Wildlife!

I like animals. I really like them when they are in my yard, and they pose for pictures.

Like this robin -

And this tiny, barely flying, sparrow -

And I really love rabbits...

And something new this year - take a close look -

There she is - I call her Sweet Pea - sitting on her nest.

At least once a day she leaves to go eat, and sometimes it looks all feathery like this -

Other times it looks like this -

I've counted 10 eggs in the nest. She has been sitting there for a few weeks, so I'm wondering if the hatching will happen soon? Here is what centralpets.com has to say about Mallard babies:

Mallard Ducks usually nest in March, though by autumn most have formed pairs. They use nests located on the ground, made from leaves, grass, and other vegetation and lined with feathers. Often, these nests may be located away from water.

The eggs are usually a green color, ranging from olive green to blue green. Between 8 and 12 eggs are laid in an average clutch, and they require between 22 and 30 days of incubation by the hen, or female Mallard Duck, before they hatch.

Normally drakes have little to do with the ducklings, and the female will lead them to the water once they have hatched. Usually the drake will have abandoned the family during the first week of incubation. The hatching of Mallard ducklings usually occurs between the end of March and July. By the time they are about two months old, the little Mallard Ducks begin to fly.

Pictures of baby ducks coming soon? Stay tuned...