Ducklings, goslings and children all move.
A lot.
But, if you build a 20 duckling, 2 gosling, 3 kid cage, you can photograph them all at the same time!
Remarkably even when you stick these 25 creatures in one small cage, you still get a very good sense of all their individual personalities.
Ivy, is seriously working on socializing the ducklings, she is busy, and can not smile for the camera.
Clara is willing to grin for the camera but will not stop doing what she had been doing, in this case plucking bits of greenery from the floor of the cage to hand feed to the birds.
Jane, of course, abandons all pretense that she was ever doing anything else to make silly faces at the camera.
Meanwhile, the ducklings, observed only by Ivy, are in a slight panic. But only a slight panic, because there is also water in their midst and, as all ducklings know, all water needs to be thrown on the ground immediately.
The goslings are boldly investigating. We are new to geese, but so far bold investigation seems to be their thing!
And, at the rate all 25 of them are growing, this is likely to be the only picture I ever get of them all together.
Until then I figure that when I find myself under the chicken coop on one knee other leg extended for balance, one elbow on the ground because that hand is already holding a chicken stretching as far as I can for a second bird, well, that’s just an excellent ab hold.
But happy? Oh was he happy!
The shade was a perfect temperature with just a hint of a breeze, the grass was nice and soft and the little birds were endlessly entertaining.
Plants have grown inches, new leaves are everywhere and the spring flowers that were the focus of the landscape have become hidden under the flush of growth. There is no doubt about it, the growing season has arrived!
Behind the Willows 