We have baby ducks

[BarbO]

Here is our mom with her 9 babies, just a couple days old in this pic. They are a week today. Dad is a Mallard, Mom is a black and white duck. We call them our bi racial couple, the babies are 3 Mallard and 6 Black duck. We feed them daily on our porch. So do our neighbors. Pic not the quality as Rob's but the best we could do here.

 

[j.w]

Very cute @BarbO and are those your ducks or did papa just fly in for a quickie?

 

[RobAmy]

@RobAmy Alas I am sad, I have a net which would keep them out so I can only have fake ones................just not the same, but love seeing the ones you get. Do they come every year as it seems they do?
Nothing much cuter than a little ducky face!

We get adults ducks every year but not the babies. We did not see any young ones last year. It is a treat for sure. They just showed up around 7 pm today, nothing before then. They cross the road and that scares me to death. I put up 2 signs for duck crossing, hopefully they make it across safely.

 

[BarbO]

This duck pair was coming to our front porch for food all through the winter and I fed them. There are large ponds in our neighborhood and most of the ducks stay at them, but this pair likes our yard. I was hoping they would have babies and bring them here, and so they did. All 9 have lasted for over a week so far, snapping turtles and birds of prey here get most of them.

Rob, your ducks are so cute, hope yours make it to adulthood. Do yours have a tough life like ours do?
Barb

 

[RobAmy]

There are hawks, herons, fox etc around but in years past they all have made it. I think the road is more of a risk. You never no about nature. Hoping for the best.

 

[RobAmy]

Ducklings at our pond by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[addy1]

I have seen any here, there are a lot of larger ponds the ducks hang out in.

 

[j.w]

That road worries me too @RobAmy but nothing you can do about it except like you say, hope for the best!
I like the sign idea tho as some will try to be careful.

 

[RobAmy]

Well a little update. Mom lost 3 of her ducklings (sad to say). I do not know what happened at all. One day she did not show up until very late in the day. I assume this is the day when something happened. Since then she has spent almost the entire day at our pond. The remaining 5 all look good. They where there tonight when I got home from work. She show up about 6 am and leaves about 7pm or so. I was able to spend a lot of time with them Saturday. Mom came up with the babies and slept about 2ft from me sitting on the chair. I watch them dive to the bottom of the pond and then they pop up onto the surface, definitely puts a smile on your face.

Here is one of the them

Mallard Duckling by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[addy1]

aww sad for her, but it sure does happen. A lot of predators out there.

What neat pictures and so happy she can sleep there and feel safe.

 

[j.w]

Oh no, I didn't want to hear this and sorry it did. Hope the remaining ones all make it.

 

[Tula]

Mother Duck Parades Her Babies Through a New York Hospital Which She Does Once a Year, Every Year

Patients at the University of Rochester Thompson Health hospital are treated to the adorable parade every year

people.com

I thought of you @RobAmy when I read this cute article. Sad to hear of the loss of three of the babies Nice to know they can rest and relax in safety at your pond during the day.