One of my favorite things about spring is seeing baby animals everywhere. Ducklings and goslings are a common sight this time of year that many people enjoy. A few weeks ago, I spotted my first mallard ducklings this year. The first time I saw them, they were so tiny and huddled next to their mom. They moved as one, never leaving their mother's side. If you listened closely, you could hear their tiny chirps.

Every day they would venture a little further from their mother. They began running around, nibbling on the grass, and nibbling on aquatic plants as they swam. Every day they became more independent.

One day as I was doing my homework at the park and sitting on a picnic bench in the pavilion, I saw the ducklings, about ten of them, run under my bench. They didn't seem to mind me as they ran past, towards the water, chirping excitedly. They had grown a lot since I had last seen them and now they weren't afraid to explore on their own, as long as mother was still in sight. I've seen many ducklings, I often see more than one family every year, but I don't think I had ever been so close to them. I smiled as I watched them excitedly run past, chirping away.

Ducklings Corrinne Brubaker

They are unmistakable birds when you know what you're looking for. And although they are common in Florida, I never saw this bird when I was growing up in Illinois, so I enjoy seeing them now. In addition to their unique look, they have an unmistakable honking noise that reminds me of a squeaky toy, the kind you get for your dog. They randomly squeak and honk when they feel like it, and they are loud, making sure they are heard.

I regularly see adult common gallinules, nearly every time I visit one of the nearby lakes. But I had never seen a gallinule chick. I wondered what they looked like. Well, on Easter Sunday I saw my first gallinule chicks. We were at a lake, sitting on a bench and watching birds when I noticed a very small black thing next to the gallinule. It moved right along with it staying close. I squinted to see it, and after watching for a few minutes, I realized it was, in fact, a gallinule chick. It was so tiny and black. I looked closer, and there had to be at least three babies. They would stay very close to their parents or mostly hidden in the grasses at the water's edge.

Later, I was able to get a better look at the young gallinule family since they came closer to the shore. The babies followed their parents back and forth. The parents fed on aquatic plants constantly then would regurgitate it for their chicks. It was constant work feeding them. I could now get a better look at the chicks, and they looked just like mini gallinules they had little red heads and red beaks.

I enjoyed watching these little chicks. Look closely, and you'll discover there is new life everywhere.