I was thrilled on Friday morning to spot this Wood Duck mother (Aix sponsa) with thirteen little ducklings (if I counted right) at my favorite marshland park, Huntley Meadows Park. A few days ago, one of my fellow photographers was able to capture some shots of the moment when some newly fledged wood duck babies were called out of the nesting box by their mother and dropped into the water below. I suspect this is the same family, although I have been told that there are plenty of eggs in some of the other nesting boxes, so there may a lot more baby ducks soon.
I hope that all of the cute little ducklings can remain safe, but I remember with a tinge of sadness the experience of past years when I watched the number of babies decrease over time. The environment is hostile for these vulnerable little ones, with water snakes and snapping turtles as well as hawks and other birds of prey. It has to be tough on the mother duck to try to keep them together and out of danger and it seems like she has to raise them on her own—the father duck does not seem to participate in the process.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
That’s such a great picture. Aren’t you one of 11 or 12?
Thanks, Sally. I am one of “only” nine kids in my family. 🙂
super! I love this shots! 🙂
Thanks so much, Alexa. I heard yesterday that some Hooded Merganser ducklings have also been spotted at the park, so I hope to feature some more cute little ducklings again soon.
That’s a great picture Mike. I normally get to see moms and babies in the canal, but the point where they nest is closed because the eagles had babies. We won’t get to bike/walk in until June.Thanks for filling the void 🙂
Thanks, Dan. I hope to be seeing some Hooded Merganser babies soon too.
Fantastic!!!
Thanks. There is something so cute about baby ducks that almost everyone finds them to be irrestible.
I agree.
Very cute, Mike!
The best mama I ever knew was a mallard. She raised 17 babies in one of our marinas, and we were sure she was going to die from exhaustion. But, by the time it was over, attentive feeding had tamed the babies, who’d come and sit in our laps while mama had a little nap. It was an extraodinary experience, and some of those ducks were around for years after. We knew some by their markings, and all of them by their responsiveness to the call we trained them to. They knew when a handout was coming!
What a moment – of course they are not all going to survive but a lovely shot
I hope there aren’t any snapping turtles in that water, but I’d bet that there are.
Unfortunately, there are snapping turtles and other predators in the area. It’s amazing that any of them survive.
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