Playing in the Pond

This afternoon Arvin and I took a walk down into Whatcom Falls Park. As we were heading back home we passed Derby Pond where there was a flock of Mallard Ducks. All of a sudden several of them began flying up and then diving down into the water. I've never seen Mallards do this. They are not normally diving ducks. They flew around, landed splashingly, and dove deep before they came up. Then they flapped their wings and rose out of the water like the one in this picture. They were having a great time and kept moving back and forth across the water. Eventually they settled one by one and meandered back up Whatcom Creek. It was such a pleasure to watch them having so much fun. They were playing. And they were grabbing eel grass to munch on between wheeling flights and dives. What a sight. Here she is in large.