A family of Eastern Spot-billed Ducks repeatedly attempted to move across a small river control gate, but the mother and her two six-day-old ducklings appeared to disagree about the route. While the mother remained above the gate, the ducklings stayed below and eventually began approaching the falling water by themselves.
What followed was an unusual sequence of splashing, stretching, and apparent bathing directly beneath the cascade. At times, the ducklings seemed to deliberately position their bodies where the water struck them, creating a scene that resembled takigyo—the Japanese practice of standing beneath a waterfall.
This field record documents the behavior of the ケf family, identified as ケf2-6, along with several other Eastern Spot-billed Duck families, a Common Kingfisher, a Grey Heron, a Brown-eared Bulbul, and an unidentified dragonfly observed in the same river environment.
The interpretations presented here are those of a non-specialist wildlife observer. They are not formal scientific conclusions. However, the observations are supported by nearly continuous video footage, individual family identification records, and chronological evidence collected across consecutive days.
## Field Observation Video
Next day’s record:
https://youtu.be/l_D5Uv8SnJM
## Main Species Featured
- カルガモ — Eastern Spot-billed Duck — Anas zonorhyncha
A common East Asian dabbling duck that breeds in urban rivers, ponds, wetlands, and agricultural areas. Females raise the ducklings without assistance from the male, and each family may develop its own movement routes through a complicated river environment.
- カワセミ — Common Kingfisher — Alcedo atthis
A small fish-eating bird recognizable by its brilliant blue upperparts and orange underparts. A male appeared repeatedly near the control gate while the duck family remained in the area.
- アオサギ — Grey Heron — Ardea cinerea
A large wading bird frequently seen around Japanese rivers and rice fields. One individual was observed standing among rice plants moving strongly in the wind.
- ヒヨドリ — Brown-eared Bulbul — Hypsipetes amaurotis
A familiar Japanese songbird with a loud and distinctive call. Its voice was recorded during the search for several missing duck families.
- トンボ類 — Dragonfly — Order Odonata
One duckling captured and swallowed a relatively large black-and-yellow striped flying insect that appeared to be a dragonfly or a closely related odonate. The exact species could not be determined from the footage.
## A Difficult Search After the Previous Day’s Events
The observation began with a search downstream from the area below a river gate. The previous day had produced several complicated events involving young duck families, including the apparent loss of ducklings to fish predation and the temporary mixing of a surviving duckling with another family.
Because several families could not be confirmed after those events, I first searched the downstream section carefully. Despite walking through a large part of the known breeding area, I was unable to locate the young families I expected to find.
At 03:08 in the video, I finally found the カf mother. Her single duckling was initially difficult to see because it remained close to dense vegetation. At 03:23, the duckling appeared, confirming that カf1-17 was still intact.
The mother later seemed troubled because the duckling did not immediately emerge from the vegetation. This was a relatively quiet interaction, but it demonstrated how easily a very young duckling can disappear from view even when it is only a short distance from its mother.
## Recognizing a Mother Without Seeing Her Ducklings
At 05:38, another female Eastern Spot-billed Duck was standing above a small water-control gate. No ducklings were visible.
Her posture and repeated movements nevertheless resembled the behavior of a mother attempting to lead ducklings across an obstacle. The location was also important. The previous day, the ケf family had appeared from upstream during high water, suggesting that this family may originally have occupied the area above the gate.
The mother’s appearance, her characteristic movements, and her choice of position all suggested that she was ケf, although the ducklings could not initially be found.
After continued searching, two ducklings finally appeared at 06:56. The family was therefore recorded as ケf2-6: the ケf mother with two ducklings at approximately six days old.
This was especially significant because the family had temporarily contained three ducklings on the previous day. A duckling from another family had apparently joined them after a disturbance. By this observation, however, ケf was again accompanied by only her original two young.
The fate of the temporarily mixed duckling could not be confirmed during this recording. It may have returned to its previous family, but that remains only a possibility.
## Ducklings Apparently Refusing the Mother’s Route
The mother remained above the gate for a prolonged period, while the two ducklings stayed below and gradually moved away from her.
At 07:24, their behavior gave the impression of a “boycott.” This is, of course, a human description rather than a scientific interpretation, but it accurately conveys the visible disagreement between the mother’s intended route and the ducklings’ behavior.
The control-gate crossing had probably already been attempted several times since the previous day. The ducklings appeared unwilling to approach the difficult ascent again.
When the mother finally descended at 08:56, she did not immediately rejoin them. Had I not already located the ducklings, I might have concluded that she was not caring for young and moved elsewhere.
Only after the ducklings began calling did the mother descend fully and reunite with them. At 11:58, all three members of ケf2-6 were together again before entering vegetation.
This sequence illustrates one difficulty of field identification. A mother and her ducklings may be separated by only a small artificial structure, yet their relationship can remain invisible unless the observer waits long enough to see vocal or movement-based communication.
## A Duckling Captures a Large Flying Insect
At 10:25, one of the ケf ducklings captured and swallowed a conspicuously large black-and-yellow insect.
The insect appeared to be a dragonfly or another member of the order Odonata, although the footage is not detailed enough for species-level identification. Its size was surprising in relation to the six-day-old duckling.
It may have recently emerged and therefore been slower or more vulnerable than a fully active adult. This is speculative, but newly emerged aquatic insects can be easier prey while their bodies and wings are still developing.
Young Eastern Spot-billed Ducks feed on a mixture of small aquatic animals, insects, plant material, and other available food. This observation provides a direct example of opportunistic animal prey being taken by a very young duckling.
## Other Duck Families Around the Weir
Several older duck families were also recorded during the search.
Of2-46 had successfully reached the area above a larger weir. Tf8 was also visible at a distance and had apparently completed the ascent. The Of mother later threatened another resting duck.
At 15:57, イf4-45 was resting. Close inspection suggested that the イf mother also possessed plumage characteristics resembling a Mallard-influenced or mixed-plumage type. This had been less noticeable than in some other individually identified females, particularly Cf and Of, whose facial patterns appear more Mallard-like.
This is only a visual field impression. Without genetic evidence, the ancestry of these birds cannot be determined conclusively from appearance alone.
At 17:01, Tf8 and Of2 were resting close together. This was unexpected because the same two families had been involved in conflict on the previous day.
The Of mother often appears willing to threaten nearby ducks, yet she is also frequently found resting near other individuals or families. This combination of aggression and tolerance may depend on distance, food, movement direction, the age of the ducklings, or other immediate circumstances that are not obvious from a single recording.
Three older juveniles, probably Cf3 at approximately 66 days old, were also seen without their mother. At this age, young ducks are increasingly independent, so the mother’s absence was not necessarily unusual.
## Returning to ケf2 at the Control Gate
After another unsuccessful search for キf3, クf5, and コf3, I returned to the small gate.
At 28:26, the ケf family had come back to the same obstacle. The ducklings appeared interested in moving downward, while the mother continued to show interest in the upper side of the structure.
This repeated return suggests that the location was not merely a temporary resting place. It may have been part of the mother’s intended movement route or connected to a familiar upstream area.
At 31:02, one duckling began performing an unusual movement beneath the flowing water. It stretched upward and allowed water to strike or pass over its body.
The posture resembled bathing, but it differed from the more familiar form of duck bathing in relatively calm water, where birds repeatedly dip the head, roll the body, shake the feathers, and flap their wings.
Here, the duckling appeared to use the falling current itself.
## Did the Ducklings Lead Their Mother Downward?
At 40:02, the movements of the ducklings created the impression that they were encouraging or leading their mother away from the upper route.
At 41:04, a duckling moved downward voluntarily. Meanwhile, the mother continued to return to the gate and appeared reluctant to abandon the attempted crossing.
It is impossible to know whether the ducklings were intentionally “leading” the mother in a human sense. A more cautious interpretation is that the ducklings repeatedly selected the route they found physically manageable, while the mother continued to select a route based on her own mobility and previous experience.
Adult ducks can fly or jump over structures that are effectively impassable to very young ducklings. This difference frequently creates temporary family separations at artificial river obstacles.
## The Mother Enters the Space Behind the Falling Water
At 51:39, the mother moved behind the falling water. The ducklings then attempted to approach her position.
At 52:40, she flew to the upper section again, restarting the same difficult situation: the mother above, and the ducklings below.
One duckling entered the narrow area behind the falling water at 53:36. Its exit was not clearly visible. Because parts of the structure were obscured, the exact route taken by the duckling could not be confirmed.
By 57:39, the difference between the family members was striking. The mother showed little intention of descending, while the ducklings showed little intention of climbing.
At 1:02:40, the mother even began resting above the obstacle. This strongly suggested that she was prepared to wait for the ducklings to follow, despite their continued refusal or inability to do so.
## Repeated Splashing Beneath the Cascade
The most unusual behavior began at approximately 1:05:09.
One duckling moved into the falling water, producing a large splash. A short time later, both siblings participated.
At 1:08:03, the ducklings repeatedly positioned themselves beneath the cascade. The scene resembled takigyo, a Japanese waterfall meditation or purification practice, although the comparison is purely visual.
The most likely general explanation is some form of bathing or water play. The ducklings may have found the falling water stimulating, cooling, or useful for wetting and cleaning their down.
Another possibility is that the behavior emerged from exploratory attempts to move around the obstacle. The ducklings may initially have entered the current while searching for a route and then repeated the action because the physical sensation was tolerable or rewarding.
I cannot determine from the footage whether the behavior should be described as play, bathing, exploration, displacement activity, or a combination of these.
What makes the event noteworthy is its apparently voluntary and repeated nature. The ducklings were not simply swept beneath the water once. They approached the flow again and, at times, appeared to place their bodies directly where the water would strike them.
I had previously seen a captive Barred Parakeet bathe beneath running tap water, so the use of falling water for bathing was not entirely unfamiliar to me. Seeing comparable behavior in wild ducklings at a river structure, however, was unexpected.
This does not demonstrate that the two species share the same motivation. It simply provides a useful visual comparison from personal experience.
## The Family Remains Divided
After the bathing sequence, the ducklings moved along the wall and eventually disappeared from view. The mother remained above the gate.
The observation ended without a clearly recorded crossing or reunion at that location.
Interestingly, this was essentially the same arrangement in which I had first encountered the family earlier that day. Only by waiting and searching carefully had I discovered that the two nearly invisible ducklings belonged to the female standing above the gate.
The repeated separation suggests that the disagreement over the route was not resolved during the observation period.
## Additional Wildlife Records
A male Common Kingfisher appeared at 36:44 and was filmed again from several angles. One view showed the dark bases of the feathers beneath the brighter external plumage.
A Brown-eared Bulbul was heard calling at 20:17.
Near the end of the day, a Grey Heron stood among rice plants being moved by strong wind. The scene recorded both the bird and the agricultural habitat surrounding the river system.
These secondary observations are retained because the purpose of this project is not only to extract the most dramatic scene. It is also to preserve the broader ecological and chronological context in which the event occurred.
## Families That Could Not Be Confirmed
Several important families were not located despite repeated searches.
The キf family, whose ducklings had been involved in a fish-predation event on the previous day, could not be found. The temporarily mixed duckling was no longer with ケf2, but its location could not be confirmed.
コf3 and クf5 were also not found. Uf1, previously observed below the gate, was absent as well. It is possible that Uf1 successfully climbed and returned to another area, but there was no direct evidence during this observation.
Failure to locate a family does not prove that it disappeared or suffered a loss. Duck families can move into vegetation, tributaries, private areas, upstream sections, or other places that cannot be checked simultaneously.
This is one of the central limitations of field observation. Many families may require attention on the same day, and it is physically impossible for one observer to confirm every individual across the entire river system.
## Why This Record Matters
The behavior beneath the cascade was visually unusual, but the broader importance of the footage lies in its context.
The ducklings had apparently experienced repeated unsuccessful crossing attempts. Their mother continued to prefer the upper route, while they increasingly remained below. During this prolonged disagreement, the ducklings began interacting with the falling water in a way that looked different from ordinary swimming or accidental contact with a current.
A short isolated clip might suggest that the ducklings had simply chosen to play beneath a miniature waterfall. The longer record reveals a more complicated situation involving route selection, family separation, repeated crossing attempts, resting, calling, and eventual exploratory or bathing behavior.
This is why continuous footage and observations across multiple dates are valuable. They cannot always explain the animals’ motivation, but they reduce the risk of interpreting a brief moment without its surrounding circumstances.
## About This Observation Project
I am not a professional ornithologist or animal behavior researcher. The interpretations in this article are personal observations made by an independent wildlife enthusiast who has followed Eastern Spot-billed Duck families and other urban wildlife over many breeding seasons.
Whenever possible, I distinguish between what is directly visible in the footage and what is only a possible explanation.
The videos are filmed primarily with Nikon P1100 and Nikon P950 superzoom cameras. Most of the original observation footage is published with minimal editing and commentary. The publication dates and recording codes also function as chronological evidence.
This project preserves daily records rather than only selected dramatic events. Observations from the previous and following days are used to examine family composition, movements, temporary duckling mixing, disappearances, reunions, and changes that may not be understandable from a single day alone.
## Observation Codes
The principal family in this record is:
ケf2-6
- ケ: the identification symbol assigned to the mother duck
- f: the observation-year code
- 2: two ducklings present
- 6: approximately six days old
The katakana character ケ is an individual identification symbol and must not be converted into the Latin letter sequence “Ke.”
Other families recorded during the same observation include:
- カf1-17
- Of2-46
- Tf8-41
- イf4-45
- Cf3
- Lf4-49
The filming-date code for this observation is:
0717F
In this system, the four digits represent the month and day, while the final letter represents the year. The code 0717F refers to July 17, 2025.
Because many duck families occupy the same river system, mothers are distinguished primarily through stable visual characteristics, including patterns in the tertial feathers, facial markings, body shape, behavior, and repeated location records.
A detailed explanation of the filming-date codes, duck family identification codes, and the purpose of the Wild Duck Diaries project is available here:
https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-wild-duck-diaries.html
A family identification reference for this observation is also available here:
https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/2025/07/0717f.html
Timestamp Notes (for personal use)
00:00 Highlights (in no particular order)
03:08 Found Kf mother, but where are the ducklings?
Yesterday was filled with so many events, and I didn’t spot Kf5, but I was still curious. Today I walked from the weir downriver, but I couldn’t find any young families. Finally, I found this duck family.
03:23 Ducklings found! They were hiding in the bushes. Kf1-17 is safe.
I later checked downriver but didn’t find any other duck families. I considered searching the area where I saw 3 young families yesterday, but I decided to stay focused.
04:57 Kf1 couldn't find its mother, and the mother seemed stuck.
05:38 Above the small weir, there’s a duck… no ducklings are visible, but it looks like an unsuccessful migration attempt.
This is Kf mother from yesterday! She had been up by the weir earlier, trying to wait for her ducklings, but I couldn’t find them. Kf likely came from upstream, and after searching, I found two ducklings there.
06:56 The ducklings were finally found! But only two of them...
They had originally been three, but one had vanished. They were probably the lost ones from yesterday.
07:24 Ducklings start to wander off from their mother. They’re boycotting! Kf2-6.
The mother remained still at the weir, not moving, and I could only see the ducklings. Despite waiting, I eventually found the mother and ducklings.
08:56 The mother duck finally came down but didn’t go to the ducklings.
When I filmed this moment, I didn’t realize she hadn’t gone to them right away. I had thought she would, but the mother might not have found the ducklings.
10:25 Duckling capture! A large dragonfly was eaten.
I was surprised to see that it was a large striped dragonfly, possibly freshly emerged. I always feel a little sad when I see a newly emerged insect eaten.
11:04 The duckling began calling, and the mother finally descended to the lower area.
11:58 Kf2-6 finally reunited with their mother. They immediately headed into the bushes.
It was unfortunate that the mix of Kf ducklings didn’t continue from yesterday, but I’m still glad that the reunion happened!
13:25 Of2-46 successfully climbed up the weir.
14:20 I spotted Tf8 (climbing the weir).
15:07 Of mother was intimidating other ducks resting nearby.
15:57 If4-45 napping.
The four ducklings from yesterday were confirmed to be If, and I noticed If ducklings look more like mallards compared to others.
17:01 Tf8 seemed to be sleeping, but then Of2 joined in. Surprising!
These two families had fought yesterday, but the Of mother tends to be aggressive, yet stays close to other ducks.
18:29 These are probably the Cf3 young siblings, 66 days old. No sign of the mother.
19:13 The shaded areas are very popular. Are there restrictions on the number of ducks?
20:17 The sound of Brown-eared Bulbuls.
Despite walking through the duck areas twice today, this is all I managed to get. I felt fatigued from yesterday, but I decided to keep searching for the Kf family, Co family, and Qf5.
20:45 Tf8-41: All eight ducklings are together now! They’ve grown so much.
22:15 Lf4.
22:35 Cf3.
23:12 Lf4-49 is preparing to leave. I’m watching them quietly.
24:21 Lf4 finally left!
26:03 Lots of ducks around... Tf8 and If4 had a fight.
I was surprised at first, thinking it was Af, but it turned out to be a fight between these two families.
28:26 Kf2 came back to the weir. The ducklings seemed ready to descend.
I’ve been looking for Kf3, Qf5, and Co3, but still haven’t found them. I thought I’d try meeting with Kf2 again by the weir.
31:02 Duckling stretch: An interesting movement before water bathing.
This was a new and mysterious move I’d never seen before. The water splashing was also quite artistic.
31:48 Kf mother seems reluctant to leave the weir.
36:44 A male Kingfisher arrived.
40:02 The duckling led the mother towards the lower area.
41:04 The duckling went down by itself.
41:46 Kingfisher: Its feather roots were black.
43:43 Kf mother returned to the weir, reluctant to give up.
49:41 The Kingfisher came from a different angle.
51:39 Kf mother unexpectedly went behind the waterfall.
52:00 Duckling also tried to follow the mother.
52:40 Mother Duck flew above the waterfall. This was going to take a while...
53:36 The duckling entered behind the waterfall but disappeared before reappearing.
57:39 The mother showed no signs of going down, and the duckling refused to climb.
1:02:40 Kf mother finally decided to sleep.
1:05:09 Splashing ducklings.
1:06:09 The siblings seemed to be enjoying themselves.
1:08:03 Waterfall action: What are they doing!?
1:10:01 The scene was rare, so I filmed it.
1:11:49 The ducklings disappeared along the wall... and remained there.
When I first encountered this scene, I thought I’d wait a little longer, but I couldn’t find them after a while... It was exhausting. I wanted to check on the young families but couldn’t find them.
1:14:04 A Heron appeared in the rice fields.
1:16:11 Of2 descended the weir again.
1:17:32 If4.
Summary:
I wasn’t able to find the Kf family after the tragic events of lost ducklings being preyed on. The surviving ducklings mixed with the Kf group. Today was filled with more unpredictable moments, including Kf2 trying to climb the weir but the ducklings running away instead. It’s been a tough emotional journey, but I had the joy of seeing some miraculous reunions.
Duck Families Identification:
For identifying the duck families, I track the mother’s feather patterns and use codes.
You can find the full list here: https://okasinaikimono.blogspot.com/2025/07/0717f.html
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