Mallard ducks to make their once-a-year appearance by spring
The Sergeant's Grove, where the ducks appear, is named as such to commemorate the kidnapping and killing of two British sergeants by the Irgun in July 1947.
By SARAH BEN-NUNMallard ducks at the water reservoir at the Sergeant's Grove in Netanya. (photo credit: JULIA SELLA COURESY OF NETANYA MUNICIPALITY)
Despite 2020's challenges, the mallard duck is still very much expected to make its yearly appearance at the water reservoir in Netanya's Sergeant's Grove.The water pool serves as a source of natural reserves in the winter, resulting from the rainfall. This is extremely important for the ecosystem of the park's area, and plays a large role in the nourishment of the surrounding vegetation.The mallard is a type of wandering duck that makes an appearance in Israel only during one season of the year. The male mallard has a green-colored head, while the female sports a grey-brown color.Most forests with eucalyptus trees are usually more barren, as the eucalyptus trees take up a lot of the water resources, not always allowing for other vegetation to grow. The wide variety of plant life in the park keeps the ecosystem thriving, which is impressive at its small space of just over a quarter-square kilometer.The Sergeant's Grove is named as such to commemorate two British sergeants who were kidnapped and killed in July 1947 by the Irgun. The Irgun was one of the few underground military Zionist organizations fighting for independence in the years preceding the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948.After a few kidnapping incidents, the British Mandate began to apply the death penalty to members of the organization. Irgun's members then retaliated by killing the two British sergeants in the grove, hanging them in eucalyptus trees.This in turn sparked antisemitic rioting in few British cities. It also led British troops in Palestine on a rampage that ended with five Jews dead in Tel Aviv.After the mallards finishing their nesting period in the winter, park-goers will get the chance to glimpse baby mallard ducks trailing their mother in the water reserve by springtime.
