2015-07-05 Santee Lakes | shadeTreeImaging

Wood Duck - Aix sponsa My friend and business partner’s second son was born on the Fourth of July last year and there was a birthday bash at Santee Lakes planned for this day noon-ish. I decided to go early and look for photo ops before the crowd arrived.

Soon after I arrived to the space where the party was reserved, I noticed a woman and young man trying to herd a brand new Mallard family from the streets and toward the waters of the local lakes. When the group encountered the curbing next to the perimeter road, Mom hopped over, but the babies were unable to do so. The two Samaritans began scooping up the little fuzzballs and placing them on the grass so they could join Mom. One eluded the helping hands and began to run along the gutter in my direction, so I sat down and waited for it to come to me, thus I was able to complete the rescue.

Thereafter I took a bicycle tour of this area and several of the upper lakes. Subjects of this installment include Bobcat (from my yard), Cinnamon Teal, Mallard, Mallard Babies, Pied-Billed Grebe, Wood Duck and Wood Duck Babies.

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