Getting Along

There is a canal that runs right alongside our building; the water is a mixture of salt and fresh. Further up, it opens into a small lake. 

Since we've been here, three flocks of ducks have been enjoying this little watery oasis. 

First there are what I think of as "regular ducks" with brown feathers. 

Then are two types I'd never seen before. One kind are black with white middles - they look like saddle shoes - or Belted Galloway cows; we call them the Belted Galloway ducks. 

These are the Belted Galloways

 The others are rather impressive, elegant ducks with long necks and white crowns.

These ducks are very regal. Some had impressive white crowns - sorry I didn't get a picture of
one of those. But this guy is still pretty.

At first the three kinds of ducks stayed separate from each other.

Each group converged in the morning in their own section of the lake -  we called it Morning Assemblies.

After a while, though, we noticed that there'd be some of the Belted Galloways floating near the Regular Ducks.

Regular Ducks and Belted Galloways mingling

Overnight it seems that most of the ducks have decided to move on. We did not see them go, but there are only a few left.

This morning we saw a small group of Regular Ducks and a couple of Belted Galloways hanging out together, floating along and sticking together like they were a family. I don't think they know they are different kinds of ducks anymore.

It took some time, but it seems that after a while, they all got used to each other and decided it was safe to be friends. Sometimes, a little time is all it takes.  

A duck taking flight is a beautiful sight.