A duckling repeatedly attempted to climb a fast-flowing weir while its mother returned again and again instead of abandoning it. Elsewhere along the same urban river, a family of 63-day-old Eastern Spot-billed Ducks began flying in small groups, providing a rare opportunity to document the transition from dependent ducklings to mobile juvenile birds.
This field record was filmed on July 11, 2025. It is part of my continuing daily documentation of wild duck families, birds, fish, and other animals living in a heavily modified urban river environment.
I am not a professional ornithologist or animal behavior specialist. The interpretations below are those of an amateur observer based on repeated field observations, identifiable individual mothers, family composition, video evidence, and comparisons with events recorded on previous and subsequent days. Where identification or behavioral interpretation remains uncertain, I have stated that uncertainty rather than presenting speculation as fact.
A 63-Day-Old Duck Family Returns to the Rearing Area
At 03:01, I encountered a large group of juvenile Eastern Spot-billed Ducks accompanied by an adult female.
Based on their number, age, location, and the appearance of the mother, I identified them as the Af family at approximately 63 days old. I could confirm at least 11 juveniles, although I could not determine whether all 13 surviving young were present.
Among the families monitored during this season, Af was the only known family that had raised eight or more ducklings to this advanced stage. This made the identification highly likely, although I continued looking for clearer visual evidence.
It was encouraging to see them return to an area associated with their earlier development. At this age, the juveniles were no longer moving as a tightly organized brood at all times. Some remained near the mother, some rested separately, and others appeared to move around in smaller groups.
This gradual loosening of the family unit may reflect increasing independence as the young develop stronger flight ability and begin exploring a wider section of the river.
The First Group Flight Observed This Season
At 06:18, a group of ducks flew together over the river.
I could not prove their identity from this brief flight alone, but their number and proximity to the Af family suggested that they were probably Af juveniles. This was the first coordinated group flight of young ducks that I had observed during the 2025 breeding season.
Later events provided stronger evidence that at least some Af juveniles had begun flying regularly between different parts of the river.
The family did not always travel as one complete group. Several juveniles appeared to fly relatively long distances downstream, while smaller groups moved independently around the weir area. This made it difficult to confirm all 13 birds simultaneously, even though the combined number of probable Af juveniles observed in different places was consistent with the known brood size.
Such dispersed movement creates an important identification challenge. Once juvenile ducks can fly, location alone is no longer reliable evidence of family identity. Birds raised in other areas may also enter the observation zone.
For this reason, I treated several sightings as probable rather than confirmed.
Two 40-Day-Old Ducklings Approach the Weir
At 06:29, the Of family appeared, consisting of the mother and two approximately 40-day-old ducklings.
They were swimming directly upstream toward the weir.
Heavy rain had fallen during the previous night. Since this family had recently spent much of its time above the weir, I considered the possibility that they had moved or been carried downstream during the increased flow. Their upstream movement suggested that they might attempt to return to the upper section.
At 08:00, the ducklings hesitated and moved away from the base of the weir. The mother continued trying to lead them toward the climbing route.
At 11:32, both juveniles began attempting to ascend.
One duckling successfully reached the upper section. The other remained below.
This was the beginning of a prolonged and unusually complicated sequence.
A Duckling That Could Climb—but Did Not Complete the Ascent
The remaining duckling attempted several routes through rapidly moving water.
At 13:58, it tried again but failed to reach the top. At 16:25, it climbed through an especially strong section of current, while a Common Carp was also seen trying to move upstream.
The duckling’s physical performance was striking. It could advance through water that appeared extremely difficult for a bird of its size. However, when it approached sections that seemed more practical for completing the ascent, it often hesitated, changed direction, or failed to proceed.
This created an important question:
Was the duckling genuinely unable to climb, or was it resisting the route chosen by its mother?
From video alone, I cannot determine its intention. It may have been exhausted, frightened, uncertain about the final route, affected by water pressure, or responding to something that was not visible to me.
However, similar behavior has appeared in previous observations. On some occasions, a duckling that seemed physically capable of climbing repeatedly remained below while calling and moving downstream. This gave the impression that the young bird might be attempting to encourage the mother to choose a different route.
That interpretation remains speculative, but the repeated pattern is worth recording.
The Mother Waits Above the Weir
By 19:53, the mother and the successful duckling were waiting above the weir while the second duckling remained below.
Three other juvenile ducks entered the area and descended the structure at 25:32. Because they could already fly and resembled the Af juveniles, they may have belonged to that family, but there was not enough evidence for a definite identification.
At 27:04, the Of mother finally descended, leaving one duckling temporarily above.
She then attempted to guide the remaining duckling upward again.
At 29:07, the young bird came close to succeeding but failed to complete the climb.
The mother later moved behind vegetation, where the duckling could hear her but could not always see her clearly. Similar behavior occurred several times during the sequence. It appeared possible that the mother was encouraging the duckling to follow by calling from a position farther upstream, although this interpretation cannot be confirmed.
At 37:13, she returned for a second time and led the duckling toward the climbing route again.
At 41:48, she was still waiting.
The Duckling Returns After Moving Downstream
At some point, the unsuccessful duckling moved farther downstream.
At 43:52, it returned while calling.
The mother and the other juvenile remained near the upper wall, feeding and waiting between attempts. The separated duckling continued trying but was unable to join them.
The long duration of this separation reminded me of a previous observation in which a duckling became isolated below a weir and was later taken by a large predatory fish. That earlier event strongly affected how I perceived the present situation.
No such predation occurred during this observation, but the memory emphasizes why prolonged separation at a weir can be dangerous. A duckling moving alone through turbulent water may face exhaustion, disorientation, aquatic predators, and loss of visual contact with its family.
The Mother Returns for a Third Time
At 54:31, the mother descended for a third time.
This caused the duckling waiting above to become visibly restless. The mother was now below with the unsuccessful juvenile, while the successful juvenile remained on the opposite side of the barrier.
At 56:21, the duckling above finally came back down.
The mother and both juveniles were reunited below the weir.
After nearly an hour of repeated attempts, waiting, calling, separation, and reunion, the family did not complete the ascent. Later, at 1:22:20, they were resting slightly farther downstream.
From a human perspective, returning below may appear to be a failure. Biologically, however, maintaining family unity may have been more important than reaching the upper section.
The mother’s repeated returns prevented the struggling juvenile from remaining isolated. At the same time, the other young bird eventually gave up the position it had already reached and rejoined the family.
The sequence demonstrates that movement decisions within a duck family are not always simple acts of following. Different members may possess different levels of motivation, confidence, fatigue, or route preference.
Young Ducks Use Flight to Cross the Weir
While the Of family continued its climbing attempts, probable Af juveniles repeatedly appeared around the weir.
At 48:43, one juvenile flew upward instead of climbing through the current.
At 53:27, several probable Af juveniles returned by air after moving downstream.
These observations marked a major developmental transition. Earlier in life, the same types of concrete barriers had required difficult swimming, climbing, jumping, or assistance from the mother. Once flight became possible, the function of the barrier changed completely.
A structure that had divided the habitat could now be crossed in seconds.
However, the juveniles did not all appear equally skilled or confident. Some flew easily, while others used longer running starts or hesitated before takeoff.
Confirmed Af Mother and Eight Juveniles
At 1:04:31, I obtained a clear view of the Af mother with eight juveniles.
This was the strongest identification evidence of the day. The mother’s individual plumage pattern and the family’s known history allowed me to distinguish her from other adult females.
The group was no longer fully synchronized. Some juveniles had apparently moved elsewhere, and smaller subgroups continued to arrive or depart.
At 1:07:02, the Af mother and three juveniles took flight.
Three other juveniles attempted to follow but dropped back and did not continue with the first group. Five remained at the departure site.
At 1:07:58, the remaining five finally gathered enough momentum and flew.
Their takeoff run was noticeably longer than that of the more confident birds. The scene suggested that the ability to fly was present, but takeoff control, confidence, and coordination were still developing.
For me, this was one of the most moving observations of the day.
These birds had previously been dependent ducklings facing concrete banks, strong currents, predators, and repeated changes in habitat. They were now beginning to leave the ground together under their own power.
Flight Does Not Immediately End Family Dependence
Although the juveniles could fly, they had not become fully independent.
At 1:13:25, six Af juveniles were sleeping without the mother in a location previously used by the family.
At 1:18:49, the mother returned by air while calling. Her vocalization made her arrival easy to recognize.
By 1:20:06, eight juveniles were together with her again.
This suggests that the family relationship continued after flight development. The juveniles could separate, move in subgroups, and rest without the mother, but they still reunited with her.
The transition from duckling to independent juvenile therefore appeared gradual rather than abrupt.
Flight ability expanded their range, but it did not instantly dissolve family cohesion.
Other Duck Families Recorded During the Survey
The main events involved Of and Af, but several other monitored families were also recorded.
The Mf family consisted of a mother and one approximately 43-day-old juvenile. The young bird had repeatedly shown interest in a water-filled opening in the weir. At 1:02:10, both mother and juvenile entered or foraged around this small cavity, which had recently begun retaining water after becoming partially blocked by sediment.
At 1:11:44, the Mf mother flew away, temporarily leaving the juvenile behind. The young bird remained resting and was still alone at 1:23:05.
The カf family, consisting of a mother and one approximately 11-day-old duckling, was confirmed alive at 1:14:15. This was a newly recognized family that had moved slightly downstream since the previous day.
The Tf family was recorded with all eight approximately 35-day-old juveniles present.
The Lf family was confirmed with four approximately 42-day-old juveniles. The mother continued threatening nearby ducks even though her young were already large.
The イf family was also confirmed with four approximately 39-day-old juveniles.
Several other known families could not be found despite repeated searching. The young オf family, which had seven ducklings the previous day, was a particular priority, but I could not locate it. Cf3 and Bf捨1, both approximately 60 days old, were also not confirmed during this survey.
Failure to locate a family on one day does not prove that it has disappeared. Dense vegetation, movement into tributaries, resting behavior, and expansion of the juveniles’ range can all make detection difficult.
Continued observation on later dates is therefore essential.
Juvenile and Adult Plumage Differences
At 1:33:43, I compared a young duck with a bird born in a previous year.
The condition of the wing feathers appeared different. Juvenile feathers looked relatively fresh, while older birds showed more wear.
Such differences may help distinguish recently fledged ducks from older individuals, especially once young birds begin flying beyond their original family territory.
However, feather wear can be influenced by many factors, including molt stage, individual condition, environmental abrasion, and image angle. It should therefore be used together with behavior, family association, body proportions, and identifiable adult plumage—not as a single decisive characteristic.
Other Urban Wildlife Observed
Several non-duck species were also documented.
A recently fledged Barn Swallow was recorded at 05:04. The yellow edges around its mouth were still visible as it waited for an adult.
At 1:10:16, an adult swallow was filmed walking against a pale background.
Near the lower river, Great Cormorants and a Grey Heron occupied familiar feeding areas.
At 1:37:57, a juvenile Grey Wagtail and a juvenile Japanese Wagtail appeared near each other before a White-cheeked Starling entered the scene.
At 1:42:03, a Grey Heron captured a fish. The strike occurred so quickly that the exact movement was difficult to perceive in real time.
A Common Kingfisher was recorded from 1:45:50 onward. I waited for a plunge dive, but the bird did not dive while I was directly filming it. Ironically, it appears to have dived when I turned my attention toward the Grey Wagtail.
This is a familiar limitation of field observation: even when animal behavior is anticipated, the decisive action may occur outside the camera frame.
An Urban River Dominated by Artificial Structures
At 1:08:59, the surrounding habitat could be summarized visually as “1% nature and 99% artificial structure.”
This is not a measured land-cover ratio, but it accurately expresses the character of the observation site.
The ducks live among concrete revetments, drainage openings, weirs, walls, channels, bridges, and narrow strips of vegetation. These structures create both opportunities and hazards.
A small blocked opening can become a bathing or feeding site. A concrete ledge can become a resting place. At the same time, a weir can divide a mother from her young for nearly an hour.
The animals are not living outside human infrastructure. They are continually adapting their movement, feeding, resting, and family behavior around it.
Interpretation and Limitations
The most important behavioral question from this observation concerns the Of juvenile that repeatedly failed to ascend.
The video shows that the bird could move through very strong water. It does not show why it failed to complete the final route.
Several explanations remain possible:
The current may have exceeded its strength at a specific point.
The visual route may have appeared unsafe from the duckling’s position.
It may have been tired after repeated attempts.
It may have preferred to lead the mother downstream.
It may have been responding to an unseen predator, sound, or disturbance.
Differences in confidence or experience may have affected its decisions.
The idea that the duckling was “pretending” to be unable to climb would be too strong. A more cautious description is that its behavior appeared inconsistent with its demonstrated climbing ability.
The mother’s behavior is easier to document. She repeatedly returned, waited, called, and eventually remained with both juveniles below the barrier.
Describing this as “love” is a human emotional interpretation, but the observable behavior clearly reflects persistent parental attendance and a refusal to continue upstream while one juvenile remained separated.
Why Daily, Date-Linked Records Matter
This article is based not only on one dramatic scene, but on a continuous series of daily records.
Each filming date helps establish:
which families were present,
how many juveniles remained,
their estimated ages,
changes in location,
development of flight ability,
individual maternal plumage patterns,
separation and reunion events,
and the survival or disappearance of particular family members.
The footage is published with minimal editing and is generally uploaded in connection with the filming date. This creates a chronological record that is difficult to reconstruct or selectively alter later.
Observations across multiple dates can also provide circumstantial evidence that would not be available from a single isolated video. For example, a group flight becomes more meaningful when the same family was recorded flightless on earlier dates and seen using flight repeatedly on later dates.
These records do not replace formal scientific research. They are intended as transparent field documentation by a long-term amateur observer.
Detailed explanations of the filming-date codes and duck-family identification codes are available here:
https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-wild-duck-diaries.html
The individual mothers are tracked primarily through patterns in the tertial and wing feathers. Because many duck families are present simultaneously, these codes make it possible to compare family composition and behavior across dates without relying only on location.
Species Recorded in This Observation
カルガモ — Eastern Spot-billed Duck — Anas zonorhyncha
The main study species. Several identifiable mothers and their juveniles were recorded at different stages of development.ツバメ — Barn Swallow — Hirundo rustica
A recently fledged juvenile with yellow gape edges was seen waiting for its parents.コイ — Common Carp — Cyprinus carpio
One individual was observed attempting to move through the strong current near the weir.カワウ — Great Cormorant — Phalacrocorax carbo
A large fish-eating waterbird regularly observed resting and feeding along urban rivers.アオサギ — Grey Heron — Ardea cinerea
One individual captured a fish with a rapid strike.キセキレイ — Grey Wagtail — Motacilla cinerea
A juvenile was observed near the water’s edge.セグロセキレイ — Japanese Wagtail — Motacilla grandis
A juvenile appeared near the Grey Wagtail. This species is strongly associated with rivers and streams in Japan.ムクドリ — White-cheeked Starling — Spodiopsar cineraceus
An individual briefly entered the area where the juvenile wagtails were active.カワセミ — Common Kingfisher — Alcedo atthis
Observed perched near the river while watching the water for prey.
Concluding Record
The July 11 observation showed two very different stages of juvenile development within the same river system.
The Of ducklings were still negotiating a physical barrier as a family. One succeeded, one repeatedly failed, and the mother ultimately returned until all three were reunited below the weir.
The Af juveniles had reached a new stage. They could fly over the same types of obstacles that once limited them, although some still hesitated and required longer takeoff runs.
Their new mobility made identification more difficult, but it also documented a major transition in their lives.
The inability to confirm all 13 Af juveniles remains unresolved. The absence of the young オf family and several other monitored ducks also requires continued searching.
For a daily field record, uncertainty is not a weakness to be removed. It is part of the evidence.
What could be confirmed was recorded. What remained probable was labeled as probable. What could not be found was also documented.
That continuity is the foundation of this long-term urban wildlife observation project.
Timestamp Notes (for personal use)
00:00 Highlights (in no particular order)
03:01 This is the Af group! The young ones are 63 days old! The mother is present, and I confirmed up to 11 of the young, but I’m not sure if all 13 are there.
If the ducklings are raised to 8 or more, the only group that fits this condition right now is Af! It was exciting to see Af back in the breeding area with such identifiable features.
I wanted to wait for all 13 to appear, but given the location, they might move down to the dam, so I decided to put that off for now.
I found some groups of ducks resting in the bushes, but I couldn’t identify them, so I decided to wait.
I started by searching the tributary where Of7 was yesterday but couldn’t find them. Today, I prioritized looking for Of7.
05:04 Swallow chicks have fledged! Their beaks are still yellow, and they are waiting for their parents.
06:18 Probably Af group is flying.
I’m guessing, but this group flight is the first time I’ve seen this year, so I think it’s the Af group from earlier.
06:29 Oh, Of2-40 is swimming upstream!
Maybe it got washed away by the heavy rain last night? It had been upstream for a while, so I thought it would be climbing, so I decided to follow it.
08:00 Of duckling fled from the dam
The mother struggled to take the ducklings with her for a while.
11:32 Of2 attempts to climb the dam! One made it, but one couldn’t. A long attempt followed.
It was an incredibly long attempt. The duckling that couldn’t climb seemed to be deliberately not climbing, which reminded me of the Ac group when their duckling got eaten by a catfish. A lot happened in between, but this is probably the main focus today, and I’ll make a quick summary of it in under 3 minutes, so it might be better to check that.
13:58 The retry to climb was unsuccessful again.
16:25 The young ones climb the rapid Even the koi were trying to climb
19:53 Of mother and one duckling are waiting at the top, but…
25:32 Three other ducks intervene in the dam descent.
They were young and able to fly, so they were likely from the Af group, but no proof.
27:04 Of mother descends, leaving one duckling behind.
29:07 Of mother attempts to climb with the duckling! It was so close…
33:56 A duckling calls from behind the bushes (Of).
It seems like the mother is intentionally going where she can't be seen. I recorded it multiple times.
37:13 Of mother returns for the second time and tries again with the duckling.
41:48 Of mother waits for the duckling who can’t climb.
43:52 The duckling who couldn’t climb calls and returns (it had gone downstream).
45:32 The mothers are foraging along the upper wall, and the challenge fails.
48:43 Young duckling flew up!! (Probably Af)
The three young ducks that came earlier and some occasional Af young were seen here.
50:27 Still no climb... the Of duckling keeps trying.
53:27 Probably Af young! They flew back after going downstream.
The group that went downstream wasn’t all of them, but the ones who came to the dam seemed to have a bit of a hard time flying.
54:31 Of mother returns for the third time. The older ducklings are getting anxious.
56:21 The duckling that had been climbing came down! Finally, the mother and two ducklings reunited.
59:35 Mf1-43 passes by near Of2.
1:00:07 Two Af young fly back to the place where I first saw them.
1:01:34 Mf1 climbs the dam… probably aiming for the hole… as expected.
1:02:10 Mf family bath It’s the first time I’ve seen the mother forage in the hole!
The Mf ducklings have always liked this hole on the dam. It seems like the hole got blocked by mud, and water has started to accumulate there recently.
1:04:31 Af mother and the eight young ones. This is definitely Af.
When I first saw them, I was thinking they might descend the dam. I had been searching the dam area and checking tributaries multiple times, but I didn’t find Of. I couldn’t resist and had to follow them since they looked like Af.
They split into a larger group that flew downstream and a smaller group that acted independently. I thought I could wait until all 13 appeared, but surprisingly, they were most together when I first saw them. (There were definitely 11 young ones.)
1:07:02 Af mother and three young ones flew! The three fell behind and couldn’t keep up, leaving five behind.
1:07:58 The remaining five also bravely flew!
The takeoff took a bit longer, and I couldn’t capture it, but the ones that came to the dam seemed to have a bit of a hard time flying.
Ah… I was planning to summarize Of2, but I ended up focusing on this. I really wanted to capture all 13 young ones, but I couldn't. Still, it was an emotional moment for me, though I feel like only those who have been following my work will believe me.
1:08:59 1% nature, 99% man-made!
1:10:16 A parent swallow walked! I took a shot with a white background.
1:11:30 On the left, Of2 is resting. On the right, Mf mother is in the dam bath, and on the lower right, Mf young is resting.
1:11:44 Mf mother flew! A sudden abandonment The reaction from the Mf young was funny.
Hmm… While I was observing Of and Af, I searched the tributary and breeding area but couldn’t find Of7. I thought Of7 was likely in the bushes of the tributary or the breeding area.
1:13:25 Af young resting with no mother.
I’m almost certain this is Af based on past nesting areas.
1:14:15 Kf1-11 survives! It had moved a little downstream.
This is the new group I found yesterday. After looking at the feathers, I’m sure it’s different from Uf1, but I didn’t find Uf1 today.
1:15:06 Kf1 sets off, swimming upstream with its young…
1:16:30 They reach a ledge! But then, unexpectedly, they start heading back
1:17:50 A mix of calm mallards, cormorants, and herons.
I reached the cormorant spot, but I didn’t find Of7, Uf1, Zf1, or Hf2.
1:18:49 Af mother arrives!
I could easily recognize her from her calls. I was wondering, and it really was Af mother.
1:20:06 Now it's Af mother and the eight young ones!
1:22:20 Of2 didn’t climb the dam and moved a little downstream.
1:23:05 Mf1 young is still abandoned, resting
1:24:10 Of2 came nearby, so I took plenty of shots.
1:26:52 Tf8-35, eight young ducks confirmed. There are also other duck groups nearby.
1:28:14 Lf4-42 also spotted! It’s easy to identify from the mother's feathers.
1:29:27 Probably four Af young, but I can’t be sure.
1:30:56 Tf8 reaches its resting place.
1:33:43 Young mallards and older ducks from previous years—there’s a noticeable difference in the wear on their feathers.
The young ones are likely Af. I’ve seen eight resting downstream, four nearby, and one here, which adds up to 13, but if there are only a few, maybe they came from another area.
1:35:11 Lf mother still chases away other ducks even after the young ones have grown.
1:35:30 She’s still chasing them off persistently.
1:36:11 If4-39 survives.
Actually, at this point, I had only noticed three ducklings.
1:37:57 Gray wagtail and slaty wagtail chicks, and mynas arrived!
1:39:13 If4 goes back to its resting place. The once-popular spot below the watergate is now solely occupied by If.
1:42:03 Great egret catches a fish. Impressive!
1:43:11 Never missing a fleeting opportunity.
I was watching for the fish to land on top, but I couldn’t catch it in time.
1:45:50 Kingfisher and wagtail chick.
1:46:15 Kingfisher.
Final Thoughts:
I spent a lot of time searching for Of7, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find it. Instead, I observed Of2’s dam climbing attempt, where one duckling couldn’t make it, and the mother tried to help. I recalled the tragic memory of the duckling from the Ac group that was eaten by a catfish, and it made me think that maybe the ducklings were deliberately trying to show they couldn’t climb, so the mother would guide them downstream.
I was also lucky enough to capture Af group's flying scenes, even though I didn’t get to see all 13 together. Watching them attempt to fly and not succeed for the first time was an unforgettable moment for me, though I’m not sure everyone will believe me unless they’ve been following my work closely.
It was a shame I didn’t get to see Of7, Uf1, or Zf1, but overall, it was an exciting day with lots of duck activity!
Duck Families:
Due to the large number of duck families, I keep track of them by the pattern on the mother’s wing (the three primary feathers) and their identification codes. You can see the list of them at:
https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/2025/07/0711f.html
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