as long as 2 1/2 inches long and the carp were protruding far beyond the bill, that would make the fish at least 3 to 4 inches long.

And as for a fish predator, the very next day the Mallard Duck returned, swimming in from the same location, again solo. Like me, the duck had such success the day before, it was worth another go. Unfortunately, in the morning, the water was still running down the wall but no carp so the duck swam off. By afternoon, however, the carp returned to their spawning and once more, the duck swam in, went immediately up to the rocks & dined on fresh fish, having already perfected the technique the day before (Photo #5).

And one final observation, there were a number of other Mallard Ducks adjacent to the fish wall in the pond above. One would have thought that with all the splashing and movement, one of the other ducks would have at least checked it out, particularly as the ducks frequently use this particular waterway as a means to access the lower channel. But not one ventured out other than, who can I say, the original "Super Duck"! 

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

PHOTO #3

PHOTO #4

PHOTO #5