23 ducklings in one clutch?!

[Miss Lydia]

NO ONE got taken I hope? We have Eagles too but thankfully they fly along the river below us not up here.

So funny baby has to take care of himself since mama just doesn't seem to care.

 

[chris330r]

Right now I can see them across the pond all huddling together under bushy trees. It's way too far away to see if duckling is with them and for the moment I think they're all afraid to venture out. So i'm going to be wondering all day about this duckling's fate.

Mama's kids are way too big now for the eagles to grab so i'm sure they were targeting the duckling. It was nice how they all huddled together to protect him. Mama was probably upset that her bathing was interrupted. Baby appears to sense her feelings and makes no effort to bond with her. Poor thing. If I (hopefully) see him today i'll quickly update.

 

[chris330r]

Baby is fine!!

They're still far away and I wasn't sure if it was a rock next to Mama or baby, but then he got up and started walking!! I zoomed in as much as my cheap phone allowed but you can see him sitting to the right of Mama.

After I snapped the pic I saw him get up and walk around. I'm so relieved and will give him extra treats when he comes around. The others came back, but Mama and baby have been over by the park all morning. And Grandma is still hiding under the trees on the other side of the pond.

The image is really bad, but that's baby to the right of Mama sitting down. I put a red dot above him to easier see.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yay!! That is awesome. Thank you for caring for these ducks.

 

[chris330r]

Mama was just here but no baby. She sat down under the window for a while and then crossed the pond alone. I know that was him down by the park earlier because I saw him walking so i'm hoping he's still alright. Boy what a mother this one is. And to think she was raised by an expert like Grandma.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Any sighting yet of the little one?

 

[chris330r]

Any sighting yet of the little one?

I think he's gone. Mama came back again and sat down under the window until sunset but baby never came and he's always here right before dark. Either he got so spooked by this mornings traumatic experience and fled or he got caught by a predator somewhere.

I know that was him this afternoon down by the park though, and if he was ok, he would've been here by sunset with the Mama and the flock. I wondered if he hooked up with Grandma, but she was here too. Now i'm fearing the worst.

 

[chris330r]

Here's Mama. She sat there by herself until the sun went down tonight. She's probably thinking of all the luxury baths and peaceful naps she can take now without that pesky little duckling always hanging around. I hope she doesn't have another brood again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh gosh I hope the little one shows up this morning. Maybe someone else was feeding yesterday too.

How is grandma you said it looked like something was going on with her eye?

 

[chris330r]

Oh gosh I hope the little one shows up this morning. Maybe someone else was feeding yesterday too.

How is grandma you said it looked like something was going on with her eye?

That was Mama. A few days ago her right eye looked watery and she was keeping it closed. I've seen them many times with white foam around their eyes but this wasn't that. She was just keeping it closed and it looked all teary. The next day she looked fine again though.

Only Mama came this morning but with no baby. Usually there's a whole gaggle of ducks waiting for me but only Mama was here with the crows so I just fed them.

I looked over at the trees and saw that darn eagle sitting there again and then saw Grandma and her kids still under the trees way across the lake. I've never seen this eagle before and I hope he's not taking up residence here now because he's sitting on the same treetop he was on yesterday. I hope he didn't make a nest up there.

If he got baby and his siblings, he probably thinks there's more.

Here he is. I know he has to eat too, but I wish they'd stick to fish and leave the ducks alone.