Baby update

Though I did take a lot of photos a few days ago, I didn't think everyone would want to hear about all the ducklings I saw.  But, here's today's post that also has a lot of ducklings.  The one in the photo above was, more or less, alone and was near where there were two ducklings a week ago.  I don't think he was one of those ducklings, but a new one.  I do think his mother was there as there seemed to be one female he stayed close to and sorta kept an eye on him.

The mama below has four ducklings that I also saw on Sunday:

Here's a photo of her on Sunday:

there was a second mother there with four ducklings, too:

This one was by himself for the longest time.  I don't think he's that healthy:

So far, I only have one definite male in Fish Food Mama's group. Here are some of her daughters:

In the middle, there is one definite male out of the ten:

The duckling on the left of the next photo always separates herself from everyone and seems lethargic.  I don't think she's feeling well:

I also saw four baby coots.  Since coots regularly commit infanticide for various reasons, I'm surprosed to see this many babies this far along.  It's been a long time since I've seen a family of more than two babies at this lake:

Here's two of them begging for food:

And, one getting fed (or having food shoved at him):

I got my first least bittern photo:

This snowy egret was cool:

The magpie duck dropped off last month is doing OK.  I still don't know what happened to his gray crested friend who disappeared soon after he was dumped.

Oreo is still alive:

And, I saw this strange rumpless duck.  He can hardly walk, but otherwise seems normal.  I *may* have seen him before.  He's more deformed than injured or ill.

And, finally, we have to say "good bye" to Donald, the oldest duck at the lake.  Something got him as he's now gone and there were feathers everywhere on Sunday.  It's especially sad because he seemed very depressed at losing his friend Buffy2 last month and was, finally, starting to act like himself again.   He had been there at least four years.  Bigboi, the Cayuga duck, is now the oldest duck there.

Still no sign of Snowy, but her mate was also missing today.