A few years back, I built this pond as well as a native garden that provides much-needed habitat for all sorts of insects and animals. Only 3% of prairie habitat remains, so it’s up to us to use our own yards to provide habitat for Monarch Butterflies, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, American Toads, and much more. We need to plant plants that are native to our areas. Here in the U.S., plants like Butterflyweed, Great Blue Lobelia, Bush’s Coneflower, Stout Blue-eyed Grass, and Long-headed Coneflower are all beneficial to local wildlife, but that is just a few plants from a very long list.
On April 7, 2017, the first egg was laid. She would go on to lay 13 total. Of those 13 eggs, 12 hatched on May 15, 2017. The following day, they began to file out of the window well. She had to teach them more than once, but they figured it out quicker than I expected. I have a small rock in the window well for toads to use to get out if they fall in, and the ducklings wisely took advantage of that.
Once they were all out, she started walking them around to get used to things. She specifically led them to the bog. After that, she decided it was time to go. She left the pond area, and headed north through the neighbors yards. I will never knowingly see those ducklings again, but hopefully Mrs. Duck will be back next year for her third year nesting by my pond.
