Ducks love mud

The backyard flock of ducks prefers oozy mud to fresh grass


It’s been raining off and on for the past week. It began before Christmas and has been with us pretty much ever since. Not very San Diego at all.

The upside is all that water has given the acre a good drink and the west side is alive with young weeds and grasses. The chickens (plus Roger the rogue Guinea Fowl) are taking advantage of the soft soil for an all day grass and grub buffet.

I’m pretty sure the ducks would enjoy the combo almost as much, but I can’t coax them away from the east side, which is bare ground, well-shaded all day by a couple of oaks.

Pools of mud

Those were the openings to ground squirrel burrows until the ducks turned them into small ponds.

You see, after a week of rain and water water pouring out of ground squirrel burrows upslope, this area is sloppier than a happy hog wallow. Three inches of mud and slime equals 20-odd ducks having the time of their lives.