ducks

The Revere Journal reports on what draws the hunters to Revere - and why its state rep wants to keep them out.

Mike the Mad Biologist chronicles the adventures of the mama duck for whom park workers built special housing in the Public Garden.

Fortunately, there was a happy ending. Kristin MacDougall at the MWRA reports a woman walking her dog at Deer Island called the MWRA when she noticed mama and poppa duck quacking for help at a storm drain yesterday.

Winthrop Animal Control responded, fished the ducklings out with a net, and then, as the parents followed anxiously behind, walked the babies down to the harbor, where the family was reunited and paddled off.

The Daily Item reports the 80-year-old duck feeder refuses to stop, no matter how large the bill, she says God is on her side.

The Massachusetts Appeals Court today reinstated a man's conviction of cruelty to animals for squashing a mother duck leading her ducklings across a mall parking lot in Dartmouth in June, 2009.

Bob took some video of the large stripers in the water between Long Wharf and the Aquarium - and how they beat a frustrated duck to the hunks of bread he threw to them:

Romeo and Juliet? This year's swans are more like dual Lady Macbeths. Mike the Mad Biologist chronicles the avian war on the lagoon:

... One day I saw one swan prevent the flock of ducklings from entering the pond: wherever the ducks went to try to jump in, the swan was right there hissing at them. That day, the swan even jumped out of the water and pursued them on land.

It gets even more vicious. The swan (again, no idea which one) will try to isolate a couple ducklings and then pursue those ducklings. The duck's mother then tries the 'broken wing' gambit (squawking loudly and then veering off, in an attempt to draw the swan away). It never works. These swans are on a mission.

Cutest traffic jam ever in the history of Boston.

Instead of a beautiful lagoon to float around in when they arrived in the Public Garden today, all they found was a giant field of mud, with a little rivulet running through it.

The Boston Parks Department says it had hoped to have the lagoon cleaned and ready for filling by now, but the nor'easter mucked things up.

Cool photo from up north.

Wicked Local Cambridge reports the Cambridge Zoning Board of Appeals ruled tonight that a Putnam Street co-op house has to send its three ducks and two chickens to someplace more rural, such as Arlington.

Residents vowed to appeal the decision that fowl are not allowed under city bylaws to the city council, which, however, is a bit preoccupied these days with attempting to select a mayor - something it has so far failed to do after six weeks.

The owners of three Cayuga ducks and two Wyandotte chickens are blogging to keep Cambridge from banning their pets.

Steve Borichevsky photographs a king eider serenely bobbing in the water off Gloucester.

Channel 5 posts photos of a duck and her ducklings crossing the street at Centre and Alaric today.

Encounter in the Public Garden:

Steve Garfield posts video of some Jamaica Pond ducks that found a watering hole in the ice.

Lizdc has her camera handy.

Yes, this story is all it's quacked up to be.

Alyssa Boehm photographs Hoggy the Groundhog, who thinks her backyard garden is a take-out joint:

He's kind of cute, but he's also a bit destructive. I opted not to plant any tomatoes this year (one if his favorites to take a single bite from) and focus on my peppers. Undaunted, he's been burrowing around in my veggie patch.

And I think he's been snacking on my hostas. ...

In more positive animal news, Alyssa also photographs cute little baby duckies at the Public Garden (and here are some cute little baby goslings in the Fenway).

Jorge makes his daily trek to Belle Isle Marsh this morning and discovers three duck hunters:

... I have no quarrel with hunters but it is reckless to hunt within 200 yards of a busy street and 40 feet below the approach to a runway at Logan Airport and it is almost certainly illegal to hunt within the city limits of Boston with a firearm. The ultimate irony is that they set up their shooting blind at the base of the Osprey platform. I reported the incident to the Boston Police who seemed to take it seriously. It is very strange to hear gunfire in Belle Isle Marsh. I hope that these people stay away.