Shuswap Lodge residents and staff think the retirement facility含羞草研究社檚 newest occupant含羞草研究社檚 are just ducky.

In late March, a mother duck began building her nest in a gardened area of Shuswap Lodge含羞草研究社檚 swimming pool courtyard.

Since then, staff and residents have been watching and waiting. They were rewarded on Wednesday, May 3, when the mother duck gave birth to 13 ducklings.

含羞草研究社淥n Wednesday, I started noticing little eggshells around the nest, so that含羞草研究社檚 how we knew they had hatched,含羞草研究社� said Shuswap Lodge recreation director Dani Hickmen.

With the rainy weather, the mother duck and ducklings stayed huddled together in the nest for the remainder of the day. With Thursday含羞草研究社檚 sun, the new family eventually found their way to the winterized pool, where the chlorine had long since dissipated and floating bugs made for good eating.

While getting into the pool was easy, getting out was a challenge.

含羞草研究社淭hey couldn含羞草研究社檛 get out because the stairs were too steep,含羞草研究社� said Hickman. 含羞草研究社淪o I found this carpet underlay in one of the storage closets and we put a little board underneath. It took them a couple of tries to get all the ducklings out.含羞草研究社�

Hickman said this is the second year a mother duck has had its ducklings at the pool.

含羞草研究社淎pparently, as they含羞草研究社檙e getting more used to people含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 quite common for them to pick enclosed courtyards for brooding their nest,含羞草研究社� said Hickman, 含羞草研究社淎nd they also like to nest on balconies, planters and on rooftop terraces.含羞草研究社�

In approximately two week含羞草研究社檚 time, Shuswap Lodge staff will be assisting the ducks across the highway to Shuswap Lake.