Today is the last day before the new ducks can go free-range; I plan to open the pop door and let them go into the pond tomorrow morning.

I don’t expect them all to take that opportunity the first day, though having access to the run and pool might make them more comfortable with going into the pond than the ducklings last year, who didn’t have that advantage. I’m very glad I hacked together the run this year:

Betty on the steps:

Cora shaking off water:

I wanted to compare Clive and Cora; Clive has darker wing feathers, and Cora is more uniform, but their bills and feet are very similar. As mentioned yesterday, Clive will put on a bit more of a show in spring, and I think in the fall too:

An animated slow-mo GIF of Cora dunking and the water flowing off her back:

And a slow-mo GIF of flapping her wings; look at all those feathers: