Fun Places to Feed the Ducks around the Chase

Did you know we have so many spots where you can go to feed ducks in our local area? It is an enjoyable way to get some fresh air, perhaps enjoy watching some little ducklings, engaging and appreciating wildlife or just enjoying our great outdoors. We have a wide variety of locations where you can enjoy our waterfowl – in some of our lovely parks or out in wilder spots where food is less plentiful in colder months. Who doesn’t love to see a mother duck with a brood of chicks in the Spring?

Feeding Ducks
More information can be found here www.feedducks.com
The natural diet of ducks is aquatic vegetation such as pond weed as well as insects, worms, snails and even some small crustaceans. They duck their heads to t=get to the bottom of ponds because there is a rich source of food there and a balance of diet is key to keeping waterfowl healthy. According to the Canal and River Trust https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-wildlife/keeping-our-ducks-healthy, the best foods to give ducks is sweetcorn, lettuce, peas, oats, seeds and rice. Bread isn’t considered to be good for ducks – not because it is dangerous in itself, but because it fills their tummies without producing good nutrition. In turn, they can develop deformed wings – which means their ability to fly is impeded – so they may not escape predators. It is best to scatter the food on the surface of the water rather than scattering on the ground as this build-up can attract rats and other predators and the ducks themselves can become more vulnerable when they are out of the water. In some places the ‘Feed the Ducks’ initiative have provided solar powered contactless duck feed dispensers.

Good places to feed ducks in our area:
Obviously explore the canal – the Cannock Extension Canal is 2.9km long and runs from Pelsall Junction on the Wyrley and Essington Canal, north to Norton Canes docks.

Mill Green Nature Reserve Cannock
Here there are paths/walkways on which to meander and pass the time in between feeding the ducks. There is also easy access from here to McArthur Glen retail park for a coffee, bite to eat or some retail therapy

Chasewater Country Park – there is stunning parkland which has a reservoir at the centre. There is a fantastic little coffee shop which sells ice-cream and has a range of teas and coffees.

Elmore Park in Rugeley – lovely paved walkways wend round the duck pond. There is also a charming Pets Corner which is currently home to canaries, finches, guinea pigs and rabbits – more animals are expected to be added. There are also allotments here and it is a short walk to Rugeley Town Centre