August 20th was the last time we saw our little duck friends. We had just finished an upgrade to their duck house out of concern that the floor was starting to fall apart. I built a new foundation out of pavers.
I was hoping that they’d be here for the long haul, but such is not the case.
For a couple of weeks they had been leaving the yard at night and staying out – only to return in the morning for their daily ration of peas, corn and rice. Then they would hang out all day loafing around the pools and snacking on peas and duck food.
Even as we worried for their safety, it was simply awesome to watch them fly hundreds of feet in the air and land in the yard with skill and style.
So when they flew off that evening in late August, I didn’t know that it would be the last time I would see them, but there was always the thought in the back of my mind that they may decide to stay away with their new duck friends.
Of course it is possible that we will see them again one day. They know where home is and they know how to get here. We take some comfort and pride in knowing that they have the freedom to live the way they want to now.