ducks on the pond

It's the best time of the year: ducklings have hatched and are swimming around Mill Pond! The first flock of babies appeared early this week, 10 of them with a purple-winged mama. And then a second flock was spotted on Thursday, again with 9-10 ducklings. They're adorable, all fluffy cuteness. Liesl has been particularly fascinated and has walked down to see them every day. She took her Instamax camera, binoculars, and a notebook, and has been taking notes and practicing her scientific observation. It's delightful that she has the time to do so -- to hang out and watch baby ducks for an hour every day --

We first saw them on the pond itself, but the next morning found them upstream along a tributary creek.

Jasper very much wanted to say hello, poor sweet puppy. The duck mama was not very enthusiastic about his interest.

The young scientist, crouched down and taking photographs at close range.

We have seen other birds on our walks as well - an owl, right above us at dusk, that flew away when it saw us approaching. A woodpecker with bright red head, in this tree below. I can see it, but only because I know where to look.

It's similarly hard to see in this photo - I needed a telephoto lens and didn't have one - but there's a great blue heron perched on the branch right above the water in the middle of the frame.