Spring is a time for rebirth. As signs of new life creep up everywhere, staff members at the M.M. Ewing Continuing Care Center patiently await their own seasonal treat. Every year, the patients and staff are treated to their own personal duck parade.
The continuing care center, affiliated with the University of Rochester‘s Thompson Health Hospital, is located in Canandaigua, New York. Upstate New York is a prime spot to see animals doing their thing in their natural habitats. According to hospital staff, it's common for one mother duck to choose one of the nursing home's enclosed courtyards as her place to nest.
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When springtime comes and she and her ducklings are ready to take on the outside world, they walk the same path through the hospital and out the doors. It's become a sweet tradition that people look forward to, and it's clearly working splendidly for this mama duck!
Springtime is a time for rebirth. It's wonderful to watch all the ways nature starts up again after being dormant through the winter.
One of the nicest thing about spring is knowing that so many baby animals are born. It's nice to see them in the wild or at your local farm.
Every year, a nursing home in upstate New York is treated to a special sight. Each spring, a mother duck chooses the M.M. Ewing Continuing Care Center as her place to nest.
The mama duck typically nests in one of the facility's enclosed courtyards. There, she hatches and cares for her baby ducklings. She'll also tend to parade her family through the corridor of the nursing home.
The staff help mom along with some old signs to steer her way. The process seems to be working well for mama, who strolled through with 13 ducklings this year.
When the time is right, mom leads her ducklings through the hallway to another door. As soon as someone opens the door for her, they're out into the world.
Thompson Health posted about the annual duck parade on Facebook.
"Every year, without fail, a mama duck chooses one of the enclosed courtyards at our M.M. Ewing Continuing Care Center to lay her eggs and take care of her babies," staff explained. "She lets us know when she's ready to go by tapping on the glass, and this morning, it was time for this annual rite of spring."
The hospital brought out some of the nursing home patients to enjoy the sight. They watched the ducklings march along.
Many people commended the hospital for taking care of the ducks. Most places might be tempted to shoo them away.
One former employee remembered the kiddie pool that previous ducklings splashed around in. It's sweet to think of the little ducklings enjoying their first swim.
One patient's family members recalled a special moment watching the ducks with their loved one. The small moment created a lasting memory.
One commenter even gave some insight into how the mama duck came to call the spot her own. Construction infringed on her existing space, but she worked it out.
Apparently, this mama duck isn't the only one who has a spot where she likes to raise her babies. The Prairie Mountain School in Eugene, Oregon, has its own resident duck.
The school gathers kindergartners to watch the ducks stroll through each year. It's become a tradition.
