Ducklings live!

4 ducklings sleeping

Four of the ten ducklings hatched last month are still alive and here's the proof:

I did not see any sign of the six I also saw in the same area, but I think I saw a new batch of brand new ducklings, perhaps from Fish Food Mama.  I was too far away to get photos of them.  If they're Mama's ducklings, chances are I'll see them again next time I'm there.

Neo and Zippy are very close and Zippy only seems to want Neo around and no other males.

I think these might be Indy and his brother hanging out with Neo, but Zippy chases them off if they get too close.  There were two other male mallards there, but Indy has a super-straight bill, so I think the one in back might be him.

Lots of green herons around.  I saw several babies in the reeds, and several adults flying around.  Here is one adult:

Another adult was sitting nearby and a third or fourth was somewhere else:

And, I saw three spotted sandpipers, most likely a female and two males.  The female was the boss and every time she flew away, she called the others to follow.  I couldn't get a photo of any of them because they wouldn't let me get within 50 feet of them before they flew off.   That's unusual as spotted sandpipers usually aren't that shy.

And, the baby blue herons are just about ready to fledge as are the osprey.

And, I found out that the dumped black and white duck was acting very scared and following people around last week.  That could be why he disappeared.  I'm hoping someone took him and his friend home.  They weren't acting like that when I saw them or I would have gotten them out of there ASAP.  Something must have scared him.

Good morning baby killdeer and coyotes

When I came to the lake this morning, I was greeted by a bunch of ducks and squirrels waiting to get fed and a small pack of coyotes.  The coyotes were attracted to the ducks waiting in the area for the people who usually come to feed them.

When I went to another area, I was shocked to find Squeak and Pollux who promptly did broken wing acts at me, so I know their chicks are there, though I didn't see or hear them at that time.

Squeak

Pollux, trying to hide

 Later, though, I went back to the ballfields and Squeak immediately ran up to me and laid down.

Pollux was in the field doing broken wing acts (sorta):

Squeak watched through the fence as I took pictures of Pollux:

All three of their chicks were heard afterward when they calmed down and began to call to them.

I found a new mama duck today.  I think this one might be a Flycatcher mama and the mother of last year's "Friendly Ducklings".  She had six of them:

The mom with five ducklings still has five including the really friendly one that was limping last time I saw him.  He wasn't limping today.  I think this is Peaches, Caramel and Butterscotch's mom, Fish Food Mama.

She's got one really independent duckling that is really friendly.  Here, he's trying to eat a rubber worm lure that a fisherman left behind.  I got it away from him.

Here he is, swimming by himself.

He is in the back of this group:

I also saw a Bullock's oriole, resident in this area.  He didn't give me a good chance at getting his photo:

And, a green heron who seemed to be really interested in something in the reeds.  I think it was another green heron, perhaps his mate or chick:

A word about "Neo":

Neo was spotted today, all alone, without his mother.  He came out, got something to eat and drink, went into a brushy area and disappeared.  I looked, but could not find him anywhere after that.  This is the last good photo I got of him almost a week ago.  He hasn't grown at all, but is starting to get his feathers.  I don't know where his mom went to, but I hope she was nearby as he is still vulnerable to many predators.  Otherwise, he is healthy and energetic.  I have named him "Neo Eht" for now.  He is now 3 1/2 weeks old and only alive because of his will to do so and nothing else.