Of Rafts, Turtles and Ducks

Sigh...the new raft is as pristine and lovely this morning as it was on Sunday.  Its bright and shiny poopless condition means that no duck has left its signature calling card. It looked like this yesterday, and looks exactly the same today.  Ingrates.

After checking out the duck raft yesterday, I came across this very confused Western Pond Turtle in the grass on the dam.  It's very unusual to see them away from the water and it was obvious that he was hot and exhausted.  One of his hind feet had a cut on it and I think that he was attempting, for whatever turtle reason, to get through the fence and into the boggy area below the dam.  I carried him (a hefty guy -- he must have weighed over a pound) down to the edge of the pond and set him down.  As I lifted my camera to snap a pic, zip, he slid into the water.  Nothing left but a swirl of water and trail of bubbles.  A happy ending!

Such a handsome boy (or girl)!

Can you tell that Stripe woke up with an agenda?

Early this morning, Stripe decided that it was time to go down to the pond.  Sadly, she still needs to refine her maternal instincts just a tiny bit.  She took the shortcut straight down the hill and didn't mind a bit that several desperate babies got lost and were freaking out at the barn, yelling their little lungs out.  Down I charged after her and managed to get her and the entire brood up to the barn again. Picking stickers out of my pj's is such a lovely start to the day.

And they're off -- minus a baby or two.  Or eight.

A hacked off Stripe is herded back up the hill and all ducklings reunited

Stripe back behind bars.  Ducklings look smug.

 Obviously this story is still in the making.  My hope is that I can keep her up here for at least another day, but we'll see.  Right now Stripe's taken her babies back into the barn and everyone's settled down.  But the day is young.