or rather she chose us, to stay on as a pet. She was the only one born with that particular brown colouring, and a very pretty duck she is indeed.
Her father was Mikey, a rescued duck who appeared at my friend's front porch, tapping on the door.
A big pure white Muscovy, he had a gentle personality. Although we had said "No more ducks" he won us over. He would follow us around the yard, happily bathing in the pond, eating from our hands.
At the end of summer when the wild mallards and wood ducks flew off, he made an attempt to go with them. Now Muscovies can fly, but not very well, and certainly not far, at least not the domesticated variety. He made it to the neighbour's acreage, but took a good half hour to waddle back home, where he proceeded to sleep the rest of the day.
I thought it too sad to keep only one male muscovy, so arranged to go up Island to pick up a couple of girls to keep him company. Martha was a lavender grey, and Matilda was a fawn colour.
Matilda and Martha soon filled a nest with eggs, and Matilda hatched out 17 ducklings. Well that was way too many to keep, so they were destined for the freezer after 5 months of free range life. All except Bronwyn.
Matilda died at about 5 years old. Martha was taken by a raccoon when the snow toppled a fence.
And just about a month ago, Mikey came up on the back porch, looking in the door at me one morning
and then made his way into the duck house where he laid down and passed away.
I now at a crossroads. Should I get another Muscovy to keep Bronwyn company? Or should I let her live out her life with the wild mallards and the chickens for company? She has taken to flying up and sitting on a big limb in the maple tree. I wonder is it because she feels less safe without another duck around? I shall watch her carefully as spring starts to unfold and decide about more ducks once summer is here.
