NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FAMILY.....

A few weeks ago, this handsome pair decided to take up residence in our garden.  They seemed to particularly like being on the front drive.....choosing our formal ornamental pond right up by the house, over the larger natural pond out in the paddock, for their daily swims.

All photos: Sophia Home

Romance blossomed.......and before we knew it, we had an expectant mother duck sitting devotedly on a clutch of eggs.......right up against the wall of the house, a couple of metres from the front door. She did not seem to mind us checking up on her from time to time, or the constant comings and goings to and from the house....and our dogs, having been brought up with chickens in the past, did not think to bother her either.  She obviously felt safe.........and kept a constant vigil for four long weeks.  Her rather elusive drake made the occasional appearance to check up on progress.....but it was she who was constantly there, day in and day out, sometimes peering up at the windows of the house, but mainly staring straight ahead as if in a maternal trance.

Then last Saturday morning, I heard a commotion outside the window.....looked down, and all I saw were eggshells and the remains of the downy nest she had so devotedly sat upon for the

past four weeks.

And then I saw them......yes, she had done it!

Ten adorable little balls of fluff and one very proud Mum!  She was madly quacking up at the window at me.....not out of fear, but genuinely proud of her achievement and wanted the world to see her new brood!

Within minutes she had ordered instructions to her new minutes old family.....and they were off.  The formal pond was obviously too tricky to navigate getting in and out of due to its steep sides.....so it was off to the larger natural pond on the other side of the drive.

Cautiously they made their way......stopping, crouching down every few 

metres.....checking for predators.

The brick edge to the driveway was a little challenging to our new arrivals at first.....

And then they made it....and were off swimming for the first time like naturals......

Don't you just love a happy ending?

All photos: Sophia Home

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Sophia xx