Even though its almost officially summer, spring is still in the air, evidenced most recently by a new batch of ducklings being hatched in Old Town. 

Last month a mother duck laid eggs in the back patio area of a house on Pommander Walk in Old Town. After they hatched, the mother duck guided her ducklings under fences and between the patio areas of the houses on Pommander Walk in an apparent attempt to get them to the river. 

When she found that there was no way to get them out of the patios, she and her nine ducklings took up residence with the Brzezinski family in the bushes next to their patio. Once a day, the mother duck flew off, presumably to get food.

The Brzezinskis provided a kiddie pool for the ducklings to swim in and wild duck food until they were finally big enough to head for the Potomac River. 

At 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, the Brzezinskis opened their back and front doors so the mother duck could lead the ducklings through the house, down Pommander Walk and across Union Street and the dog park, to the river. 

Neighbors briefly stopped traffic on Union Street and helped ensure that the ducks did not stray under cars or into the woods as the mother duck proudly led her ducklings to the river and into the wild.