Steve Borichevsky photographs a king eider serenely bobbing in the water off Gloucester.

Channel 5 posts photos of a duck and her ducklings crossing the street at Centre and Alaric today.

Encounter in the Public Garden:

Steve Garfield posts video of some Jamaica Pond ducks that found a watering hole in the ice.

Lizdc has her camera handy.

Yes, this story is all it's quacked up to be.

Alyssa Boehm photographs Hoggy the Groundhog, who thinks her backyard garden is a take-out joint:

He's kind of cute, but he's also a bit destructive. I opted not to plant any tomatoes this year (one if his favorites to take a single bite from) and focus on my peppers. Undaunted, he's been burrowing around in my veggie patch.

And I think he's been snacking on my hostas. ...

In more positive animal news, Alyssa also photographs cute little baby duckies at the Public Garden (and here are some cute little baby goslings in the Fenway).

Jorge makes his daily trek to Belle Isle Marsh this morning and discovers three duck hunters:

... I have no quarrel with hunters but it is reckless to hunt within 200 yards of a busy street and 40 feet below the approach to a runway at Logan Airport and it is almost certainly illegal to hunt within the city limits of Boston with a firearm. The ultimate irony is that they set up their shooting blind at the base of the Osprey platform. I reported the incident to the Boston Police who seemed to take it seriously. It is very strange to hear gunfire in Belle Isle Marsh. I hope that these people stay away.