We are awash with teenagers. Okay, maybe only 3, but like all teenagers they give the impression that there are far more.
Pecan, Pumpkin and Pi are our 3 little ducklings that survived to maturity and, against all expectations (and hope), all turned out to be girls. Hooray! In a duck world you need a more female to male ratio to keep the peace, and we were definitely listing towards the males. Now, with 3 young girls in our midsts, life has a bit more balance.
And noise.
Like all good teenagers they have formed a clique, go everywhere together and talk a lot. At full volume.. They like to check out the latest fashion (my shoes) and have boundless curiosity and energy. The adults make a good show of ignoring them, whilst I enjoy their humorous antics.
Pecan is the pretty one, pale grey with soft eyes. She has a lovely personality to go with her looks. Playful, loving and already showing signs of some maturity.
Pumpkin looks like her Mum, even down to the circle of feathers around her eyes. She is the ring leader of the three. Where she goes, the others follow.
Pi is a smaller version of her sister Pumpkin. And, she is a little on the unique side. For no apparent reason she suddenly runs around, beak down, in no specific direction. She definitely takes after her mother, Beepbeep, who used to do this too when she was a teen. I have never figured out what it signifies. None of the others do it, at least not on the same scale. Maybe it is simply a way to burn off excess energy.
They are just learning to fly, so we have some chaotic moments. Or should I say, landings. It’s not surprising to see them suddenly fly up. Then down. And then go end over end when they land. I try not to laugh. Much.
I have rescued Pumpkin from landing in the bird netting on top of their enclosure, and had to retrieve Pecan when she overshot and landed in the veg patch.
Like all good teenagers, when things go wrong they very loudly call out for ‘MUM!’, letting her know ‘I’m alright. Don’t make a fuss. And, um, could you come and collect me, like, now?’
Ah, to be young again. Hmmm, maybe not.
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