Chaos at the Weir: Tiny Ducklings, Big Siblings, and a 60-Day Celebration!

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Duck Family 0708F – Observation Log (July 8, 2025)


“Duck Family 0708F 🦆 Chaos at the Weir: Tiny Ducklings, Big Siblings, and a 60-Day Celebration!”

🌟 Overall Summary

This day was packed with drama, learning, and a huge milestone!
From tiny two-week-old ducklings tackling the weir with surprising help from older ducklings, to seeing a family of 13 ducklings celebrate 60 days of life—this session captured the messy, moving world of wild duck parenting.

🦆 Family-by-Family Highlights

✅ Ef6 (14 days old): The Weir’s Chaos and Big Brothers Watching

  • At just 2 weeks old, Ef6’s ducklings were battling the tricky weir.

  • Their mother slipped, ducklings got stuck in grass, and one even fell—but all showed determination.

  • The Best Kind of Chaos: While Ef6’s mother waited below, Gf7’s older ducklings (54 days) showed up from behind and demonstrated how to slide down the weir!
    Gf7 and Ef6 mothers even scuffled while the little ones kept coming. Watching Ef6’s ducklings navigate this chaos together was amazing.

  • Triple Combo! As Ef6’s group finished sliding down, Ff5’s 5 ducklings (50 days) climbed up the same weir. Seeing these three families interacting simultaneously was a rare treat.

  • Afterward, Ef6’s ducklings spread out downstream, moving quickly but confidently—their mother’s classic strategy.

✅ Ff5 “Lost Chick” (50 days): Calling for Family

  • One of Ff’s ducklings got separated, calling out for siblings.

  • Ef6’s mother chased this older duckling away at one point.

  • The Ff “lost” chick waited, chirping, hoping to rejoin its family.

✅ Gf7 (54 days): Calm Nap After Chaos

  • After sliding the weir in style, the Gf7 family settled for a nap.

✅ Xf5 (28 days), Uf Father, Af3 (20 days), and Df5 (52 days)

  • Xf5 was seen waking up and later snoozing.

  • Uf Father was nearby.

  • Af3, with a history of feuds with Uf Mother, was quietly around.

  • Df5 was spotted at the weir, though mother ID was trickier due to angle.

✅ Of2 (37 days): A Surprise Reunion

  • In the "nursery zone," just as hopes were fading, Of2’s family appeared—a first sighting in over a month!
    They’d likely been in nearby rice fields.

✅ Af13 (60 days): The Big Event

  • The highlight of the day was seeing Af13’s entire family reach 60 days old—an amazing milestone.

  • Though they spent hours napping near cormorants, patience paid off: all 13 ducklings woke up together and swam as a unit.

  • A Mother's Success:
    Af Mother has kept 13 of 14 ducklings alive for two months. Watching them swim together was breathtaking and felt like a true culmination of months of observation.

  • Even saw a brief “fight” where a grown duckling seemed to win over its mother—a sign of their independence.

✅ Mf1 and Df捨4 (52 days): Nap Time and Sibling Spats

  • Both groups seen snoozing.

  • Df捨4’s ducklings had some playful fighting.

✅ Tf8 (32 days): Doing Well

  • Confirmed sighting—safe and sound.

✅ Other Highlights

  • Doves and Turtles: Funny scenes of doves struggling to bathe on tiny islands occupied by turtles.

  • Kingfisher Action: Multiple feeding dives captured on camera.

  • Cormorants Resting nearby Af13.

💭 Observer’s Reflections

Ef6’s family delivered classic drama again with its unpredictable weir descents, while Gf7 and Ff5 created an unplanned "tutorial" session for the younger ducklings.

But the true highlight was witnessing Af13’s family at their 60-day milestone. Watching them all healthy and strong was incredibly rewarding—a perfect moment to reflect on the power and fragility of life in the wild.


「Duck Family 0708F🦆幼雛と先輩ヒナ入り乱れる堰攻防！生後60日、圧巻のカルガモ大家族」

🌟 全体まとめ

今日は予想外のドラマと大きな節目を同時に迎えた一日でした。
2週間の幼いヒナたちが堰に挑戦しつつ、50日超えの先輩ヒナがお手本（？）を見せるカオス。
そして、13羽揃って生後60日を迎えたAf13の大家族の圧巻の姿。
カルガモたちの成長と絆をたっぷり観察できました。

🦆 親子ごとのハイライト

✅ エf6（14日目）：堰での奮闘とカオスな共演

  • 2週間のヒナたちが堰を降りようと必死。

  • 母カモが滑ったり、ヒナが草むらに引っかかったり、落下したりとハプニング続出。

  • 大きなヒナが参戦！
    Gf7の54日目の子カモたちが背後から現れ、滑り台をお手本のように披露。
    Gf母とエf母が小競り合いする中、Ef6のヒナたちは兄弟の絆で頑張って降りました。

  • 3組コラボの奇跡！
    Ef6が降りたところに、今度はFf5（50日目）が5羽で堰を登る。
    Ef6、Gf7、Ff5の3組同時登場はまさに混沌の名シーン。

  • その後も散らばりながら川を下るEf6の独特の動きが観察できました。

✅ Ff5の迷子（50日目）：鳴きながら仲間を探す

  • Ef6母に追い出され、水辺で寂しく鳴きながら待つ姿が切ない。

  • 5羽は別の場所でお昼寝中。

✅ Gf7（54日目）：滑り台からお昼寝へ

  • 堰を降り切った後はゆったりお昼寝。

✅ Xf5（28日目）、Uf父、アf3（20日目）、Df5（52日目）

  • Xf5は寝起き→お昼寝。

  • Uf父はマイペース。

  • アf3は過去にUf母と揉めたことも。

  • Df5は堰下に確認。

✅ Of2（37日目）：まさかの生存再会！

  • 1ヶ月ぶりの発見に感動。田んぼに居たようで、久々に川に戻ってきた様子。

✅ Af13（60日目）：13羽揃った圧巻の大家族

  • 今日のハイライトはAf13の「60日記念日」。

  • 長時間の待機の末、全員起き上がり13羽揃って大行進。

  • 喧嘩では母カモに対して子カモが優勢に見える場面も。
    まるで「母を超えた」瞬間でした。

  • この数を60日間維持した母カモは本当に立派。
    今年の観察の大きな区切りを感じました。

✅ Mf1、Df捨4（52日目）：お昼寝と兄弟喧嘩

  • 兄弟喧嘩を交えつつ、のんびり休む姿。

✅ Tf8（32日目）：無事確認

  • 元気な姿を記録。

✅ その他の見どころ

  • カワセミ：堰で何度も小魚を捕食する瞬間を捉えました。

  • カワウ：Af13の近くでお昼寝。

  • ハトと亀：小島を巡る水浴び争奪戦。亀に負けて撤退するハトたちが可愛かったです。

💭 観察者の想い

今日もEf6親子は予想外の展開だらけ。
Gf7やFf5との混乱コラボは想像以上に面白く、幼雛と先輩ヒナが一緒に堰を攻略する姿は感動的でした。

そしてAf13の60日記念。
数を減らさず13羽を育て上げた母カモへの感謝と尊敬の気持ちでいっぱいです。
これからも、たくましく成長してほしいと心から願います。

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