I had to link a photobucket album as the pictures are to large to upload and I am an idiot at computers.. Here is a link that might be useful: rat tail

Just wanted to update this post: Our 9 ducklings are 55 days old. What an adventure this has been! We have had so much fun watching them grow, and my son has been journaling almost daily (had to sort of bribe him for that, but once he started, he kind of got into it - and someday I think his notes may be useful...) Sample entries: 5/11/11 Today the ducklings did a new morning exercise. This morning exersize was flapping their very tiny wings and running up the concrete by the pool. 5/17/11 I was watching the ducklings up close today and when I stood up, as usual the ducklings ran away except for one. That duckling fell on it's back and tried to get up. It couldn't because its legs and wings didn't help. So the duckling started peeping very loudly. Then it finally rolled over and ran away. 5/27/11 Today I got home from Outdoor Ed. I can see a big difference in the ducklings. When you look at one, you almost think you are looking at the mama since they're sooo big. ------------------------------- For the last several weeks, we've been treated to 2 daily water shows, one in mid-morning and one in mid-afternoon. During these shows, they all simultaneously go into rapid-swim mode where they actually walk on water, then switch to rapid-dive mode where they swim straight to the bottom of the pool and hover around down there for a 5-10 seconds before surfacing w/ a plop. To see all 9 do this at once is hysterical. They are practicing flying several times a day and it's so cute. They will flap their wings while sort of galloping along. Some are getting about an inch of air, but they have to really work for it. Mama still leaves a few times each day, and as always, they don't like it. They quack (and they're much louder than they used to be, unfortunately) when she's gone...but she always comes back within a few minutes of leaving. It has been, and is, a LOT of work. I don't ever want to do this again! That said, I'm not sorry they chose our home because it's been such a learning experience - I just don't want to go through it again. If I see any of them in our yard once this group has migrated, I will NOT encourage them to hang around (whereas before I just let them visit since it was always a short visit). I am reducing their food now, in an effort to have them forage more...which they are doing. I have almost no flowers left in my backyard and there is MUD where there never was before! We also haven't been able to use our pool since they were born, so we are really looking forward to their departure (as much as we will miss those daily shows). Once I know they can fly, I will not put food out for them, but for now, I feel the ducklings still need some since they can't fly. I'm hopeful though that if there is less and less, they will fly sooner. Does anyone have any experience with mallard ducklings learning to fly? I had thought they could fly between 50-60 days, but they don't look like they'll be taking off within the next few days, so mine may be here longer. I'm really ready for them to see the world though, so any advice is appreciated. A few pictures of the last 8 weeks: How they slept the first night: A family outing: They liked to hang out on the wall between the jacuzzi and cool dip: You can see how they're growing: Today, they're all the same size!

Posted by: winter_plumage_AZ Sonoran Desert (My Page) on Thu, Jun 23, 05 at 12:48 "Okay, here's what we have established: Traps were placed for an unknown target. Squirrels can jump and quail can't carry apples. You've paid $300+ to kill quail (illegal, btw) but you can't pay anyone to erect a freakin' barrier." I did not spend 300 on anything. I got the check back and purchased from an alternate source two discounted live traps, and five two dollar snap traps. The bait (apples for live traps, cotton for snap traps) are already things we keep around the house. Inspection of the property was free. The entire thing was inexpensive. 50 dollars or under. I agree a 300 dollar barrier would be affordable. I dont think anyone could build me one the size I need for that. If I am wrong and someone is willing and able to come over and build two enclosed gardens for me that complies with my HOA for under $300 dollars -- you have a job if you want it. E-mail me and we will talk. I bought LIVE traps to catch and release squirrels, not to kill quail. I set the traps according to the specifications I was given. I have not done anything "illegal" as you suggest. "packrats & mice aren't into fruit; therefore I'm not understanding the reason for trapping them. Oops! Money for the pest control people!" It wss the young man at a pest control place who, when I told him I would not pay the 300 dollars, kindly told me where I could find discounted live traps. Go figure. Why trap packrats if they arent into the fruit? Because I don't want them destroying the firebrick on my kiln (very fragile), or my air conditioning units, or my lawn mower, or the wiring in our cars. They have already chewed holes in my tarps, built a nest under the lawn mower, and are in the kiln area. "How *DID* they evolve without cultivated fruit in their burrows?!! *Think* about that." Dogs and horses evolved without commercially prepared kibble or commercially produced feed. Yet they still eat it. Cats cannot hunt or kill a cow. Yet they will eat beef it if it is in cat food. Just because they eat a type of food now, doesn't mean that they couldn't have "evolved" or survived in the wild without it. (or that it is the healthiest thing for them to eat either). When you alter an animals natural habitat, they do not always act the same as they would in the wild. Sometimes even domesticated animals carry out instinctive behaviors in illogical ways. I know a lady in Hawaii who has a dog that collects and stores coconuts under her house. I know of another whose dog liked to herd the kitchen chairs into a corner. "Now, how long do you suppose fruit would retain its moisture? If fruit were "stored" in burrows, the moisture would create toxic fungi/mold." Many people where I grew up used to store apples and other fruits and vegetables in dark, dry, EARTH, root-cellars. Green apples (especially the smaller ones) actually do have quite a long shelf life. Assuming they would mold or just dry out quickly, that is still not proof that they are not being taken (or taken and placed into in burrows). Animals will drink antifreeze. It is not part of their natural diet. In fact, it can be quite deadly. Animals sometimes take or eat things because it is available and smells good, not because they "have to" and not knowing it is not a "logical" or healthy thing for them to do. I have not ruled out the possibility that it might not be some other type of animal. The live traps were one way to try to find the answer to that. They were never intended to kill anything. "How 'bout a surveillance camera?!!" That is a good suggestion and something that I did think about and check into. I agree that if I knew without a doubt what was taking the apples, it would be helpful in finding a solution. But I need a wireless camera (no electricity in the orchard and too far away to run electrical cord) that projects to an indoor monitor, it has to be weather proof (it is an outside exposed area), and the moniter has to either record or have the ability to hook up to a VCR, (so you dont have to have someone present 24/7 to observe the moniter). I was expecting prices similar to the motion activated nanny cams you see everywhere now (100 dollar and under range). Not so, the outdoor wireless that transmit long distances are extremely expensive. The prices I got were all close to 1000 dollars (installation not included). That is just not affordable and so I am still shopping around. "I happen to think that education is constructive, even if it isnt what we want to hear." "Education" is constructive. Sarcasm, presumption, insinuation, and the assumption that your "opinion" is the only "right" one, is not so constructive. It is your tone I take offense to. And frankly, it is not really needed to get your point across. "It is disturbing that people don't care enough to know and value our natives as part of the diverse ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert, and can so easily take away their lives for myriad reasons--not the least of which is for fruit that can be purchased at the store. The wildlife being displaced are without alternatives/options, and their hungry young are left to die a slow, painful death of dehydration and starvation as they wait for their mother to return. Enjoy your crop." If I simply did not care, as you suggest, I would not be attempting to live-trap and relocate. Part of our subdivision is next to protected desert upland, part is not. Mine is not. Because of the way the community is situation, we have many native and non-native food sources available. The animals here are far from starving. The cottontails and quail are so big and fat, they don't look like desert animals. People even put seed out for them. No critters (quail, squirrel, or unknown target) are going to be forced to die a slow and painful death just because I intend to find a way to stop them of eating ALL the fruit from my fruit trees. You have made your point about the problems associated with urban encroachment and the plight of Arizona's native wildlife. I think it is great that you feel passionately about this cause. I have my own causes (and believe it or not, most are animal welfare causes) that I am equally passionate about. But it is not my preference to belittle or lecture people for not agreeing with my beliefs or opinions. This conversation between us is not really productive, so please, lets just move on. Jessica

I can't write a book. I can tell about something that happened but I am no good at fiction. I can't even read fiction or watch tv or movies usually. I have a very short attention span. The Bayou Tales I wrote on another forum. Y'all have probably already read about all the animals in Bayou Tales because I probably told about them when they were happening. I rehab a lot of animals but most don't have much of a story involved.