Duck & ducklings in our pond!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

We have once more wild ducks & ducklings in our pond!!

There are a lot of wild ducks here, always from Spring till Autumn.
During the colder months, they fly south.

Every year a few couples try to have a nest in our garden.
This time one duck mom made a nest under a bush, and after laying 13 eggs, she sat on her eggs until they all hatched (sp ??)
Their first "steps" into the world go to our pond (of course !!)
One didn't have enough strength to jump on the rocks and get out of the pond; as the mom left with her crew and left the little one behind, Bernard went outside, grabbed the baby duck, and put it down closer to the mom.
Today, they all came back to swim around. It is so special to look at them from behind the windows!
I even made several pictures of them. I will try to post them here, but as I don't understand how to do that, I will use attachments.
Please click and look, the ducks family is so lovely!!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

few more pics!!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

last 4 pics

ps. Oh my, I made this topic in "Cat General" instead of "General" ...... .

[Karen]

It's okay, Lut, I moved it into General for you!
How interesting that some of the ducklings are yellow and some brown - is it the gender difference?

[phesina]

Oh, aren't they pretty! And what a lot of them!

Good question: why are some yellow and some brown?

[chocolatepuppy]

Oh my gosh, so cute! Thanks for sharing your ducklings Lut!

[Karen]

Oh, aren't they pretty! And what a lot of them!

Good question: why are some yellow and some brown?

Some birds are "sex-linked" - the males and females have different coloration as baby chicks!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

It's okay, Lut, I moved it into General for you!
How interesting that some of the ducklings are yellow and some brown - is it the gender difference?

Thanks Karen!
The color of the ducklings is either yellow or brown, but this has nothing to do with their gender. Yellow ones turn white as they grow up, and the brown ones stay brown.
Bad news though today....! Yesterday mom duck was walking on the lawn with her 10 kids (13 eggs, but only 10 hatched). Suddenly she was scared to death by Zazou and Maya. She hurried older the bushes and found a hole to the backyard of our neighbors, together with the little ones.
We don't know what happened, but this morning she was back on the pond, together with only ............ 2 ducklings.....
Poor mom..... . Lets hope she can keep these 2 !!
We think that some large birds and rats got the other 8 ...! Well, that's nature hey, nature can be very cruel....

[redbird]

They are so adorable.