Goodbye ducks

As readers should know, we have had ducks for a while now. We started with Pretzel and Zachary (who was not male, we discovered), who were a long-term couple until Zachary became "eggbound" and had to be put down. Then Pretzel (who was The Best Duck, who loved to be carried and thrown, both activities giving him the impression that he really could fly) was sad and lonely, so Jami unwisely got MORE ducks. These included Daphne, who at the time was all black, Spats (who look like she was wearing spats), Fatty Grey (we were getting less imaginative) and Speckles. All female. After a brief period of being terrified of and terrorized by Pretzel, by now an Old Duck, they became his harem (it was sort of icky, to be frank). Until he died. Then Speckles (who was always sort of bullied) also died. Then we stopped eating any eggs or even using them in baking, and they became simply vandals who destroyed all plant life in their section of the garden, and turned the pond into a stinking quagmire. And then! A former student, Max, was visiting, who has their own ducks, and they offered to take them! They seemed surprised at the alacrity at which we jumped at their offer. Well, here they are, running with the flock, apparently immediately settled. (Max's one request was that they change Fatty Grey's name, because they found it triggering. No skin off our bills.  (Daphne, who appears to have avian vitiligo, and is now a White Duck With Black Spots, is at the rear on the left, with the other two beside/in front of her.)

UPDATE: Max has informed us that the ducks have settled in immediately, and love that they are ALLOWED INSIDE! (Talk about the camel's nose inside the tent.) Max even sent us a picture of them cuddling (!) Spats and planting a big one on Spats' (rather startled-looking) head. Who are these ducks? I feel like we were deceived.