JBtheExplorer
Native Gardener
As some of you know, the ducklings hatched yesterday. Twelve ducklings from the thirteen eggs she laid! I knew one didn't make it, because it was cracked three days ago. To see that all the rest did was a surprise, because only six of twelve hatched last year.
This morning, I got up early to make sure I'd be there when they leave. I got to watch the whole process and it was a ton of fun! Just before 8am, Mrs. Duck hopped out of the window well and took a drink of water. The ducklings squeaked for her and she hopped back in. What I didn't realize at the time was that she was showing them how to do it. She did it three times. After the third time, she stayed out and started calling them. I wasn't sure if they'd figure it out, or if they could even jump out. I thought I might have to help. You'll see what happened in the video.
Some photos are included at the end of the video, but here's a bunch that I took:
Here's one of the last photos I took before they left.
It was at this moment where the excitement of the morning turned to a bit of sadness to see them go. I've been watching Mrs. Duck for a month and a half now, really since Spring started. It's been a fun process. Now there's a bit of emptiness at the pond. No duck peeking out at me. No eggs incubating. It's weird. The ducklings will spend the next 70 days with their mom. Some will survive, some probably wont. She'll raise them and continue on with her life, and I expect she may nest here again next year for the third time. I sure hope so! Until then, the pond will go through another Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Coincidentally, another female has been at the pond all day since I woke up. You may spot her in the video. She seems to be a little sick. I believe that she is the female of the other pair that may be nesting in the area. She's been slow today, mostly sleeping in the shade. She's still out there tonight, which is odd. Hopefully she'll be alright. She saw all the ducklings today, and at one point, they ran up to her out of curiosity. She wanted nothing to do with that and walked away from them.
This morning, I got up early to make sure I'd be there when they leave. I got to watch the whole process and it was a ton of fun! Just before 8am, Mrs. Duck hopped out of the window well and took a drink of water. The ducklings squeaked for her and she hopped back in. What I didn't realize at the time was that she was showing them how to do it. She did it three times. After the third time, she stayed out and started calling them. I wasn't sure if they'd figure it out, or if they could even jump out. I thought I might have to help. You'll see what happened in the video.
Some photos are included at the end of the video, but here's a bunch that I took:
Here's one of the last photos I took before they left.
It was at this moment where the excitement of the morning turned to a bit of sadness to see them go. I've been watching Mrs. Duck for a month and a half now, really since Spring started. It's been a fun process. Now there's a bit of emptiness at the pond. No duck peeking out at me. No eggs incubating. It's weird. The ducklings will spend the next 70 days with their mom. Some will survive, some probably wont. She'll raise them and continue on with her life, and I expect she may nest here again next year for the third time. I sure hope so! Until then, the pond will go through another Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Coincidentally, another female has been at the pond all day since I woke up. You may spot her in the video. She seems to be a little sick. I believe that she is the female of the other pair that may be nesting in the area. She's been slow today, mostly sleeping in the shade. She's still out there tonight, which is odd. Hopefully she'll be alright. She saw all the ducklings today, and at one point, they ran up to her out of curiosity. She wanted nothing to do with that and walked away from them.
