Why have the ducks disappeared?

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Living by the river Tillingham at Ferry Road Bridge for the past eight years, with the house facing a sloping, easily-scaled bank, there has always been a large flock of about a dozen ducks swimming and feeding along this part of the river, down to the sluice gate at the Strand and under the bridge towards Tilling Green.

River Tillingham reflections

Around February this year, 2024, the entire flock disappeared, leaving two small mallards behind. Nothing has been seen here of the big flock since on this part of the river, and whilst the females will have been nesting, there has always been quite a number of drakes who stayed here causing havoc and argument amongst themselves. Where are they? Can anyone explain?

Two small mallards left

They are much missed for their quacking and playfulness and probably too well fed for their own good by visitors coming with bread. Not a good foodstuff for them, as it means, much like humans, they don’t eat the more nutritious greenery, and other more suitable food is now available. Even the moorhens have done a runner.

The cormorants who fish by the windmill are back, there was an enormous fish swimming peacefully down towards the sluice the other night and today Sunday, May 26, two beautiful young swans glided past and went under the bridge. Last, but not least, one moorhen put in a surprise appearance. There are very few gulls around here most of the time, too.

Two of the swans glide past

The dabbling ducks could have succumbed to bird flu, found a more productive feeding place or just got fed up with that particular bit of the riverbank. They are much missed. Even if mallards are the most common duck in the world they have a charm all their own.

A lone young gull on fence

Image Credits: Gillian Roder .

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2 COMMENTS

  1. We have noticed the decline of mallards on the river brede having lived on the river for a time ! We at one time had fed 76 ducks from our garden now you are lucky to get half a dozen , we have seen four baby mallards this year ! Is it the bird flu , a few years ago a couple of us chipped together and brought some Indian runners and Muscovy ducks but they disappeared eventually! Or is it the contaminated water coming from the sewerage works by brede farm ?

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