General Hospital - Dr. Duck

Between the parking lot where employees can park and the hospital where I work, there is a small creek.  In that little creek lives a community of ducks. 

I'd call them a family, but there's really a little more drama going on with what I've observed the last few days.




Day 1:
  A beautiful, crisp cold January day.  As I walk over the bridge, I hear the quacking of an arriving duck.  Splashdown!  (the other ducks swim to greet the arriving male duck and when almost there, one female hangs back and quacks at her male saying - "Dude, give them some space to say hello - it's been since like 5 this morning since she's seen him!")  Upon arrival, the female duck and male duck swim around each other quacking happily.  I have to imagine the dialogue went like this:

"Ah, Quackita - you are looking especially bouyant today!"

"Why thank you Quacko, I was just admiring your tail feathers myself."

I laughed and walked on - promising myself that I'd share with you tomorrow.


Day 2:
  Another beautiful crisp cold day, another duck arrives.  Just like yesterday, the ducks swim to greet the new arrival quacking happil- oh, no I guess they're not quacking happily.  They're warning him off.  Apparently, he's new in town and is now checking out the ladies. He is quickly warned to swim away by the other males.

"Skyooz, me ladies, do I have something stuck in my..." 

"Keep movin', dude, they're taken."

Day 3:
 Another beautiful crisp cold day, our new duck reappears.  the newcomer saunters over to a female only to be chased off by her drake (male duck - I was going to say her man, but come on - they're ducks).

"How YOU doin'?"

"Scram!"

Unhindered by any feelings of shame or decorum, he slides smoothly over to another hen (female duck).

"Heyyyyyyy."

"get lost!"

It's just like days of our lives out there!


Today:


We've had a lot of snow over the last few days - with freezing rain and sleet today.  On my way out, this is what I saw.

The creek where they live is trying to ice them in, so they've had to put aside their differences and stick together and work together to keep the "path" clear between where they live in the grasses and where they eat.

You can see the little path they keep clear by swimming below.

Just keep swimming!