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I have not yet found a city that did not have a body of water full of waterfowl in it somewhere. Mallard ducks with iridescent heads, majestic swans and… you know, geese. Sometimes these are ponds tucked away inside of a subdivision, in the middle of a local park, or they are the local boat ramp leading to a larger body of water. If you don’t already know where they are located, you can take an afternoon and explore, searching them out. You might be able to ask around and find someone who can lead you in the right direction.

No matter where you find them, these birds love to be fed. Fortunately for us, they make for a cheap date. Bread and water, as a matter of fact, and they supply the water. You don’t need much, a few left-over slices, a moldy loaf (I’d probably recommend throwing away the moldy parts, though), some out-of-date stuff from the store. I have never had too much, and have little fear of ever doing so. If you are at a park, they might have candy machines that dispense feed for $0.25.

You can always tell when they have been fed before, as they will flock towards you. (We were once trailed half-way around a pond by about 50 ducks, even though we had nothing to feed them.) This is quite handy, as there is no chasing them down. All you have to do is appear at the water’s edge, stand still for a few moments, and then begin serving dinner.

Simply pinch off a piece of bread, toss it near the waterfowl and watch them dine. They will dive after the bread, making sure it does not go to waste. (Though I have tried, I have not yet managed to find a duck who catches bread as it falls toward them… even when it hit them in the beak.) If your ducks are on land, you can carefully feed them out of your hand. Simply place the food in the palm of your hand and lower it down to their level. They will grab it with their beaks. Try not to move as they do so, or they might inadvertently pinch you (which can be frightening for children).

If you’re looking for a quick and simple adventure, feeding the fowl might just be the ticket. It can be calming, enjoying the scenery and seeing the beautiful colors of the birds themselves. Great photo opportunities are offered. It neither costs a lot nor does it involve a lot of traveling. Once you have found a great location or two, you can repeat as often as you wish.

Now go out, find your fowl, and enjoy the dinner!