A pet duck has become a Perthshire artist’s swimming companion in the waters of a highland loch beside her home.
Celtic craftswoman Enya James and DeeDee the duck are a regular sight taking a dip in Loch Rannoch since she hatched it last summer.
And Enya admits she’s surprised by how close a feathered friend the white duck has become.
The 21-year-old said: “I’d really wanted a pet duck and had an incubator so I got six eggs to see how many might hatch.”
Only one made it to hatching – and even then Enya had to help tiny DeeDee from her shell.
Hand-reared
And until the duckling’s feathers were sufficiently waterproof, Enya helped it find its way in a bowl of water.
Enya even took her new pet out in the car from time to time.
It forged the bond between the pair.
And since the summer, there’s been no stopping DeeDee in joining Enya for a dip in the beautiful Perthshire loch.
Enya enjoys the wild swimming on her doorstep as a break from her work creating intricate Celtic knotwork jewellery using the ancient methods of chasing and repousse.
“She will follow me as soon as I am ready to go out into the loch,” she said.
“And when I’m in the water she will never be far away.
“In the summer we would be out quite often, and I still try to get out at least once a week.
“And sometimes I’ll take her down for a swim on her own.
“I’ve been quite surprised by how friendly she has stayed.
“What you often find with chickens or ducks is when they are babies they are quite tame and don’t mind being handled.
“But as they get a bit older they don’t like it so much.
“She hasn’t done that. She’s fine to be picked up and cuddled.”
Having spent her early life indoors, DeeDee’s now living outside; but penned in to keep her safe from predators in the Perthshire hills.
And with warmer weather on the not too distant horizon, Enya hopes her pet won’t be ducking out of their swims together.
