Growing Up Fast!

The Mallard ducklings at Lake Padden are no longer fuzzy yellow babies. They're an amusing mixture of baby fluff and "grown-up" feathers, and are getting good at grooming themselves, as seen in the extra photo.

That said, the gawky ducklings still gather together for naps, watched over by one of the adult females (see in extras). Shortly after I took that photo, a nearby seagull made what must have been a warning cry, as all the ducklings woke in an instant and scrambled toward the lake's nearby reed beds, where it would be difficult for a flying predator to nab them. Their "babysitter" joined them, and must have sounded an all clear that I couldn't hear, as the group trooped back on shore and resumed their morning naps.

I enjoyed getting a good start on my step count for the day and being able to observe these ducklings so near my home---and away from the sight, sounds, and smells of heavy machinery for a little while!

(Have a last look at some of the heavy machinery and the new drain pipes, before they were placed underground, on Phil's blip, and enjoy a beautiful photo paired with poet Rumi's words on my dear friend Endless_Weekend's blip.)