Oh..it's babies....

Who doesn't love to see the Ducklings!

So while water fowl watching in Florida, we came across some Mallard ducklings. Yesterday for Wordless Wednesday on my At Home site, a photo of a mallard in mating season that my daughter took at the local fish Pound was posted.Today on At home with Auntie E, I posted some Facts on the Colorful Mallard duck. Deciding on what to feature today a thought of this family came to mind.

These are two male mallards.
It is not uncommon for the males to stick together after their mating. Once the eggs are laid and duckling are hatched the Males leave the females. So the female can do her job, raising the ducklings.
As you can see the Bright head color is fading. This is common after Breeding. The Males also loose their feathers and ability to fly for about 6 weeks. I guess this is Mother natures way of keeping them in one place.

Now for the little ones ...
Aren't they cute?
Now what you do not see is Mother is calling them down to the water...

they are headed for the water..all in a row...
(click to enlarge the photo for a close up view)

Blue Monday- The Blue Bill.

Smiling Sally host Blue Monday.
Travel over to Smiling Sally....
to view or/ and link up your Blue beauty.

While In Florida we saw these Blue billed beauties.
They are Called Ruddy Duck(Oxyura Jamaicensis). The males are the ones with the blue bills. This Ruddy duck loves marshy areas thoughtout our North America region. Each year a pair forms for mating. They love to drive and swim under water. Mostly feeding on seeds and roots of water plants

Notice their tails are long and stiff unlike other ducks.
(click on photo to enlarge)

In the Water, cooling off from the heat of the day

thinking of driving......

there he goes!!