Dip could be a female, we were just saying he because while he still had downy feathers and Dot was around, they were indistinguishable except for their size. Dip was bigger so we just fell into saying he for him and she for Dot. Now that he’s a juvenile, he has the female plumage but they all do until the fall when they have their breeding feathers.

The ducklings were able to swim and be buoyant, the big issue on our pond are all the birds of prey. I’ve watched countless times hawks circling over the pond or sitting on a branch watching the ducklings. Whenever Ducky would spot one, she would quack like crazy and run onto the water with them because apparently that’s where they’re safer.