Earlier this week, this pair of mallards appeared in Wallingford near Meridian Playground. Over two days, we saw them waddling down the street, and they welcomed treats. We consulted local Audubon Society Master Birder Martin Muller about how the wandering waterfowl might have ended up more than half a mile from Green Lake.
Three options in my mind:
1) Someone in your neighborhood feeds these birds. If the female has a nest nearby, she will take breaks to look for food.
2) This female is looking for a suitable nest site (male in tow).
3) These birds are simply looking for handouts.I’ve seen Mallard nests in Green Lake Park. One year under the slide in the playground next to the Community Center/Evan Pool complex. Sometimes in hollow stumps of trees close to water. Also underneath vegetation (larger bushes) in yards across the street from the lake.
Incubation (by hen only) takes about 27 days. She usually takes an early morning and late-afternoon break. If the pair bond is intact, the male will accompany her on those “outings” (he waits nearby for the female to emerge; you don’t want someone with a bright green head anywhere near the 8 – 12 bite size morsels…).
Eggs are produced at a rate of one per day. Incubation starts with the sixth egg or so.
Eggs hatch in the order laid, usually within a half day of each other. So while laying may take a week or almost two weeks, the eggs hatch close together. The hen will lead the ducklings to water (up to almost 2 miles in one Saskatchewan study, but usually much closer). This is where the Make way for duckling scenes occur.
If the female in the picture is nesting or is thinking of nesting near this location, that’s going to be one hazardous trek to any body of water (Green Lake or Lake Union).
Then again, this may be a female just reconnoitering the neighborhood with her partner in tow.
Anyone else seen these mallards in Wallingford?
Yup. we saw them too. They were pretty comfortable on the neighborhood street. Didin't even run too far from our puppy.
I've seen two as well, by the zoo entrance but they were across Phinney. They are definitely looking for a nesting site.
Don't feed the wild birds, people! Lead by example (to your children). People food is *not* good for them.
Thanks, Katie. Is bird feed OK to give wild birds?
There was also a pair wondering Fred Hutch recently. My guess is nesting!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/rec…
Ohh! I hope that they can make it safely back to Greenlake! Dont want to see any squashed feathers on 50th 🙁
This pair are at Meridian Park every year. Quite goofy!
Mr. and Mrs. Duck are regulars in Ballard. We've seen them every spring the past couple of years. They hang around the neighborhood for a couple of days and then disappear until the next year.
Don't know if these are the same pair or just soon-to-be neighbors.
One or two Mallards pairs nested at Meridian Park from 1993 to 2001 in my personals observation. Water access is limited but they build nests in the tall grasses in the various borders on the Good Shep Grounds. The chicks rarely survive due to cat and rat predation. We all could hope urban habitat could be could be increased because it sure is great.
I have seen them at the library.
They were on the front lawn at St. Bens!
Different types of duck–wild mallards would not taste the same.
Yesterday there were a pair of Mallard ducks outside the Wallingford QFC, just hanging out! They seemed very comfortable around people. They were so close to the automatic door opening and closing it worried me. I wonder if this was the same pair seen earlier described in this blog?