There is a local lake where many Mallard ducks live year around. There is only one access point for people with a small parking lot and a boat ramp. In Spring it is fun to watch the Mallards pair up and then they go off to a more private part of the lake to nest, and raise the ducklings until they are large enough to follow their parents to the public part of the lake.
Most of the year the only boats on the lake are owned by fishermen who enter the lake quietly, go off for hours at a time, and return just as quietly as they left. Unfortunately, come Summer some of the boaters are there just for fun, racing around the lake pulling inner tubes and the like. It was just such a day of this story when the Mallards were at the public space with their young, and a boat arrived with a group of people who were not interested in the welfare of the ducks, they were just interested in having fun. This fact had great bearing on one mother duck and her brood of four.
As this boat left the shore much too fast, this brood of four young ones took off as best they could, running over the water flapping their wings but they were not strong enough to take off in flight. Three of them went to the eastern shore where it was safe, but one of them ran out into the lake, right where the boat was circling, pulling an inner tube with laughing teens riding on it.
I was amazed at what happened next. The mother duck flew out to where her young one was, right into the path of the boat, and was able to guide her young one away from danger, and back to shore. It was one of those times when my camera was handy and able to capture the moment of their return.
Its a wonderful thing to witness something like this, and to see God's creation at its best.
Great is a mother's love! Wonderful that you were able to capture this with your camera!
ReplyDeleteBeing blessed to be in the right place at the right time was the key.. it was amazing.
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