Duck in the Pool! OMGWTFBBQ! Call 911! Call the Fire Department!!

[Skarredmind]

Aww, a duckie!

Better than what we have. We have these blackbirds that come every year to nest in our trees, and they will swoop down and attack our guests. Since they're migratory and thus a protected species, we can't really do anything once they've settled in, which is what I have to tell the guests when they complain. They will also pick up dried bird droppings out of their nests and drop them in the pool. Sometimes they even drop their young in our pool and Maint Man has to fish out drowned baby bird. I'd take a duck over them any day.

Yeah... I'll keep the duck over that. I actually think its cool he's out there. I would love it if we had ducklings out there. At my college we had *TONS* of ducks, and ducklings every year, I kinda miss it.

[Skarredmind]

I'd've been tempted to get a slice of bread to feed it.

Heh, I might. My wife might be dropping my monkeys off with me (their babysitter is on vacation this week) one morning this week... I think I will do it then, they'll love it.

[boringscreenname]

The entire suburb where I work at has a huge goose problem. They are everywhere. They've actually made it illegal to hit them, kill them or harass them, and you can get a ticket and/or fine for it. I always see them on my way to and from work.

We have geese all over the place at my work. The problem got so bad that they've hired a goose removal service that comes out once a month to chase them off.

They have dogs they use to chase the geese off, and when they're on the pond they have a little remote controlled boat they can use to chase them off with.

Well they used to be able to use the boat anyway. One of the employees complained that chasing the geese off with the remote controlled boat, is cruel and mean to the ducks.Not the dogs that chase the geese, but the boat.

[TheSHAD0W]

I have a friend who once tried to foist off a cage full of guinea pigs on me. I told her "well, I might eat 'em..." Her: "What, they're supposed to be good eatin'! Look up 'cuy' on the internet." Her: Me:

[BeeMused]

Ah yes ducks, that is... one specific duck...
We have a roof terrace, very nice for breaks, and in summer popular for meetings as well. We have some planters around the edge, for wind protection and it looks nicer too.
Last month: Guess who's back nesting... yep that mallard, hiding in our box tree planters. Each and every year she building her nest. We try to prevent it each year, but she ousmarts us eachtime. Amazing how well hidden she was with her plumage. Our office building is too high for the ducklings to get down safely, so we had to call the "Schwanenvater" (lit. Swanfather) again. This is a single person governmental agency, responsible for all water birds, esp. swans. He came to collect the eggs and incubate them. Poor guy when it's nesting time he gets really busy.

His other busy time is late autumn and early winter, when he has to round up the swans on the Alsterlakes, they are then transported to an area which is permanently kept free of ice and they are fed as well. We know it's spring when the swans are back on the Alsterlakes. It's forbidden in Hamburg to harrass and to insult the swans! Yep there is a real law about that! The town pays for the rounding up and feed of the swans as well, because of an old superstition: The town of Hamburg will fall when the swans disappear from the Alsterlakes. So we better keep them healthy and happy and never ever insult them.

[sstabeler]

that sounds like the legend of the tower of london's ravens. ( basically, if there was no rvaen left in the Tower, the Tower would fall. These days, the ravens of the Tower have their wings clipped. Oddly enough, during the seocnd world war, there was ONE left (despite clipped wings, the rest had left) but never has the Tower been without at least one raven.

[XCashier]

It's forbidden in Hamburg to harrass and to insult the swans! Yep there is a real law about that!

And probably for very good reason: they can be extremely aggressive. (NSFW language in link.)

[Argabarga]

You don't mess with swans, or geese, you might live to regret it.

Whatever it was that happened between our species eons ago, we've forgotten, BUT THEY HAVEN'T!

[Food Lady]

^ Where's the like button?

[BeeMused]

You don't mess with swans, or geese, you might live to regret it.

Whatever it was that happened between our species eons ago, we've forgotten, BUT THEY HAVEN'T!

We learned that early as kids, when we played around the Alsterlakes. Esp. when the swans are nesting! You learn to run fast when a swan comes after you hissing. They can break an adults leg with their wings. Nope, you don't mess with them, they'll win!

[downforit2008]

Must have been a member of PETA. ("Animals are PEOPLE too!") There is a DUCK in the pool and is unsupervised. The poor little darling MUST be drowning! Call the freaking Coast Guard and send in a rescue swimmer to save it!!!

[wolfie]

You don't mess with swans, or geese, you might live to regret it.

One customer site I used to pick up at had telephone poles in the middle of the loading dock area, with corrugated iron culvert collars (filled with gravel) around 4 feet in diameter around their bases. A Canada Goose had nested on the gravel "island" of one pole. It would ignore trucks going past, even if they barely cleared the collar. On the other hand, if you got out to check clearances, it would be REALLY aggressive.

[the lawsmeister]

I found out we had birds nesting behind our carpark when I spotted little sets of traffic cones spaced around the lawn

Me: Hey what's up with all the cones on the lawn
Co-worker: They're where all the birds nests are
Me: Oh yes, that would be the lesser known "Council Plover" Apparently the male attracts a mate by building a bower of traffic cones and street signs. (ok its a lame joke, so sue me)
Co-worker: No, I think the maintenance guys put them there.
Me: facepalm

[Skarredmind]

Must have been a member of PETA. ("Animals are PEOPLE too!") There is a DUCK in the pool and is unsupervised. The poor little darling MUST be drowning! Call the freaking Coast Guard and send in a rescue swimmer to save it!!!

Delicious people that you can shoot and eat, or hang in a window in Chinatown. :-D

[Mytical]

Delicious people that you can shoot and eat, or hang in a window in Chinatown. :-D

Served with fava beans?