Duck, Duck … Goose?
I wanted to feed the ducks. I had saved bread crusts for three weeks. Finally, OC and I were both off work before dark and could walk down to Paiko Lagoon Duck Sanctuary and feed the mallards so I could get them closer to my camera. (Devious, I am!)  After feeding the ducks we planned to walk to the park and take a dip in the ocean, then stroll on back home — except, I wasn’t really home yet. We decided all this over the phone while I was still in the the parking garage at work! I still had to stop at the bank and the grocery store on my way home.
Finally we were on our way! I had my towel slung over one shoulder and my camera over the other. OC had his towel rolled under his arm and was jauntily swinging the bag full of bread crusts. Paiko Lagoon is about a quarter of a mile from our house — a nice leisurely stroll (except for the bit of King Kalanianaole Highway we have to hustle across). Just as we crossed the highway, I noticed the ducks were not in the lagoon, but milling around in the middle of the crossroads a block inland. There is a mess of construction going on there and the place is, well, — a mess!
We approached the flock. These are wild ducks — supposedly — so we expected them to scatter. Not so. They recognized the bread sack dangling from OC’s hand and and crowded around him like hungry children. We kept walking …
… they stood around for a moment looking confused, then they followed us, quacking loudly.
“Hey! Come back here with our dinner!”
As we continued on toward the ocean, the ducks began to lag behind and turn away.
OC tossed a few bits of bread over his shoulder to reclaim their interest.
One contemplated the food value of my camera …
Finally we arrived at the beach and the feasting began!
For those of you who wish to notice that OC’s swim trunks are black with blue lotus flowers,
his shirt is blue with white snow flakes,
and his towel is turquoise stripes,
I promise I told him how hideous he looked,
but he still insisted on leaving the house.
I believe he also told me not to take any pictures of him.
Oops! 😉
OC bravely exposed his fingers to their teeth and beaks.
But for supposedly wild creatures they were surprisingly gentle.
And tame.
Mostly.
I must admit that we were somewhat uncertain about this species of duck …
… or perhaps the uncertainly was his?
We spent so much time feeding the ducks
and then talking to a young Hawaiian fisherman
we never did get in for a swim,
but we did walk down to the park and catch the sunset
from Maunaloa Bay.
It was a lovely afternoon.
14 Comments
Ducks are great. Just never feed geese that aren’t yours. They’re ornery little bastards. I got my ass bit as a kid. Stupid goose attacked me and tried to kill me.
I harbor no childhood bitterness…
LOL! Ducks ARE usually okay to feed — even the kids like to feed them — but yea… like Jason said — geese can be NASTY! I understand roosters are safe enough! How DID he get mixed up with that brood? I saw him in the top picture and was gonna TELL ya – Mainland geese don’t LOOK like that!
Well, he doesn’t appear to be having any kind of identity crisis and overall,his attitude looks to be quite cocky…
I had to laugh about all those ducks following you- it must have been quite a sight.
Around here, we have sea gulls (lake gulls actually) that hang around waiting to be fed. They recognize certain bus drivers…
Okay, I don’t feel quite as bad for taking about ten pictures or so of pingeons a few weeks ago when I went into NYC. 🙂
Sounds like a great day to me… especially since it’s 12 degrees and windy here.
Neat pictures all it took was a little bread.
I love the black and white spotted one! I’ve never seen that kind of coloring before.
Love the shot of all the orange feet- well except for Rooster!
Wonderful photos. I especially like that first one, where the ducks look like they need a “traffic duck” directing them!
Also, love the bluish/green in the closeup and well, the sunsets in Hawaii, a state I’ve never been (yet), you sure do capture a lovely one.
LOL about that rooster.
I love this story and its pictures. All the way through I was wondering if Mr. Bantam Rooster knows he’s not a duck, lol. Chickens don’t do well alone, they have to be part of a flock of some kind, even if not other chickens. At one time I had a Bantam rooster, Rooster Cogburn, and he treated me like his flock, was a real pet that followed me and would fly up into my arms or onto my shoulder. Eventually I got him 2 hens, one had a chick with her. Then they became his family and I was ‘out’. Sniffle. I miss Rooster and all the family he produced. When he disappeared one of his sons became ‘the rooster’, then eventually he disappeared and one of his sons became ‘head rooster’. Eventually, when too many chickens were disappearing I gave the flock away cuz I just couldn’t stand it. Too many Eagles around here that were having Chicken Take Out on a regular basis. They recently had Cat Take Out from my neighbors yard. My Shadow sure was good to make it as an indoor-outdoor cat for 17 years without being Eagle Eats.
You really do live in paradise 🙂 What a fun afternoon and I’m so happy you two got to do what you like in paradise instead of work and sing all the time.
Great pix, too.
Glad I scrolled down. Wouldn’t have missed for the world. The ducks are so cute and they followed you. Then there was the one poor guy with no friends who decided to tag along. All tied up with a fantastic sunset.
Jason — welcome! Ducks are great and geese are mean! You are correct. My uncle had a goose that used to nip the tender skin at the backs of our knees! OUCH!
Melli — roosters can be very aggressive. My friend had one one that tried to take his spurs to anyone who entered “his” chicken coop. He tried one time too many and landed himself in a pot of hot water. Literally. And he was very tasty.
Cindy — I wished I could have been behind us taking pictures!
SN — ducks are NOT pigeons — but I take pictures of them, too. 😉
Raven — sunshine and blue skies here! I am loving Hawaii!
Betty — all anything takes these days is a little bread — oh no. Somethings take a LOT of bread.
Lisa — the black and white dicks are Muskovy Ducks. They are supposed to be domestic, but this crew lives in the lagoon with the Mallards.
Carletta — cute, aren’t they?
GEL — I am glad you were happy and entertained while visiting my ducks.
Alice — for us it was barn owls that kept sweeping up the cats. We had one make it to 13, but he came home torn up a few times.
Amber — if OC could sing and play music all the time, he would be doing what he wants to do! Work not so much! 😉
Dr. John — I am glad you scrolled down, too. IT was a great outing and I wanted to share it with you.
hahaha, wish i was there to see this… but your post is almost as good as that 😀
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