It's Memorial Day here at the pond and all the families of Geese and Ducks could care less as long as they get their daily ration of cracked corn. Other neighbors have joined in with handing out meals to the gathering, although most give them bread, which isn't good for them at all. I've offered to give the well meaning neighbors cracked corn from my 50LB bag, but I guess they feel funny knocking on the door and asking. Maybe they just think I'm a senile old lady, whatever.
All the little guys are getting big. Very few of the ducklings are tiny any more. We do have one solitary duckling that is still small and quite feisty. We have nicknamed him screecher. He peeps all the time and follows his Mama around like a shadow. He's not the least bit shy and stands his ground with the biggest of geese or ducks. He's going to get his share of corn no matter what. The swans don't come by very often since we stopped feeding them. I only see them a few times a week, which is fine by me. I swear, if I left the screen door open they would come right inside. There are far too many geese this year too. It's so hard to feed the ducklings, the word gets out very quickly and before you know it the geese arrive and chase the ducks away. The gosling are now grown and look like the adults. Also, the duck that has been sitting on eggs for what seems like way too long, is still there with eggs unhatched. We still give her corn every day. The photos of her and the eggs are from today. When we went over there were two female ducks in the nest, the one got up and left when we arrived. The mother ate some cracked corn from my husband's hand. I didn't get that photo, he told me after the fact.
Well, enough of my babbling, on to the photos for this week's update.
The swans
The ducks and ducklings
The screecher
Momma duck still waiting for eggs to hatch and the duck that keeps her company
The Geese
It won't be long now until everyone is all grown and I won't know which ducks are the babies born this year.
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Comments: 35
Aw! What a sweet, beautiful pictorial!! You did a wonderful wonderful job!!! Loved it! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
A beautiful photo essay
That is really a great collection of pictures. Mallard ducks are just about the dumbest creatures on earth. A few years back, when I lived on a live creek, we had ducks lay their eggs on our boat dock, and also right beside our front door.
Thanks for commenting George. I haven't found any nest in odd places yet, but this one is determined that these eggs are going to hatch. She doesn't look well at all. The mother ducks here this year aren't anything like the geese. They seem to lose track of their ducklings and are very cruel to ducklings from other families. It really is quite the adventure every day to see who has lost some of their family and which ducks are going to be protective of the ducklings and which ones could care less. This is one of many articles on happenings around the pond this year.
These are some great photos. The babies are so cute.
Beautiful photos, they are awesome!
Wonderful collection of photos. I'm sorry for the mama still sitting on the eggs. I really hope they hatch.
Oh my this is a wonderful spring photo essay Nana. You've got some amazing photos of the expanding families.
Your photos are so crisp and clear! I feel so bad for the one duck still sitting on her eggs. Poor thing, it doesn't look like they are going to hatch. Most of the babies are no longer babies, they are more like teenagers now.
Thank you for posting your photo esay at Pretty Pictures.
Oh Nana - you keep outdoing yourself on the photos:) They are all great shots:)
Loved your little narrative and enjoyed hearing about the screecher:) It's just amazing to me that you have ducks and geese and swans right near your front door. These guys are lucky you feed them all that cracked corn.
babies are always cute :) thanks for sharing.
they are so cute
Wonderful photo essay, beautiful pictures. I hope those ducks don't turn on each other like the ones I saw today. Let's hope they all live in harmony.
You are getting some AMAZING shots!!
These are great shots. The babies are way too cute.
Beautiful photos!
Cracked corn and they didn't care? Who was their master, Jimmy? Great post!
You got some Beautiful Shots Nana.
I love looking at your pictures. Those baby ducks are just too darn cute.
Nana, thanks as always for the ongoing report of "As The Pond Turns " ,a great photo essay.
Great pictures. I hope you have a good weekend!
great photos!!
Aww, they grow so fast!
they are growing up fast..here a 10...alot hard work there
and i viewed everyone of the pics tooo
Just a beautiful photo essay Gloria. Those photos are wonderful....and how neat to see them all grow up right before your eyes.
Excellent photos! They all look like they are enjoying the holiday weekend!
very nice photos!
Excellent photos. You always write such great photo essays and take great photos
I have enjoyed your pictures today.They are growing so fast.
Have a great gather day!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for posting to sparealine.gather.com
Great photos and essay!
I saw a lot of turtles and turkeys this weekend, lol.
This is simply beautiful beyond words Nana!! Those baby ducklings are precious ;-) You really made me smile with this photo essay. What a nice way to end my lunch break!
Beautiful Nana....this little guys are getting big!
These photos are just gorgeous-incredible close-ups!!!
A ten as always!! Thank you for posting to Spring09
Your photo essay is just great, so relaxing to look at I enjoyed this very much. Thanks Nana