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Our new mother Muscovy duck has been so very proudly strutting her stuff around the garden showing off her 4 babies (ok, they're NOT hers actually, the eggs came from the other ducks ) these last 3 days & has dealt with the bassets who now just watch from a very safe distance, as do the other birds!

Today however, she goes up by the haybarn with 4 ducklings & returned with 3..... ????
I went & looked all over, but anyone who has had ducklings will know that should one go astray, the noise is ear splitting.
Nothing, nada, zero..... now, would a crow or magpie grab a duckling? They are about a week old now, but still quite small.

Hubby was outside & saw Maisie going off followed by the little ones. He heard nothing, but 20 minutes later, there were just 3 left.
As far as I know, there's no other birds around, apart from the swallows, wood pigeons, & the usual small ones.
I'm a bit baffled.

Oh no, any clue as yet as to what happened? We keep considering getting some chicks but i'm sad about your missing little one, i'd be bloody rubbish if it was ours something happened to!

I have no idea, Sarah! We haven't any predatory birds around - that I've seen or heard, anyway.
The garden's fox-proof & if it WAS a fox, there would have been a commotion from the guinea fowls.... who were in the same area, so they would have called if there was anything else as well.
The kitty isn't here after last week & all 3 dogs were inside with me at the time, so.... ??

I took some pics yesterday as well of the little family, I'll stick them on FB later

Jules!!

Can't offer any ideas. Time you had a bit of luck now I think. Have another one