Share your baby photos here...

[Momo]

No, not human babies, please! This is the time of year when everything springs to life and new babies are born. I'm talking about the newborn of ducks, coyotes, heron, penguins, etc.

This is a photo I made yesterday at just the right moment when mama and babies were perfectly framed within a natural arch. I got off two shots before they paddled out of frame.

Let's see how many babies you can find.

[gilliebg]

Pretty shot of the Mum taking her brood to safety through the archway of leaves.

I am ready for this thread as we just happen to have some baby owls living with their parents about 30ft up in an old oak tree, on the farm. This was my first attempt, and I think I can do better if I can grab an evening shot as the light will be coming from a better angle. Pretty cute though!



D7000, f7, 1/125s ISO 200 (should have been higher, I had it on auto and it stuck it's heels in) Nikon 70-300 f4 VR at 300mm

[Momo]

Baby sea otter at the Seattle Aquarium

[capd]

[Tony M]

This isn't a great photo; the only reason I kept it is the story behind it. You'll notice the turtle grabbing one of the ducklings in his beak. Unfortunately, that was my fault. I got too close to the ducklings, startling them, and they moved away from me, towards the water. Just when I was taking a photo of them, out popped the turtle and grabbed one, taking him underwater and away from the others. I was so surprised (and guilty) that I stopped taking photos. Of course the mother duck went ballistic - fortunately at the turtle, not me. She gave up trying to get her little chick from the turtle and made off with her other little ones. Just then, I saw another duckling swimming like mad, catching up with them. (It wasn't until I got back home when I counted the ducklings, that I realised that it was the one the turtle had taken away.) The turtle was in hot pursuit (next photo). Then something happened I didn't expect: the other ducks in the pond came to help the family, encircling them to keep the turtle away. The turtle couldn't keep up, as the ducks were too fast. The mother duck took them to the edge of the pond and they crossed a path to another pond; all the while, the other adult ducks were maintaining their protective barrier.

The things you learn about wildlife when you start looking at them...





Tony

[Bobobird]

[Momo]

Wow... that's just nuts! I had no idea turtles would go after a duckling. I thought they were vegetarians. I was at a Japanese garden yesterday and made a photo of more than 12 seemingly harmless turtles lines up in a row. I'll remember this story for sure.

[Bobobird]

[Bobobird]

[Momo]

Mother and father framing the kids. I was fortunate enough to just stumble upon the family a few days ago. The male was up on the banks of the pond and didn't mind me getting close. I stood there for a while taking photos in the opposite direction all the while suspecting there were babies behind me. Sure enough, he gave out a quiet honk and before you know it mama came up out of the water with babies in tow. The entire family had a grass lunch no more than 10 feet away. I gave them space... basically did not move much but did crouch down low for a bit. I was surprised they let me stand there... knowing how protective and aggressive they can be. Dad was relaxed enough to stand on one leg.



Mama teaching baby how to chow down on some good grass...

[ktuli]

Month-old Golden Lion Tamarin - taken at the Toronto Zoo.

- Bill

[ktuli]

Month-old Golden Lion Tamarin - taken at the Toronto Zoo.

- Bill