Monday, May 13, 2013

Hello world


Our Wood Duck babies began hatching on May 9, 2013 at 8:00 in the morning.


By noon, a total of 13 fluffy ducklings had been born.


That evening, Lady left the nest box around 5pm for her usual dinner, leaving the clan alone for the first time.  She returned about an hour later where she and her baker's dozen spent a safe and cozy night together.


As youngsters, they are well developed.  Unlike many other newborn fowl, Wood Duck babies look very much like their adult counterparts.


On May 10th, around 10am, Lady left the nest to call to her kids from the water below.  Here is video of the babies climbing the ladder, where one by one they leapt from the opening to join Mom in their new watery world.

It will be several weeks before the ducklings will be capable of flying, so until then they will have to stay near the water, which is their safest place of refuge.  But it is now May 13th and we haven't seen Lady or her brood since they merrily paddled out of the video shot on the 10th.  I am choosing to believe that the whole family is hiding safely in the brush that overhangs the pond shore and that at least some of the 13 youngsters have managed to evade our marauding raccoons.