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Florida Gardening

Lola and Carmelo are back!!!

15 years ago

As some of you might remember, Lola and Carmelo are two Florida mottled ducks that have spent the spring near/in my little pond the last two years. I had just commented a couple of days ago how I hadn't seen them yet and I hoped they would still come. This early morning when I looked out they were the first thing I saw. Lola swimming around without a care in the world, scavenging for little bugs, snails, whatever she eats. Carmelo, with an ever watchful eye guarding her from any would be predators. They are soooo cute, and I'm so glad they came back for a third year. I've got to believe that these ducks mate for life.

I went out to take a pic and they jumped off the boulder and swan away from me, but did not fly away. Over the season I hope they will again accept me and at least let me get a bit closer. The first year they were very skittish, but they must remember me somewhat to not fly away even the first time. The pic is not very good. The lighting was bad, but here it is.

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Comments (7)

laura1
15 years ago
That's great Anna! I saw your post and I actually remembered that Lola and Carmelo are ducks.
I love your pond and I'm glad your little family came home.
cindeea
15 years ago
They came back!! How sweet is that, Anna! I am sure they DO remember you and will gradually let you closer. Thanks for sharing their return, I feel like they have become part of our GW Family...quack...QUACK....quack! Look how happy they are! God bless you for giving them a wonderful place to stay over the season!!
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Thanks Tree, Lellie and Katkin. Maybe I spoke too soon though. They left around noon and didn't come back. Maybe they're checking other areas out as well. Hopefully they'll be back. Lellie, I've only seen one night heron and that was last spring. Quite pretty and unique. So much fun to see birds go about the business of life. Anna
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Oh, I'm so glad I could share this with you. Yes, Kristi, it was like seeing an old friend! The ducklings were so adorable. All playful and chasing each other, jumping for bugs, etc. I watched them for a long time. As you can see she kept her eye on me, but seems to remember me just as I remember her. If I even got one step closer, she would softly quack to them to gather up and swim farther away. I wonder if she felt our pond was too barren this year. All the marginal plants have defoliated and the edge is pretty bare and ugly. Maybe she felt there wasn't enough cover for the chicks over here. Smart mom. Anyway, she waited till I was completely gone and busy to lead them away to a place I would not see. I did not see them the rest of the day. I looked across the street a couple of times and did not see them in that pond either. ??? A mystery. This is her biggest clutch- twelve. The previous two times she had nine. I have not seen Carmelo. The ducks that were here a couple of days ago were not Lola nor Carmelo. He usually does not come around much when the ducklings are around, though. Maybe at the end of the season he will join her again. I just hope this is not the last time I see them. Anna
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Wow Lola, I took a look at those photos of grafting techniques and was blown away. I tried a something like that last fall, but it wasn't the time to do it and it failed. Now I want to trim one and see if I can do it again. Thanks for the great visuals. I have to agree that I would want to know on ebay if I was getting a grafted, rooted cutting, or seedling. I've come to buy from a seller that shows exactly what plant I'm buying that way there are now surprises when I open the box. I have not looked at you listings, but will check them out now. I think the unique grafting of such small pieces is neat and would love having a plumeria with two types of blooms on one plant. Can you do that with about 50? LOL That would make moving my collection inside much easier. Big Wave Dave
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Those wasps are *nasty*! If she got stung, it's no wonder she had an allergic reaction. Yipes! There are stages to allergic reactions. Some get hives then graduate to all over itching like your girl. Others just swell up. Some got into anaphylactic shock and just stop breathing and die. I would continue giving benadryl for a couple of days just to make sure she is over the reaction. Usually a steroid shot stops the problem but if the venom is still in her she could react to it again once the drugs wear off. Glad you were with her and sought vet help. Usually just benadryl isn't enough for severe reactions- they need steroids at first too. We have those wasps here too. Yuck.
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countrynest
15 years ago
Anna,I remember them.
Thanks for sharing. Makes me glad to see them.
Felix
solstice98
15 years ago
I'm so glad they are back!
Please keep posting photos of your glorious pond.

Didn't you have a black/white pair too?

Kate
garyfla_gw
15 years ago
Anna
Very nice. The question of ducks and ornamental ponds comes up occasionaly on the pond forum. I've kept both but never together lol Apparently yours are not too destructive?? I kept Mandarins and Wooducks with some success but then I never had a pond anywhere near your size and I'm sure the larger the pond the better it would be. Of course wild ducks would leave occasional and give the pond a rest.
Looks like your garden survived the polar express?? lol gary
katkin_gw
15 years ago
Anna, I remember them too and am so happy they returned. Cindee's right, I feel like they are part of GW's family. And your pond is lovely as always. :o) It is so tranquile I just sat looking at it and relaxing. lol
annafl
Original Author
15 years ago
Laura, Cindeea, Felix, Kate, Gary, and Katkin,

Thanks for remembering them. Cindee, so nice of you to include them as part of the GW family! I definitely feel that way.

Kate, Goldenpond is the one with the pet black and white ducks. She had 3 before the bobcat visit.

Gary, I haven't really found them to be destructive. They would be worth a little destruction, though. I find the large turtles to be more destructive, as they chew up the waterlilies when they are here. The area around the pond seemed to fare the best in my yard. The philodendrons that hang over and into the water did well, while the others are yellow and dropping leaves like crazy. I have lots of defoliation and brown/crispy stuff. However, I think most if not all will survive. Time will tell.

Anna

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