Duck Tales

A Scarsdale family became hosts to a family of another kind in their yard when a mother duck decided that Murray Hill was the perfect place to build her nest. With a lush lawn and a pleasant pool, the fenced-in yard seemed like a safe place to hatch her brood.

The Scarsdale family watched her sit on the nest for six weeks. To learn more about ducks they called the Greenburgh Nature Center who advised them not to make the ducks too comfortable – after all a pool is not a pond, and chlorinated water, though not harmful, is not ideal for ducks. Also if you permit the ducks to stay, the baby ducklings will return to your property each year to lay their own eggs. They also consulted a “wildlife relocator” but ultimately decided to sit tight and instructed their landscapers not to bother the nest. They enjoyed watching mom warming the eggs with periodic visits from the male father or Mallard.

Before long they were greeted with a joyful sight – Momma duck and her nine ducklings swimming in the pool. Some chose to float on the kickboard while another liked to ride on mom’s back. One of the wayward ducks always seemed to swim in the wrong direction.

But hot weather came to Scarsdale and the proper homeowners wanted to get back into their pool. They realized that the ducklings were not able to get out of the water as they could not fly. How to help them out? They extended a raft from the pool onto the deck, making a runway for the exit of the duck family, who readily complied.

Where they have gone is anyone’s guess – but they sure were entertaining while they were in residence.