nature, Photography

Stragglers

28 Comments

With so many little ones to look after, mama ducks sometimes have a lot to do!

This mama had to go back to encourage the two stragglers to come along after their four siblings zoomed ahead. You can see them in the upper right corner of the above photo.

In very low and gentle tones, she murmured to them and then made sure that they joined their sisters and brothers who had gone ahead.

This duck mama has done an excellent job of keeping her little brood safe. I see them almost daily as she shepherds them around a small pond, keeping them quite protected from predators.

Happy Saturday.

28 thoughts on “Stragglers”

  3. Ducklings and goslings are so cute, at least until they get to the gangly teenager state. I geta real chuckle out of the reluctant little ones that don’t want to fall into line. So much like humans. Happy weekend Lynette. Allan

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you very much, Allan. This mama was so lovely with her little murmurings to them and they really were reluctant and wanted to keep exploring the shoreline. The gangly teenager phase seems to affect birds and humans the same way: no idea where these huge feet came from! Cheers.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, she’s a good mother and has kept her large brood alive. I’m seeing quite a few other families reduced to just one, two or three chicks. She picked a good spot to raise them with lots of cover and quite inaccessible to gulls and hawks. The eagles are tan issue as they have moved up into the mountains now to raise their chicks so we won’t see them again until late summer.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Good for that patient mama duck. It makes me think of stragglers in general, and strategies for keeping them safe. I remember being on a multi-take trek, in which we were each made responsible for the person immediately behind us.

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.