marvel at the underduck region

January 20, 2019 8:16 AM

if you only look at one picture of a duck today, let it be this one [twitter] [threadreader]

Yes, it's just one picture of a duck, but what a picture

posted by moonmilk (41 comments total)

seriously though mar hicks is the coolest
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 8:22 AM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]

Underducky, you're the one
That makes Twitter so much fun,
Underducky, I'm awfully fond of you!
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:24 AM on January 20, 2019 [24 favorites]

dammit I came here to post that
posted by gusandrews at 8:37 AM on January 20, 2019 [3 favorites]

Well, that was a lot cuter than I expected. I used to have a job that occasionally called for hands-on contact with a lot of underduck or undergoose regions (vent sexing like this) so I thought I was going to see someone marveling at the corkscrew shape of a duck penis. (Most birds don't have penises, but ducks and geese do, which is helpful if you want to know for sure what sex they are.)
posted by Redstart at 8:43 AM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

I just discovered the duck pond on the campus where I've worked for just over six months, and I visit them daily. I am already Tony Soprano-level attached to my little quacking friends.
posted by avocet at 8:45 AM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]

🐥
posted by moonmilk at 8:49 AM on January 20, 2019

When I was living in Cambridge (England edition) one year as a child, I also developed a serious affinity for the ducks (Emmanuel College duck pond holla!), and then spring succeed and holy shit ducklings EVERYWHERE. I already was pretty convinced that I (an urban, American child) was actually living in Narnia, but those few weeks were just next level.

Then I went to college myself on a campus with a large variety of water fowl (and peacocks) and discovered that ducks are really horrible assholes, and peacocks delight in sitting under your window at 3 a.m. and screeching at jet engine decibel levels repeatedly.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:58 AM on January 20, 2019 [14 favorites]

If tiny 'n cute are not your thing, perhaps this goth duck is more to your liking?
posted by NoMich at 9:02 AM on January 20, 2019 [7 favorites]

The underduck region is indeed marvelous! A+ ducko, would “d’awww” again!
posted by obfuscation at 9:04 AM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

I hadn’t even planned to look at any pictures of ducks today, but I am glad I made the time to look at that one. A++, would look at again.

Of course, I had planned to look at a picture of a chinchilla, so now I will have to look at that later in the week. Maybe I can squeeze it in on Thursday and just glance at the platypus that day.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:06 AM on January 20, 2019 [20 favorites]

There are many pictures of capybaras that need looking at, ricochet biscuit - perhaps you can arrange for a leave of absence to make time?
posted by moonmilk at 9:12 AM on January 20, 2019 [15 favorites]

I have two weeks blocked in March for that.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:13 AM on January 20, 2019 [13 favorites]

First time I was visiting Cambridge I noticed the signs restricting access to the lawns to the faculty only. But there were lots of ducks parading on the lawns. I guess they have rank too.
posted by njohnson23 at 9:14 AM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

We regret to inform you the duck is racist
posted by zabuni at 9:18 AM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

When I first moved to live in Cambridge, I was within walking distance of an old pub called The Green Dragon. The outside seating was up against the river, with pasture on the other side. At the right time of year baby ducks and goslings would waddle past, followed by their parents. You'd see the odd swan too.

There are worse places to enjoy a pint.
posted by YAMWAK at 9:20 AM on January 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

eggsactly what I wanted to see this afternoon
posted by slkinsey at 9:22 AM on January 20, 2019

That is a legit great picture, I'd be chuffed if I got that.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 9:30 AM on January 20, 2019

I saw someone in that thread ask why Doves get to be the symbol of peace instead of the Duck. Clearly, they've never studied duck penises!
posted by I-Write-Essays at 9:55 AM on January 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

Lord Love a Duck
posted by rhizome at 10:27 AM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

This finally answers the age old question, is a duck's ass water-proof?

No, it's water-repellent.
posted by peeedro at 10:31 AM on January 20, 2019

Last summer when I was briefly in Boston I was walking over to the Gardner Museum, which as many of you know is adjacent to "the fens," and witnessed traffic being completely stopped by a mama duck leading her baby ducks single file across the road. It was straight-up real-life Make Way For Ducklings.
posted by praemunire at 11:09 AM on January 20, 2019 [9 favorites]

fwiw :P
caterpillars impersonating a slug!
posted by kliuless at 11:14 AM on January 20, 2019 [3 favorites]

fwiw :P
caterpillars impersonating a slug!

and people thought the eels were nightmare fuel!
posted by supermedusa at 11:30 AM on January 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

In further cute baby animal news:

Baby ray grown in sandwich bag

The ray was trapped in its egg case - known as a mermaid's purse - and would have died. Aquarium employee Frazer Mackay peeled open the case and put the ray, still at the embryo stage, in the bag. The ray is now a month old and the aquarium said it is "thriving" in the sandwich bag in a quarantine tank.

posted by moonmilk at 11:55 AM on January 20, 2019 [3 favorites]

(Though now that I think of it, growing up in a sandwich bag seems more like a Roast Beef thing than a Ray thing)
posted by moonmilk at 12:00 PM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]

Ducks don’t get wet
posted by togdon at 12:44 PM on January 20, 2019

I am already Tony Soprano-level attached to my little quacking friends.
posted by avocet

So.... eponysterical?
posted by traveler_ at 1:35 PM on January 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

Baby ray grown in sandwich bag: The ray was trapped in its egg case

I bet the baby ray really wished it had an egg tooth.

Baby ray doo doo doo doo doo doo...
posted by cynical pinnacle at 2:23 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

I just gave birth to just_duckling 7 weeks ago. I'm so glad you all think she's so cute!
posted by just_ducky at 3:41 PM on January 20, 2019 [10 favorites]

I approve of this colorful little fluff.
posted by Gray Duck at 4:37 PM on January 20, 2019

Someone needs to invent some real Peril Sensitive Sunglasses but instead of going opaque they show pictures of cute animals.
posted by tommasz at 4:57 PM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]

Congrats, just_ducky!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 6:33 PM on January 20, 2019 [3 favorites]

It's winter. I'm ready for spring, the opening of the new library on our block, and getting the mallards and Canada geese back in the duck pond. Yeah, ducks!
posted by TrishaU at 6:55 PM on January 20, 2019

Checking to confirm "underduck" tag, all is as it should be, carry on
posted by duffell at 7:09 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

getting the mallards and Canada geese back in the duck pond. Yeah, ducks!

...do you not know what Canada geese are like?
posted by saucysault at 9:47 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

it's nice weather for ducks..

_{Fal de ral de ral do…}
posted by ApathyGirl at 12:41 AM on January 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Is there a source for the duck photo? I couldn't find it in the thread.
posted by straight at 3:28 PM on January 21, 2019

I love the goth duck linked earlier in the thread but calling a goth duck “Danny Zuko” is just... just... how could you possibly misunderstand “goth” any worse
posted by ejs at 11:34 PM on January 21, 2019

Driving through a flock of ducks crossing the road is somewhat like driving though a herd of sheep. Except the ducks can fly into your vehicle if they want to. Don't want to have my moon roof open, either.

Yep, until this building project we had many ducks and geese in the neighborhood. And they will be back.
posted by TrishaU at 11:45 PM on January 21, 2019

Duckling story:

My Dad got a place with a pool in AZ that was near a lake; lots of ducks would migrate in every year. We had a pair of ducks nest in the back yard every year who refused to be scared off.

We got in the habit of watching for the duckling's first swim lessons…which were adorable until they met the gentle wrath of the pool filter. Fortunately, my bedroom window overlooked the pool so I'd watch for ducklings and turn off the pool filter. Nesting ducks were fine but we didn't want to compete with ducklings to swim so I'd head out with the pool net and a basket lined with a towel. Each duckling was, in turn (tern?) scooped up and gently placed into the basket. They'd try to escape, but since they were babies they weren't very good at it - they'd duck underwater and swim furiously to escape until they got bored and/or tired at which point they'd bob to the surface like a cork. You could see the bubble around their down. I'm not quite sure how I made this work but after I got the ducklings in the basket I carried them to the nearby lake. The hen would follow - I generally held up a duckling which *PEEP*ed at momma, who quaked back. They were all released at the lake and (while I can't prove this) there were occasional ducks that gave me odd looks until I left.
posted by caphector at 11:08 AM on January 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

Just returned to say this post fucking rules.
posted by duffell at 12:52 PM on January 22, 2019