Sunday, June 5, 2011

Dommminnoooooo!

An individual in our flock has disappeared. 
Damn. Thursday night Domino, one of our girl ducks, disappeared. No signs or clue of a raccoon attack, no mass of feathers, no trail, nothing. It's like she was plucked clean from the yard by a hawk or the hand of someone, that would be pretty amazing. No loud quacks or upset by the group. D. went out to put them away, and could not find her. 
*sigh* 
She was my favorite. I know, I know, I shouldn't be attached, but damn, she was the best little hunter, independent (probably her downfall) yet social with the group. Not the easy girl in the group. She was quiet (another downfall) and had a pretty soft little quack.
Friday morning the boys were clearly looking for her. D. said as he put them away they immediately ran to the hut. Not their usual behavior. Usually they quack about and you have to walk them to the hut like a bunch of social middle school girls. We have a little hope that she found a way out and is somewhere in the neighborhood. I even walked around the following morning for signs of a duck somewhere in the neighborhood. Nuthing'.
I want to shout from the rooftop, Dommmiiinnnooooo! just like Stella and hope that she may come ambling down the sidewalk. I guess if you really love something, set it free. If this was her fate, I will accept the cycle of life and let her go. This is hard.