Let Sleeping Ducks..Float?

I often wondered how more of the ducks were not eaten by the critters around the Bayou during the nighttime hours.  The fox, coyotes and even the raccoon would love duck for dinner, I am sure.  The ducks on the farm would waddle up from the pond to sleep on the shore.  They would huddle together usually under one of the large oak trees but here on the Bayou, I have never seen the wad of ducks in the evening.  Pelicans, herons, egrets and seagulls all roost on the pier posts and on the pier itself but, again, no ducks.  Just where do those birds sleep??

This is only a small portion of the flock of ducks on the Bay this morning!

This morning, Michael joined me on my hike about the hillside.  We were on a mission to dig up some white Swamp Lilies for my cousin, Helen.  She is coming for a visit and wishes to take a few of the bulbs back to Missouri.  Michael and I decided that the current cold spell was the last opportunity we would have to muck around in the Bayou before the snakes, alligators and snapping turtles present a threat.  It is not safe to tread in the marshes once these critters come out of hibernation!  While we were digging the lilies, Michael stopped and gazed out over the Bay.  Being a man of few words, he just pointed and said "Wow!"  (That exclamation mark is my addition to his statement as he never shows a lot of excitement!)  Anyway..I followed his gaze to see ducks!  Lots of ducks!  Hundreds of ducks!  Oooh!  A chance for a photograph!  I clambered out of the marsh and headed down the pier.  From there I could see that there literally were hundreds of ducks but it seemed as if only a few had heads!  What?  Headless ducks?  That does not seem right!  It was then that it dawned on me..these ducks were sleeping!  Each duck had its head tucked nicely over on its wing!  I am not sure that the ducks were even aware that we were on the pier!  Of course, we were probably a good seventy-five feet away and not much of a threat.  A few ducks were alert and watching our every move but the majority just snoozed!  Ha!  I never knew that ducks could swim and sleep at the same time.  Talk about your multi-tasking..these birds are pretty smart!

Out on the water, at least the threat of land based predators was nil.  Barring a gar swimming under them or an owl flying above, their sleep would go uninterrupted.  I am not sure an owl would attempt to prey on a duck of this size either so I am assuming this is the safest place for their naptime!  Smart ducks!