We've had a mom duck and her 10 ducklings (there were 11, but...nature happens) on the lake for the last couple of weeks. Such cuties. We also have, for the first time anyone can remember, a turtle. I was walking around the lake this morning and saw Mom Duck and kiddos clustered together on the sidewalk by the lake, and several feet away, Mr. Turtle was sunning himself. I raced inside to get my camera and got some decent shots, but I also got to see a small drama play itself out.
Mom and kids with turtle several feet away. Okay. No problem.
"You moved. I saw you move," Mom says.
"Who? Me?" says turtle.
Mom gets nervous and moves between kids and turtle. "Back off, buster."
Mom decides he's getting too close, and the babies have huddled even closer to her. "Mom! Mom! What does he want? He's scaring us!" She moves them all a few feet away. Turtle keeps on coming.
Finally she decides it's not worth the risk, and she leads the kids off down the sidewalk and up into the grass. Mr. Turtle decides to go fishing instead and plops down into the water. If he had grabbed a baby, there would have been nothing I could do. I was too far away. Luckily, it all ended well. Now Mom and the kids just need to be on the lookout for hawks and herons and possibly bullfrogs, although I haven't heard them yet this year. It's pretty amazing that 10 have survived so far. Usually we lose one or two each day until there are only two or three. Or none. Like I said, nature.
Mom and kids with turtle several feet away. Okay. No problem.
"You moved. I saw you move," Mom says.
"Who? Me?" says turtle.
Mom gets nervous and moves between kids and turtle. "Back off, buster."
Mom decides he's getting too close, and the babies have huddled even closer to her. "Mom! Mom! What does he want? He's scaring us!" She moves them all a few feet away. Turtle keeps on coming.
Finally she decides it's not worth the risk, and she leads the kids off down the sidewalk and up into the grass. Mr. Turtle decides to go fishing instead and plops down into the water. If he had grabbed a baby, there would have been nothing I could do. I was too far away. Luckily, it all ended well. Now Mom and the kids just need to be on the lookout for hawks and herons and possibly bullfrogs, although I haven't heard them yet this year. It's pretty amazing that 10 have survived so far. Usually we lose one or two each day until there are only two or three. Or none. Like I said, nature.
