Sonja ducklings

Sonja’s ducklings on June 19 and 20

So, remember when I said that most of Sonja’s eggs wouldn’t hatch, like with Betty’s? Yeah, about that… I was wrong; it looks like pretty much all of them did. She currently has 16 ducklings!

I say “currently” as it is likely that some won’t survive their first few days, and others may die for various reasons over time, but it’s still more than expected.

Here’s a GIF of Sonja popping out of her nest, with a squirming mass of ducklings:

Ducklings

Another GIF; so many ducklings:

Ducklings

Last GIF of overflowing ducklings:

Ducklings

This morning Sonja led her babies into the pond. Definitely a benefit of mother-raised ducklings, able to swim a day or two after hatching:

Sonja and ducklings

Here they are with some of Betty’s ducklings in the background; the latter are only three weeks older, but so much bigger!

Betty's ducklings; Sonja and ducklings

Quite the flotilla:

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja and ducklings

Sonja’s ducklings on June 18 and 19

I mentioned in Flock Friday yesterday that Sonja’s ducklings were due to hatch that day, based on when she started full-time nesting. Well, right on schedule, they did indeed; I saw the first duckling yesterday afternoon, and this morning there are several; a little too dark to count them, but I’m pretty sure I saw at least six.

Here are some GIFs of them, starting with the first one I saw:

Sonja's ducklings

Another GIF:

Sonja's ducklings

GIF of a duckling tumbling out of the nest, and climbing back in:

Sonja's ducklings

After dark GIF with several visible:

Sonja's ducklings

This morning, one of the boys was being too nosy, so Sonja led him away from the nest. The oldest duckling followed to the door, then returned to the nest (GIF):

Sonja's ducklings

While she was away, we get a better look at the squirming mass of ducklings in this GIF; see how many you can count:

Sonja's ducklings

For comparison, here is a picture of Betty’s ducklings; already much bigger:

Sonja and Betty's ducklings

Finally, several ducklings emerging from under Sonja:

Sonja's ducklings

Stay tuned for another baby duckling update tomorrow.