A Mother Duck Fell on Her Own Duckling!? New Spot-billed Duck Family, Curious Wagtail, and Summer Wildlife Along an Urban River

## A Day Full of New Discoveries Along the Summer River

Urban rivers often appear quiet at first glance, but spending several hours walking the same waterways almost every day reveals a very different reality. Every bend, every patch of vegetation, and every shallow stream can hold a completely different story from the day before.

On this observation day, my original goal was simple: relocate a newly discovered family of Eastern Spot-billed Ducks that had moved into the area the previous day. Instead, the search led to a series of unexpected encounters—including another newly discovered duck family, territorial interactions between ducklings, an accidental mishap involving a mother duck, a White Wagtail closely inspecting a snake, and seasonal changes among fish and other birds.

This article documents those observations as faithfully as possible. The interpretations presented here are personal observations made through long-term daily fieldwork rather than scientific conclusions. Whenever I describe possible explanations, they should be understood as hypotheses rather than established facts.

Because I publish my footage on the day it is recorded with minimal editing, each day's video also functions as chronological evidence that cannot be altered afterward. Looking across consecutive days often provides important context that would be impossible to obtain from a single observation alone.

For an explanation of the observation codes, date codes, and duck family identification system used throughout these records, please see:

https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-wild-duck-diaries.html

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## Searching for Yesterday's Newly Arrived Family

Much of today's survey was devoted to searching for a duck family that had appeared only the previous day.

During the breeding season, duck families frequently disappear from view for hours or even entire days by hiding inside dense vegetation or quietly resting in shaded tributaries. On hot summer days this becomes even more challenging, as families often remain concealed for long periods.

Although I repeatedly searched areas where I expected them to be, they were nowhere to be found.

Ironically, while looking for one family, I discovered an entirely different one.

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## Another Newly Discovered Family

Around three minutes into the observation, I found a mother duck accompanied by only a single very small duckling.

Based on its body size, feather development, and comparison with other families being monitored, I believe this represents a previously unrecorded family rather than one already known from earlier observations.

Finding two previously unknown families on consecutive days was surprising.

Rather than indicating a sudden increase in breeding, it may simply reflect how easily small duck families can remain hidden during periods of intense summer heat, especially in rivers containing numerous channels, dense vegetation, and overlapping territories.

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## When Two Single-Duckling Families Met

Later, two mothers each raising only one duckling encountered one another.

The age difference between the ducklings appeared substantial, with one approximately ten days old and the other around forty days old.

Unexpectedly, the younger mother aggressively chased away the older family.

Age alone clearly does not determine confidence during territorial interactions. Individual temperament, the mother's breeding condition, and immediate circumstances may all influence these encounters.

One particularly interesting moment earlier in the observation showed the older duckling boldly chasing away another duck. Yet only minutes later, that same duckling quickly retreated when confronted by the younger mother.

Such rapid changes remind me that social behavior among ducks is often far more dynamic than simple assumptions about age or size would suggest.

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## One Missing Duckling

Eventually I relocated the family I had spent much of the morning searching for.

However, something had changed.

The family now appeared to have only seven ducklings instead of eight.

Whether the missing duckling had been lost, temporarily separated, or simply hidden could not be determined from today's observation alone.

This particular tributary has produced several temporary separations in previous years, especially near branching waterways where ducklings sometimes follow the wrong current before later rejoining their mother.

Because of those previous observations, I remain cautious about assuming the worst after only one day.

Continued observation over subsequent days is often the only reliable way to understand what actually happened.

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## An Unexpected Accident

One of today's most memorable moments occurred while the mother attempted to climb a small concrete ledge.

She lost her footing.

Instead of landing safely, she fell directly onto one of her own ducklings below.

Fortunately, the duckling appeared unharmed and quickly continued moving with the family.

Although the incident lasted only a second, it serves as a reminder that urban river environments present challenges not only for ducklings but also for experienced adult birds. Concrete structures, slippery surfaces, and artificial riverbanks create situations that would rarely exist in more natural wetlands.

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## Remarkably Close Following Behavior

After the accident, the family continued moving through the area.

One behavior especially caught my attention.

Rather than spreading out while foraging, every duckling stayed exceptionally close behind the mother for an extended period.

In previous observations, ducklings often become more independent during feeding, wandering short distances before regrouping.

Today's family remained unusually synchronized, almost shadowing every movement the mother made.

Whether this reflected heightened caution after the earlier disturbance, differences in the family's personality, or simple coincidence cannot be determined, but it was notably different from many families I have documented.

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## A White Wagtail Watching a Snake

While taking a short break from searching for ducks, I began filming a White Wagtail beneath a bridge.

Unexpectedly, a snake entered the frame.

The wagtail remained nearby for quite some time, repeatedly watching the snake from close range without immediately fleeing.

From its appearance, the snake seemed likely to be a Japanese Rat Snake, a common non-venomous species.

Whether the wagtail viewed the snake as a potential predator, a source of curiosity, or simply another moving object remains impossible to know.

Nevertheless, these brief encounters between species are among the most fascinating moments encountered during long hours of patient observation.

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## Seasonal Changes Beyond the Ducks

The river also showed signs that summer was progressing.

Male Pale Chub were beginning to display brighter breeding coloration, suggesting that spawning season was approaching.

Groups of adult ducks were gradually increasing as birds gathered before entering their annual molt, when they temporarily lose the ability to fly.

This seasonal gathering also makes locating active duck families considerably more difficult, as growing juveniles and unrelated adults increasingly resemble one another.

As summer advances, identifying individual families becomes progressively more challenging, requiring careful comparison of feather patterns, behavior, and previous daily records.

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## Why Daily Records Matter

Many important events in wildlife observation cannot be understood from a single encounter.

A duckling missing today may return tomorrow.

A family hidden for hours may suddenly reappear.

A behavior that seems unusual may become understandable only after weeks of repeated observations.

For that reason, I continue publishing nearly unedited footage on the day it is recorded.

The videos serve not only as personal field notes but also as chronological evidence preserving observations exactly as they occurred, allowing future comparisons across days, seasons, and even years.

This approach does not produce definitive scientific conclusions.

Instead, it creates a growing archive of long-term observations that may help reveal patterns that would otherwise remain unnoticed.

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## Species Observed

• カルガモ

  English: Eastern Spot-billed Duck

  Scientific name: Anas zonorhyncha

  A resident duck species widely distributed across East Asia. Individual mothers can often be recognized by unique wing feather patterns.

• ハクセキレイ

  English: White Wagtail

  Scientific name: Motacilla alba

  A familiar riverside bird known for constantly wagging its tail while actively searching for insects.

• アオダイショウ（推定）

  English: Japanese Rat Snake

  Scientific name: Elaphe climacophora

  A large, non-venomous snake native to Japan that commonly inhabits riversides, forests, and farmland.

• オイカワ

  English: Pale Chub

  Scientific name: Opsariichthys platypus

  During the breeding season, males develop striking nuptial coloration, making them especially conspicuous in clear rivers.

• スズメ

  English: Eurasian Tree Sparrow

  Scientific name: Passer montanus

  An adaptable urban bird that frequently captures insects and spiders, sometimes using brief hovering flights.

• キジバト

  English: Oriental Turtle Dove

  Scientific name: Streptopelia orientalis

  A common dove throughout Japan that regularly visits rivers to drink and bathe.

• カワセミ

  English: Common Kingfisher

  Scientific name: Alcedo atthis

  A small fish-eating bird famous for its brilliant blue plumage and remarkable diving ability.

Timestamp Notes (For Personal Use) 00:00 Highlights I wonder how the newly relocated Of8 family is doing. Where did they go? I started from the breeding area to search… but when I reached the area I expected, I couldn’t find them. So I moved downstream and started searching… 03:01 Found a smaller duck family! But…? 03:25 Only one duckling... a new family! It looks like Cf1 with a 10-day-old duckling. I thought it might be Uf1, but the duckling is smaller than one that’s 16 days old, and its feathers are different. There are so many duck families in the river, but I was surprised to find a new family two days in a row! (On the flip side, it’s hard to find them since many duck families are hiding from the heat.) 04:52 Another family with one duckling near Cf1 – this time Mf1-42. 05:42 Mf duckling chases away another duck coming closer! A reliable little one? 07:07 Huh? A new duck family emerged after Mf1 went into the bushes. 07:21 It’s Yf3-37! I rarely see this one, so it’s a happy moment. 08:14 Yf3 heads straight down the tributary. I believe it usually stays hidden in the bushes, so this is rare. 09:14 Watching Mf1 and Cf1 for a while. 13:37 Two duck families meet. Size difference between 42-day and 10-day-old ducklings. 14:05 Cf1 chased Mf1 away! Mf1 had chased another duck away earlier, but now the little duckling was scared and ran off. 15:35 There are several ducks, but it’s getting harder to distinguish between families. I’ve walked around the area looking for Of8, but it’s hard to recognize them in the heat. 16:51 Df Abandoned Ducklings 4 – Safe I think it’s Df Abandoned Ducklings 4, but I’m really not sure anymore. 17:21 Tf8-34 starts napping. I thought it might wake up, but after a while, two playful ducklings swam over and landed. They looked like they were about to nap. 21:27 If Mother is napping… Ducklings are nearby, but hard to see. 22:23 Four grown ducks. It’s hard to tell, but they look like they might be from last year. There are many grown-up ducks, and they’re blending in with the younger families. This makes it difficult to find the duck families, especially Cf3 and Df Abandoned Ducklings 4. 24:56 Sparrow hovering to catch spiders. I got lucky with this shot! I’ve seen Sparrows bathing, but they left quickly after. 25:14 Ducks fly in and rest under the bridge. 26:42 The first duck seemed to respect the others. 28:42 The next duck joins while the first is still there. 29:05 The third duck flies directly in. 30:00 Oikawa – Male showing his breeding colors. The spawning season must be close. 31:04 Finally found Of family! But one duckling is missing. Of7-4. This is the first time I’ve encountered them near the small water gate. Despite looking around, I haven’t found many families this year due to construction and thick bushes. 31:50 Of Mother climbs the slope, but the ducklings can’t follow! 34:14 Mother Duck almost falls! 35:17 She falls, but the duckling is safe. 37:03 Zebra Dove bathes in a prime spot. 38:04 Of7 walks around, ducklings stay close. It’s a rare sight! The ducklings are sticking close to their mother, and she’s being cautious. 40:08 Thought she was going to climb again, but instead, she starts the second lap. It’s a rare moment where the ducklings are sticking very close to their mother even when they’re in slow mode. 41:42 Of7 enters the bushes. I thought she might climb the slope or the weir in the breeding area. Since Yf3 was also nearby, I stayed and waited, but after two hours of searching, I couldn’t find her. I believe she probably went to sleep in the bushes. 42:06 Wagtail encounters a snake! Fascinating!? While filming the wagtail under the bridge, I was surprised to see a snake! I quickly continued filming. 46:10 The snake is likely a Japanese Rat Snake. The wagtail stayed nearby for a while, but flew off after a while. 47:01 Of2-38 blends in with the breeding area. 47:37 A group of adult ducks. Unlike the younger ones, the feathers are more distinct. It’s likely that these are older ducks that will soon molt. 48:17 Tf8 and a Kingfisher collaborate! A perfect shot of them together. Duck Families Identification System Since there are too many families, I identify the mother ducks by their wing markings (three flight feathers) and symbols. Duck Families List: https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/2025/07/0710f.html