Everywhere I go, ducks appear.
One day recently, that was no exaggeration. I went for a walk, and ducks seemed to be everywhere.
I saw the handsome wood duck pair above, enjoying a swim in Rock Creek. And, as I was exiting the Western Ridge Trail to walk along Ridge Road, I almost tripped over these two mallards.
Two mallard families, with a small army of ducklings, were paddling in Broad Branch stream.
Then, a neighbor pointed out a mallard couple snoozing in the the pond in front of the former Polish ambassador’s residence on Albemarle Street.
All these ducks reminded me of the intrepid family that took up residence in the Linnean and Broad Branch Streams, during their 2014 restoration. In the midst of earth and rock movers and general mayhem, a pair of mallards hatched and raised seven ducklings. I went back several times to check on them.
Two of our neighbors even had a “Make Way for Ducklings” experience with the the family.