Where'd You Get Those Peepers?

On Wednesday morning, I made it most of the way around the pond without seeing anything particularly interesting. Just before I turned past the final spot where the path follows closely to the water, I saw some women and very young children watching the ducks. They had a cute little dog with them and I wandered over to pet him when I noticed what looked like two oversized bumblebees skittering around on the pavement by the shore - and they were peeping their fuzzy little heads off.

Peep, Peep, Peep, PEEP!

The group had been watching them for a while. There were only a few mallards in the water and only one of those was female. Was she the mother? The ducklings looked healthy but were clearly beginning to sort of imprint on we humans - looking for and following our movement.

The other folks soon moved on (their little girl was frightened every time one of these miniature fluff balls approached her) and I was left wondering what to do with them.

I kept trying to put them back into the water, in hopes that they'd swim out a distance and that the female would come for them. Every time I placed them in the water, they'd just turn right around and hop out, and waddle up to me. And peep.

Peep, Peep, Peep, PEEP!

The adult female appeared to be totally disinterested in the little ones and soon departed along with the drakes.

I placed them in a shady, protected spot and rushed home (less than a minute away) to phone Nicky. She's the Animal Whisperer of our neighbourhood - the one who helped rescue the orphaned raccoons from under my deck, and the geese which were dying from an oil spill in this same pond a year ago, spring.

She said she'd meet me at the pond. I returned a few minutes later to find them in the water, but as soon as they saw me, they paddled their way out and hurried toward me.

A few people came and went, marveling at their supreme cuteness. One man brought me a small cardboard box in which to keep them shaded and safe until Nicky came along. Before placing them inside, I gave them each a kiss on top of their sweet, fuzzy heads and wished the very best for their survival. I know their chances are not great without a mother.

Nicky was there within the half-hour and ended up taking them home with her. She fed them mushy rabbit food and chopped up dandelions and clover. They were very hungry. The ducklings will be fine with Nicky until she can bring them to the Toronto Wildlife Centre where they will rehabilitate them and return them to the pond if and when they reach independent maturity. She'll keep me posted and I'll do likewise with you. In any event, I know they'll be in the best hands possible.

Judging by the photos I've seen on Google Images, it would appear that the ducklings were between one and three days old. Please keep these little sweeties in your best thoughts.

Meet the wee, feathered twins.

Could they possibly be any cuter?

When some folks were leaving, they rushed to try and follow them.

They almost caught up with them too!

The two of them stayed close to one another. Everywhere one went, the other followed.

This little darling became sleepy in the sunshine.

And decided to take a bit of a nap.

So of course, his brother followed suit, and did the same.

Now, I know you might be wondering just how tiny they were. To put them in perspective, that brown thing on the right is the front tip of a man's shoe.

And if you're still not certain, here's one of them nestled in my own hand.

Same hand, different duckling.

That's more than enough cuteness for one day.