Michele unfortunately was on Nights at Campbelltown Hospital, so had already left for work when I arrived. John greeted me beaming and the years fell away, we both immediately recognised each other and I was soon enjoying a cup of tea and egg and chips. We chatted for a while and agreed we'd meet at six the next morning for breakfast. Michele arrived at eight thirty and we all chatted before she left to get some well-earned sleep. John took me around the farm and he spotted that one of his ducks had got her chicks and he told me they would be taken immediately to the nearest water, and soon we spotted her leading eleven chicks dow to the duck pond he had built. I started shooting their first day of life and their entry to water – Mum took them down a steep bank and they slithered and rolled into the water.
What an honour to be treated to this moment; it was fascinating to see this entire scene, and to observe one black duckling show its complete independence to the others, and to see how they immediately new how to travel around and forage or food. Mum just simply led them, they tended to stay close every so often as she moved around, but were remarkably free to nip off in every direction then return to Mum.
The last three shots in the gallery were taken on the morning of their second day of life and they were noticeably larger.
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