Young Moorhen and mallard ducklings !

Viewed from our balcony today and saw Momma Mally with 8 ducklings who were having fun finding insects on the lily pads !      We also saw a newcomer to the water garden today ..... a juvenile Moorhen so I will add pics of that after the ducklings ......

Momma Mally .............  who will have a tough job keeping her chicks safe with a Grey Heron which visits regularly 

I don't think there are many birds more cute than a young mallard duckling 

exploring the lily-pads 

they were all over the place picking insects off the lily pads whilst Momma waited in the water for them

Bloomin'  gorgeous   !!    

and now the next newcomer to the water garden,   a juvenile moorhen who was quite confiding .......

  • The little ducklings are adorable Hazel.. How nice to just sit and watch from your balcony!
  • I think you're right about the cuteness scale, Hazel :o) Lovely shots
  • Awwww soooo cute indeed, I do hope they stay out of sight from the Heron. Lovely visitors to get at the pond and to sit and watch them from the balcony, ah just bliss.

  • Thats a lovely view from your balcony Hazel, they really are Cute. What a way to while away a few hours watching them scuttle about.
  • Just as well the Moorhen is well grown and should be safe on the pond when the Heron visits, don't know about those other cuties though, not easy to look after eight little 'uns when big beak arrives!! Lovely pics Hazy.
  • Thanks everyone, she's still got 8 chicks this morning after a quick but difficult count as they do spread all over the place so it will be hard for the female to keep them constantly safe; heron came earlier but all survived; the young moorhen is still here so hope it stays. I have mixed feelings with the heron which I love to see as I am against residents scaring it off because of the ducklings but having said that I wouldn't like to see a chick predated although I would not intervene and I've always said the heron has a right ot fish in the pond as we have to remember we humans are the intruders with this new build block not the heron who has probably used this pond for a good few years !!
    I'm the only one in these apartments that likes the Heron LOL