Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS!
...or....HOW NOT TO FEED THE DUCKS!
We have all seen those signs on our travels that say, “Please Do Not Feed the Wildlife”.
Why should we not feed them? What could it hurt?? Yellowstone and it’s Bears? Certainly not...but birds, too? Yes, I know, it’s hard to ignore
those cute park birds…..especially ducks and geese, right? A seemingly harmless and benevolent activity, right?
I say, "Leave those bread crumbs at home!" It could cost you dearly.
Here’s a photo account of what happened recently to some nice folks in a normally peaceful southern California county park.
Ahh…Behold! Tranquility within your large-city limits…shady trees, manicured lawns, lovely pond full of
waterfowl.
And THEN the ducks and geese started to ....MOVE!
Hordes of them, wwimming towards shore, intent on..what?
Up onto the shore in growing numbers….
Soon their numbers covered the ground..and still on they came. You could hear a faint clacking of bills ...and some weird hissing.
As I watched from afar in frozen horror....but with camera at the ready  ...Thousands of them closed in on this mother and child who had...YES!...who had backpacks full of bread
crumbs!!
There was a rush of loud quacking, flapping, ripping, and munching noises...that went on for several minutes.....then an eerie silence.
I looked for the mom and son breadcrumbers…. but all that was left in that spot were ducks and geese, burping and preening their feathers.
SO I WILL ADVISE YOU AGAIN... WITH FAIR WARNING.
PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS!....unless you’ve got a 12 gauge.
DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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yum yum....makes me hungry....I LOVE DUCKS!!!!!
I've been eying those plump Brant's geese in front of our house lately....hmmmm.
[Edited on 1-31-2013 by shari]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64853
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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A couple of those taken at Guajome Park maybe? (2 miles from here!)
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
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Feeding the ducks AKA baiting the ducks is illegal.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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Here is my take on ducks:
Then the ducks show up:
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Let me know when you get one and is ready to be cooked.
I'll personally fix it for you and Juan!
No one cooks geese better than the Europeans. I learned from my mother and grandmother.
THEN...
never throw away the duck fat...freeze it!
It is prized worldwide.
I pay $39.00 per quart from a restaurant supply place
| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
yum yum....makes me hungry....I LOVE DUCKS!!!!!
I've been eying those plump Brant's geese in front of our house lately....hmmmm.
[Edited on 1-31-2013 by shari] |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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Few ducks, mainly coots in the pictures.
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Leo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 518
Registered: 9-23-2004
Location: Todos Santos
Member Is Offline
Mood: could be better
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I liked the storyline following the pictures. But then, yes too many or too much of any or most things is too much.
The grass is always greener....
and so, there is always a better spot in Baja
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN...
WE USED TO FEED THE DUCKS....With my kids at the local duck pond in Lake Forest. They certainly could get aggressive...especially the BIG Geese! They
would really give the kids a scare sometimes.....getting a little TOO QUACKY....a little TOO CLOSE...and a little TOO SNIPPY as they grabbed at the
bread!
Other times...the sheer number of them would overwhelm and scare the kids!
Miguelamo  
Nomad Amigos...Here\'s hoping you all have safe Baja travels, amazing sunrises, sunny days, comforting breezes, beautiful sunsets, tasty tacos,
cold cervezas and frosty margaritas!!
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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AND SPEAKING OF FEEDING THE BIRDS....
I was in London years ago with a buddy on a combination business and pleasure trip. He was from there and took me into London sightseeing.
WELL...we ended up at Trafalgar Square where there are hundreds and hundreds of pigeons. He bought and gave me a bag of Pigeon feed and proceeded to
laugh his ass off as the hordes descended on me. They were landing on my head and flapping all around me. It was NOT scary but was certainly
overwhelming!!!
Miguelamo YES  YES 
Nomad Amigos...Here\'s hoping you all have safe Baja travels, amazing sunrises, sunny days, comforting breezes, beautiful sunsets, tasty tacos,
cold cervezas and frosty margaritas!!
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RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 836
Registered: 5-1-2010
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Few ducks, mainly coots in the pictures. |
x2
(And a few geese)
But, if it looks like a duck ...... 
(Pomp knows the difference, just going with the flow!)
[Edited on 2-1-2013 by RnR]
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
never throw away the duck fat...freeze it!
It is prized worldwide.
I pay $39.00 per quart from a restaurant supply place
| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
yum yum....makes me hungry....I LOVE DUCKS!!!!!
I've been eying those plump Brant's geese in front of our house lately....hmmmm.
[Edited on 1-31-2013 by shari] |
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Udo, I know what you mean. My wife brings duck fat home from Germany .... it's called Schmalz. We have some in our frig right now.
http://www.lebensmittel.de/?p=artdetails&from_page=produ...
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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QUACK! - QUACK!
Good Morning Nomads. We're just finishing breakfast here..
About those numerous....COOTS...in my photos..
Most of these birds shown below are Coots...the small, black ones with the white beaks.
First, neither Coots nor ducks eat humans...Really....
...well, maybe in a case of self-defense...and with a little wild rice.
Second, some info on the wateborne American Coot...this fellow is living proof that not everything that floats is a duck. Next time you're
at the local park pond, take a good look at one and you'll see a small head, scrawny legs...something only a mother could love...or maybe looked like
your prom date? Just kidding!...
Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. But they’re
closer relatives of the gangly Sandhill Crane and the nearly invisible rails than of Mallards or teal.
Here's a photo of some Sandies. (we knicknamed them 'Doves on Steroids'..in keeping with today's sport stars.)
The Relatives: A Sandy and Those elusive Rails.
..and for shari....some plump, lip-smacking...Brant Geese.
As any hungry hunter knows, these are highly prized table fare because, like the legendary Canvasback, the Brant feeds mostly on wild celery and
eelgrass. That diet makes them Quite yummy for anyone's palate. By the way, I travel with Brant recipes....Got Milk?
Duck fat is just too good...spuds, veggies, bread...just not for every day. We've had both wild & domesticated ducks at home
since forever. Being a pack rat at heart, I still have some fat tubs at my ND Duk Shak... from the Fifties. Who wants to make a bid on this collectable vintage fat? Note: Costco sells a package of four 12-ounce tubs for
$32.99.
I would trade for your proven and edible recipe for ....ugh...coot. No plank and brandy recipes, please...been there, done that.
Help Feed These Teens!
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
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Coot recipe? Cut 'em up and use 'em for bait.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Hola, Bob!
If you are NOB,
stop by SURFAS Restaurant Supply (they sell to the public), there is one now in Costa Mesa, and I used to have to travel to Culver city.
The best duck or goose fat, plus they sell (albeit frozen) duck breasts from Dartagnan.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob H
| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
never throw away the duck fat...freeze it!
It is prized worldwide.
I pay $39.00 per quart from a restaurant supply place
| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
yum yum....makes me hungry....I LOVE DUCKS!!!!!
I've been eying those plump Brant's geese in front of our house lately....hmmmm.
[Edited on 1-31-2013 by shari] |
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Udo, I know what you mean. My wife brings duck fat home from Germany .... it's called Schmalz. We have some in our frig right now.
http://www.lebensmittel.de/?p=artdetails&from_page=produ... |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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