Unusual sighting at Entabeni Game Reserve

Nature is a beautiful and amazing thing!! In the same breath, though, nature is not always fair!!

While out with Lee Gutteridge of Entabeni Nature Guide Training (www.natureguidetraining.co.za) this morning, we came across a lone Blacksmith Lapwing at a dam close to their camp. What made this sighting unusual was the little group of four ducklings that were following the Lapwing closely. The ducklings were no larger than a tennis ball, and thus very young. The dam hosts White-faced, White-backed and Yellow-billed Ducks, and our assumption was that the ducklings were Yellow-billed Ducks, as a pair landed in the vicinity of the ducklings while we were watching.

The Lapwing seemed a little flustered at all the attention, and would move a few steps whenever the ducklings approached. The attention couldn't have been too annoying, or the Lapwing would have found another spot on the dam to rest. While discussing all the angles of the scenario, we wondered if the parents were not in the area when the eggs hatched, forcing the ducklings to "latch" on to the first creature they saw, the poor Lapwing. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

After watching this interaction for 15 minutes, two Yellow-billed Ducks flew in and landed roughly 15 metres away from the surrogate "mom" and ducklings. We thought this answered a lot of questions, but within minutes, the adult Ducks swam away from the youngsters. We watched for a little longer, before moving off to continue on the drive, with a promise to return to the dam.

On our return, we quickly scanned the area, and saw the Lapwing looking relaxed, and alone. Not one of the four ducklings were visible. The Yellow-billed Ducks also seemed to have moved off completely.

The Lapwing/Duckling mystery continues.......