They really are. I wish I'd known you before I had to let Psycho Duck go. He went to a rescue way out in the country. The other duck I regrettably kept. Every day for two weeks he sat for hours at the very spot where Psycho Duck was captured and taken away. It must have become obvious his buddy wasn't coming back, and he left too. I don't know where he went, but I wish I'd have let him go with his friend. One of the most sad animal things I've ever seen.
I'm sorry duck number two flew away. Chances are, there will be more ducks. Try to get some more to keep around. Avian vets could have given psycho duck something to calm him down. They also get parasites and that's an easy treatment inexpensive.
Seen and handled real sad situations where nobody else could help cuz they were too freaked out. While calming neighbors down acting like it’s not horrific I think about the situations later. It’s been pretty nightmarish but then I see the flip side when the ducks make it to adulthood and go fishing in the creek for minnows,when they run towards me or wave goodbye or bring their new kids to my place or roll their rotten eggs down my sidewalk (which I could live without.) Summer’s the worst time to have a nest and worst place is by a downspout on the sunny side.
They drop by my place with the hatchlings bec there are no hawks by my place. It’s just pure logic.