Nine ducklings make their debut on the Central Duck Cam

We have ducklings!

After weeks of anticipation and a close watch on the university’s Duck Cam, nine ducklings hatched on campus beginning in the late afternoon of Wednesday, May 20, and continuing overnight into Thursday morning

The mother mallard, affectionately known on campus as Ella, returned to Central during the last weekend of April for her third consecutive nesting season. This year also marked her first appearance on the university’s live Duck Cam, allowing viewers to watch her progress in real time.

Ella was originally named by students in honor of former Connecticut Governor Ella Grasso, the first woman elected governor in her own right in the United States.

For six consecutive years, mallards have selected a quiet area of campus as a nesting site, creating a popular seasonal tradition for staff, faculty, and online viewers.

Central Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator Kelly Selby has monitored and cared for Ella and her ducklings throughout the nesting process. The ducks will remain on campus through this weekend before they are safely relocated next week to nearby Stanley Quarter Park, where the ducklings will have easier access to water and open habitat.

Watch Ella take her ducklings for a dip in a nearby (disabled) fountain during a morning stroll on MediaSpace.

Viewers can continue to observe Ella and her ducklings at www.ccsu.edu/duckcam on YouTube/.