All out for a duck

Lockdown meant more time at home for Adam Hart and he used it wisely by feeding a pond and constructing a hide out of willow

- Adam Hart

Would it be possible to flight duck in our garden? This winter was the time to try. Ever since the spring, when my parents scraped out the boggy ditch opposite the house, I have entertained ideas of trying to flight it for duck.

With my place at the University of Zoom firmly secured, I had more time than ever at home to establish the pond. I persuaded my father to buy some corn from a local farmer and set about creating a natural hide that would face away from the house. The little splash soon became my lockdown project.

Not long after I began to feed the pond, mallard started arriving. Each morning, I would get out of bed and look out the window towards the pond. Some mornings there would be a pair, others there would be perhaps eight or 10. Lying in bed at night I would hear them chattering to each other. As the weeks grew colder, teal began to make an appearance too. They were less consistent than the mallard. Occasionally a gang of 10 or 15 would ambush the pond, but then not return for a few days. Anticipation for the inaugural garden pond duck flight was building.

Dingles

The day finally came to flight the pond. As a warm-up, we thought we would spend the afternoon walking through a few of the local dingles for a woodcock. Mum had elected to beat and, with Dad in charge of the dogs, I was left to go on ahead and melt into the cover ready to intercept any going forward. Ten minutes passed standing still as a post, locked in a staring contest with a bold robin.