Ducks we've owned and loved in the past!

Beaky is a mixed breed but has a lot of Call Duck in her! Her beak is longer than standard for the Call breed- hence the name.

Named by my Year 7 English group based on my description of his walk! Usually goes  by the name of Waggle or simply "the one with the green head" although our young niece, Beth, likes to use his full name!

A true Call Duck! Her call made this name an obvious choice.

1999-2003

Named after Tom Bartlett, the owner of Folly Farm in Bourton-on-the-Water (now closed). We visited the farm for years before purchasing our first four ducks from him when we turned up one day to learn that the farm itself was up for auction!

Bartlett died in his sleep after three years with shaky legs! He was a great character who amused us all with his dislike of water, often preferring to act as lifeguard to the others by patrolling the edge of the rill.

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Sheldon hatched at 6pm on Sunday the 11th May 2003. You can find out about the hatch and read "The Diary of a Duckling" by following the links on the Sheldon's Story page!

Sheldon has matured into a dear little duck who still loves human company but is equally happy hanging out with the parent ducks or the seven youngsters. She has a cuddle with me, or simply sits on my hand, every day.

She is a real water baby now and loves to play in the ponds as they are being cleaned out and refilled each week.

Sadly, we lost Sheldon to a fox in 2013.

This little bunch arrived on Sunday 15th June 2003. (Well, except Titchy who finally parted company with her shell on Monday morning!) Read about them all in the  Marty's Crew section where you can follow a day by day account of their first 8 weeks!

Scroll down for individual biographies!

This drake is my favourite boy. From the moment he hatched he has been the calmest of the bunch and loves sitting on my hand or pecking at my clothes.

He has typical Grey (or Mallard) Call markings like his dad and is very handsome indeed.

His distinguishing features are a small black mark on the centre of his beak and his striped feet. Named after my Dad, Martin, he will always be a very special little chap!

Sadly, we lost Marty to a fox in 2013.

Click to go to Marty's Photo Album!

This duck was intended to be Donald Duck, after David's dad but she turned into a beautiful little lady so she is known simply as D duck.

After her angel wing troubles when she had to be taped up for a few days, she is not very fond of human contact and, in fact, often steals a lone swim or nap when the other ducks are busy elsewhere.

Sadly, we lost D to a fox in 2013.

Click to go to D's Photo Album!

BQ was named after the DIY superstore of that name following a superb unassisted hatch, but the initials may as well stand for Be Quiet as she has to be one of the noisiest of the bunch. If a duck is rushing about quacking madly for no particular reason, it is likely to be her.

She is similar in size and colouring to Sheldon but her distinctive dark patterned beak tells her apart. She is a lively, busy duck who enjoys foraging.

Sadly, we lost BQ to a fox in 2013.

Click to go toBQ's Photo Album!

Bruiser has never thrown his weight about in an aggressive way but he was always the biggest and seemed to bumble along not noticing if smaller ducklings were in his path- hence his name.

He and Marge Man had lovely yellow fluff as ducklings and they share some unusual adult feathering. Apart from differences in their feet, he is set apart by a white line which breaks up his chestnut tummy and has a broader beak than Marge.

Bruiser is quite a friendly duck and will sometimes wait around to be petted. He has a gentle, lovable nature.

Bruiser lived with my parents until a fox attack in 2013.

Click to go toBruiser's Photo Album!

Marge's margarine-like colourings gave him his name which I have tried to make a little more butch for him now we know he is, indeed, a drake!

Like Bruiser, he has interesting black and white feathers on his back and a pure white behind, but his longer beak and a little squiggly pattern on his left foot mean that I don't get them muddled.

This handsome duck has never been one for cuddles but if I sit or lie on the ground in Duck Garden he is invariably the first one on my stomach. He just loves to clamber as he did in his duckling days. He also has an amusing habit of running backwards and forwards to the drinker every time he has even the smallest bit of food in his beak.

Marge Man lived with my parents until a fox attack in 2013.

Click to go to Marge Man's Photo Album!

Diddy is the smallest drake. Maybe this explains his bullying tendencies- he acts tough in an attempt to seem bigger! He appears to be less hostile to the others now but still pecks at them from time to time.

He is a very timid chap and will jump sideways to avoid being stroked and never settles when picked up.

Rather than a white collar like the other drakes, Diddy appears always to be wearing a wide scarf round his neck. This and his bright feet are his distinguishing features.

Diddy amazingly survived the 2013 fox attack and enjoyed a new lease of life when Lily (who he adored) and Claude (his love rival) arrived. He died of old age in 2015.

Click to go to Diddy's Photo Album!

Named Titch at the time of hatching, this tiny duck is known fondly as Titchy. Once a very cuddly duckling, she no longer invites cuddles but is fairly calm if I pick her up.

Her struggle to survive the hatch seems to have left her with the ducky equivalent to asthma but she is one of the best deep water divers and has a quack to rival any of the others. Hers, however, has a squeaky edge to it and is really quite comical.

Very like D in her colouring, her beak has a brighter orangey tinge to its edges and her tiny feet have kept their irregular shaped splodges. She is many people's favourite!

Sadly, we lost Titchy to a fox in 2013.

Click to go to Titchy's Photo Album!