Ducks in a Row (and Swans, too)

I finally had the opportunity to pay a proper visit (not just a drive by on a bus) to the swans, cygnets, and ducks of the Blanchardstown pond. 

Are your ducks in a row?

Much like the Dublin cygnets, these are nearly fully grown and slowly replacing their gray feathers with white.  This is most apparent when they flap their wings. 

 

I remember when they were small and their wings were barely visible, more like tiny flippers than proper wings.  Now that they are growing towards maturity, the undersides of the wings are the clearest signs of the beautiful white plumage that will soon cover their entire bodies.  These, too, are independent, with one resting on the grass near the parents while the other two continue to paddle around the pond.

 

That is until a family shows up with bread on offer (though I wish people wouldn’t feed them so much white bread which isn’t good for them).  That is the encouragement the pair needed to finally exit the pond, shake the drops off their wings and enjoy the free meal.

 

The little girl spent more of her time actually eating the bread than trying to feed the aviary with it.  One of the ducks was bold enough to come up to her and nip at the slice of bread in her hand, and much to her surprise, finally snatched the entire square, except for the corner of the crust that she had been munching with her other hand.

Children are just as entertaining to watch as the ducks and swans.  Later in my wanderings I saw a little boy gaze longingly at a puddle whilst his father steered him towards dry pavement.  You’re never too old to jump in a puddle – I’ve even done a bit of splashing in recent years – the child inside continues to live on.

 

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