A SWAN HILL man has a nest of black duck eggs waiting to be hatched on his High Street balcony.
Mick first learned of the four duck eggs in an unused pot plant on October 27 and has been keeping a close eye on them ever since.
“With black ducks, it’s hard to tell which one is male and female, but I think it’s the female that spends most of the time sitting on the eggs,” he said.
“I’ve seen her pulling out her down feathers and when she leaves at night she covers up the eggs so you can’t see them.”
While Mick claims he is not a duck expert, he has done some reading and discovered when the eggs hatch, the ducklings can walk, swim and eat.
“They just can’t fly,” he said.
“I don’t know if the mother duck will push them off the balcony or walk them down.”
Mick also said when ducklings were born, they have to get their body in water within 10 hours.
“I might set up a pond or something close by just in case,” he said.
Mick said it was the first time he had ever had a duck egg nest in a pot on his balcony.
“I’ve never seen a nest so close, it’s quite cute and it’s all been a bit exciting,” he said.
The eggs are due to hatch later this month.
