Goodbye Methuselah

Yesterday morning when I stopped by the pond to feed the ducks,
I did my usual head count.
Twelve ducks were paddling around in their little circular pool of water...
kept from freezing by an aerator.


For seven or eight years, that head count has included one duck amongst many others.
That one duck who has been here since the beginning
was Methuselah.


Methuselah was the last of our first flock of khaki Campbell ducks.


They were the first flock of ducks that we raised when we started our farm.
Before I added the present ducks, Methuselah had lived alone on the pond for a year or two...
with several mallards that would join him for occasional visits.


A very smart duck...(top duck in above photo)
with a great instinct for avoiding predators,
he helped to raise our present flock of ducks from ducklings to full grown.
For years he has been the head of our flock...
a constant in the ever changing life of our pond.

Yesterday when I counted ducks there were still 12.
Only this time Methuselah was gone.
In his place was one lone mallard male.
But no Methuselah.

It's a mystery how he disappeared.
I fear a predator might have finally caught him.
Perhaps because he was old he was slower.
We'll never know.

We'll miss seeing this old fellow.
He was the only resident of the farm who has been here since the beginning.

So long ago...seen here with our first flock, right after our garden fence was erected...


This spring I hope to raise another group of ducklings.
We'll allow a female to nest on her eggs.
What fun...watching ducklings learn to swim!

Sadly, there will be no Methuselah to teach them the ways of the pond.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh that is sad. Poor Methuselah. But what a happy life he must have on your farm!

Kathy from Tasmania
colleen said…
Sure sounds like Methuselah will be missed!! How long have you lived on your farm?
Bee Haven Bev said…
We've had the farm for about 14 years. We started farming about 8 years ago and moved here full time 5 years ago.
Unknown said…
Methuselah, hope you meet my feathered friends in duck heaven, give them hugs for me.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
that's so sad! poor methuselah. maybe he wandered off to elephant burial grounds.
Ahhhhhhhh

I had a pet duck named Gerty when I was a kid. She had the cutest top knot.
Carla said…
Hopefully if a predator was part of the mix, he went quickly. Now he's paddling around in ducky heaven. So sorry. :( I've got one hen left from my original flock--she's nine this year. It will be so strange when she goes.
This N That said…
I sensed a sad ending to this post and by the time I got to the bottom the tears were streaming down my face..So sad to lose an old friend..
Unknown said…
It's always so hard to lose an animal but one that has been with you so long....darn! The first pals are always the hardest to lose.
Country Gal said…
Nature is beautiful but it can be cruel to, it's all in circle of life ! It is sad though , I like to think he is now with the duck angels having a blast in the biggest pond ever . Lovely photos . Have a good day !
Lynne said…
Sad to hear . . .
Anonymous said…
I'm so sorry. It's never easy no matter how old they are.