| New England Snippets Nurse Duck |
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| Mallet's Bay Colchester Vermont |
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| NURSE DUCK - PAGES 7 - 12 |
© 2007 Gail Hunter All Rights Reserved
Sometimes being an independent thinker
is great, but not until you are old enough
to know a little more about the world
around you. This little duck thought he
knew it all, but he had never met a turtle
or a muskrat!
is great, but not until you are old enough
to know a little more about the world
around you. This little duck thought he
knew it all, but he had never met a turtle
or a muskrat!
I feared that one duckling was headed for
trouble
trouble
When four ducks headed east, he headed
west. When they all swam around the end of
the dock, he swam under it.
west. When they all swam around the end of
the dock, he swam under it.
The snow on the mountains had melted. The
water ran into the lake, raising the level so
high that it lapped the tall reeds around the
edge of the bay.
water ran into the lake, raising the level so
high that it lapped the tall reeds around the
edge of the bay.
Soon after, ducks began to swim around. I
enjoyed watching them poke their bills into
the grasses, looking for food, with their tails
straight up in the air. At one point, they'd be
together. At another, they would swim off in
pairs: one male and one female.
enjoyed watching them poke their bills into
the grasses, looking for food, with their tails
straight up in the air. At one point, they'd be
together. At another, they would swim off in
pairs: one male and one female.
A few weeks later, I saw only males and
thought, "Great! They're going off hunting
or doing some other guy thing." I saw no
females for many days; just males, out on
the town.
thought, "Great! They're going off hunting
or doing some other guy thing." I saw no
females for many days; just males, out on
the town.
Then, surprise! One day, the girls came
back. All this time, they had been sitting
on their nests in the rushes, waiting for
their eggs to hatch.
back. All this time, they had been sitting
on their nests in the rushes, waiting for
their eggs to hatch.
There were several families of father,
mother and six little, round, fluffy yellow
ducklings.
mother and six little, round, fluffy yellow
ducklings.
They were wild, fuzzy fur-balls
paddling along between their mother
and father. One would venture forth -
Zing! - shooting out a foot or two
across the top of the water. Then, as
if on a rubber band, he or she would
zap back to Mom.
paddling along between their mother
and father. One would venture forth -
Zing! - shooting out a foot or two
across the top of the water. Then, as
if on a rubber band, he or she would
zap back to Mom.
As the days went by, the ducklings'
yellow fuzz began to turn to brown
feathers.
yellow fuzz began to turn to brown
feathers.
I watched one special family group that
hovered near our dock. There were
only five little babies, each about the
size of a tennis ball. Two or three would
swim off from the others, but Papa Duck
would round them up and keep them
close at hand.
hovered near our dock. There were
only five little babies, each about the
size of a tennis ball. Two or three would
swim off from the others, but Papa Duck
would round them up and keep them
close at hand.