Ducks are quick learners. As rapidly as they grew accustomed to me treating them
to some oatmeal, once I stopped responding to them every time they tapped on my
door it took almost no time for them to stop doing it. I still want to be able
to hang out with them a bit. I think I will experiment with going out there when
they aren't in the vicinity and calling them over and see how that works out.
Based upon my folks' place, ducks love something with water in even if it's like a foot or 2 across. They have a plant pot shaped like the bottom of a barrel, and with some rainwater in it the ducks managed to find and play in it even though it's 500m from their pond over a road and a garden fence.