Chinese spotbill surprise...
My experience of Chinese Spotbill is that they are a flighty duck, with a delicate temperament and a tendency for secrecy. In 2010 we put a pair in a breeding aviary in the outside duckery, and they spent all year doing absolutely nothing whilst hiding in the undergrowth. One tiny hint of a human presence and they would go to ground for hours. Even if they had laid any eggs they would have gone cold up to three times a day!
In 2011 I experienced much of the same... Looking at the pair you would never have imagined that they had ever spent 5 seconds within a metre of each other. Much like 'Toy Story' however I can only assume that everything comes alive at night! I was completely shocked one evening to receive a message from my boss to say there was a nest. I bet him anything that they would be infertile... 10 days later I headed off to inspect fertility. I held an egg up to candle it against the sun and... infertile. I lifted up a second and... infertile. I headed back to the duckery with a basket-full of eggs with a certain smug look on my face.
As you can see however, I was wrong. Luck was not on my side as of the ten egg only two were infertile. It genuinely feels as if the world is out to fool me sometimes! The 8 fertile eggs were duly placed under a bantam and all hatched out to great aplomb 2 weeks later. The ducklings proved classic mallardy types, with gorgeous double eye stripes and beady eyes. They have grown wonderfully and are currently threatening feathers. Best of all; mum is currently on clutch two!
Never underestimate a spotbill.
03/07/11 Kathy Valier: What a neat ending to the story of the spotbills! I wondered why I never ever saw them in their breeding pen. I could have sworn it had no inhabitants. I am glad they produced such lovely ducklings!
