Duck Watch 2020: We have ducklings!

They hatched!!!
They hatched!!!
They finally hatched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They hatched under the arborvitae. We haven't seen the dad, though.

We don't know how many there are, so any of you could be right.

Mom saw them out of the nest and out from under the arborvitae but they hustled back in as soon as she saw them.

The mother was as fat as Santa Claus. Believe me, she was.

They stayed under the arborvitae for a while. Then, they quacked, quietly, but quacking. My sister, Annabelle, thought she saw them.

Then, they moved out from under the arborvitae. The ducklings were in our garden. We thought they were searching for food, but we were wrong. We thought they were stuck in the garden, but they got out.

We hoped they didn't get hit by a golf ball.

We think there were seven or eight ducklings. Mom saw two more eggs in the nest. So there could be about ten or nine or eight or seven.

They went around the hosta plant and under the holly bush and out.

Mom looked up some information online and said mother ducks will lead their babies to water up to a mile away even right after they hatch. There is a big pond over past the clubhouse.

Where is the dad, though?

A golfer took three shots.

Annabelle thought she saw them & movement & them coming back; she was incorrect.

Why? Golfer taking shots.

They're probably scared.

I was worried about the ducks.

A golfer rode past our yard

Annabelle thought there was one behind the maple tree & one that whooshed north of us.

We thought they abandoned the nest but Mom reminded us that it's a long walk down to the pond for tiny ducky legs. They will probably be back closer to night-time.

We said a prayer to St. Francis of Assisi for a safe journey.

We will keep watching and update you! Hopefully we can get an official count of how many ducklings there are!