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:

Another GIF; so many ducklings:

Last GIF of overflowing 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:

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

Quite the flotilla: