Mallard Eggs!
So, I caught the mother goose on the eggs, except it was no goose. I was wrong. It’s a mallard duck nest. The mother had gone when I returned with a camera a few hours later, but I caught this shot just after the rain. (If you’re confused, see Spring Eggs post from earlier today.)
Mallard hens lay between nine and 13 eggs on the ground near water. After the ducklings hatch (around 27 days), the mother leads them to the water. The nest is then abandoned.
I’ll hopefully be able to post some images of the ducklings in a few weeks!
2 opinions for Mallard Eggs!
N & J
Mar 29, 2008 at 8:27 pm
That’s cool. When I lived in Boston the ducklings would be out by the river each spring. There were tons of them and since they were born and raised around humans they let you get pretty close (especially if you were feeding them) before they would shy away.
Peggy
Mar 30, 2008 at 4:34 pm
N&J, I loved Boston when I visited. Mallards are actually the most plentiful duck in the country, but I never encountered so many until I lived by the lake.
Thanks for stopping by.
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