Make Way for the Duckling Flotilla!

It was rainy on campus Tuesday morning, and I thought to myself, "Fine weather for ducks!" So I went and visited the duck pond between meetings.

The grounds around the duck pond are just lovely in spring and summer, with flowers in riotous colors everywhere, a pretty white gazebo, and wooden benches amid a courtyard decked with arbors and planters. Everything was in bloom, and the surfaces were all shiny, freshly washed by the rain.

Below the duck pond is a picturesque little stone bridge, and beneath that bridge is a mini pond. As I approached with my camera, shielding it carefully under my umbrella, two little families of ducks walked around the side of the lower mini pond, and leaped in.

There were two mama ducklings, each with her brood, one set of ducklings much larger than the other, and in between them a colorful male mallard (might he be papa to both sets?). The male positioned himself so that he was between me and the little ones most of the time I was there.

(As I left, he glared accusingly at me, as if to say, "Pocket check! Got any ducklings you've tucked away in there? If you do, give them back!" But fortunately, I had no ducklings in my pockets, though I admit, dear readers, I was sorely tempted.)

I was marveling at the cuteness of both sets, although the wee ones (shown in this picture) really won my heart. The way the mama duck kept track of them and herded them around - seemingly everywhere at once - was impressive to see. (And here let me insert that as a child, I was one of six, just like this crew of ducklings, and I wondered: was this how my mother looked, keeping the six of us in line?)

And then suddenly, the group of smaller ducklings and the mama turned - and came straight toward me, all in a row!

Beep beep! Make way for the duckling flotilla!