Early this weekend during AM chores, I headed to the pond to put feed out for the ducks.
Upon entering the duck hut, I saw Mrs. Duckles on her nest.
She was hissing at me.
I looked a bit closer....
she wasn't alone,
no, there were several just hatched ducklings there in the corner with her.
"How many?", I wondered.
Hard to count, but looked like quite a few.
On my next visit to the pond, she was leading her little brood down to the water's edge.
Looks like six ducklings...
Then later that same day
there were more...
and more....
18 new baby ducks had hatched to old Mrs. Duckles.
And what a good Mama she is.
She taught them to swim.
She taught them to get out of the pond...
at the steepest bank she could find.
I had to video their first try.
(Oh, how I wish I could pick up each one and snuzzle it!)
I am in love!
(Oh, how I wish I could pick up each one and snuzzle it!)
I am in love!
So many attempts....
halfway out, and then falling back into the pond....
Awwwwwww, so very cute.
The next lesson was how to forage for food...
grass, bugs....
a lesson in survival.
Later in the weekend, 18 ducks remained.
They had made it through a couple of nights.
So, in one day's time we doubled the size of our duck population.
I can't tell you how excited Hubbs and I have been to watch these tiny ducklings
and their Mama.
They scurry all over the pond, following their Mama everywhere...
little tiny miraculous balls of fluff.
They won't allow us to get to close, and I suppose this is a good thing.
A wariness about other creatures may help them to survive better
in our pond at the edge of the woods.
What an amazing miracle life is.
And we are so very fortunate to witness this throughout the year.
Life on the farm.....full of tiny miracles!
Comments
God sure knew what He was doing during Creation! Animal instinct is amazing and beautiful to watch! I'm so glad you get to witness some of it on your farm and appreciate it!
When I got home today I discovered that while I was gone 4 ducks arrived on our little farm.. They are full grown so not sure where they came from or if theyw ill stay. but the neices have a baby pool all set up for them swim in and they were in it several time this eveing.. Our Baby Chicks are getting a new hen house built inside the barn so when they are a few weeks older they will have a safe place to stay at night...Theya re growing like weeds..
Tonya
Maura :)