Second Chance part 1 "title by makkie, written by LadyKenai"
 

We had been at the pond the day before, when we looked in the nest there were seven eggs. Mom was sitting on the nest and dad meerkoet was out on the pond gathering food and extra blades of grass for the nest. They seemed happy and content. The other ducks in the pond were enjoying thier day also. This particular pair of meerkoets had already born seven babies in early May of this year.

We took pictures and were so happy the eggs finally hatched. The next day we went to the nest in the park and all of the babies were gone, we could see parents close by with papa meerkoet chasing ducks away from the area of the nest. Why, we thought? Why chase the ducks if there were no babies?

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Now playing Second Chance part 1
Video by: wedazzleyou.com
 
   

While sitting in the park on a bench close by the nest, I saw a huge fish jump. I thought oh my goodness! Do these fish eat baby birds? New hatchlings? We talked about it and came to the conclusion that either a seagull had got to them or one of these huge fish that lurk in the pond had gotten a hold of the poor tiny ones.

Everytime we go on our bike rides we check on nests around all the waterways here in Holland. There are many! Alot of them know us by now, we make certain noises to let them know it is us and that we have a small bit of food for them.

The next day we went back to "Little Swan Park" we call it, because we have to cross a bridge that is called the very same name. There were six babies in the nest and one egg left to hatch. We cut up our older potatoes and fed mom and dad meerkoet, watched them feed the babies until all was happy and full. I kept saying out loud, "come on mama ... watch those babies close, we don't want anything to happen to them this time!" We went home happy that night.

Posted: 7 Nov 2008, by makkie