In the Shinobaragawa River of Hamamatsu City, a duck and her 5 children can be seen swimming along. August 30, 2012

Translated from the original article at: http://hamamatsu.keizai.biz/headline/701/

August 30, 2012

A family of ducks move along Shinobaragawa River.

During the early morning of August 30, a family of ducks were spotted in the Shinobaragawa River of Shinobara, in Hamamatsu City's West Ward.

Pictured: Surrounded by concrete, the duck family swims through the river.

A type of man made river, Shinobaragawa River runs through a residential town, connecting Lake Hamana  and Lake Sanaru. Typically, wild life such as fish are not often seen within such rivers. Near the area's elementary school, blocks have been placed near the water to enjoy a better look at the koi and carassius  that pass through, although ducks are not usually present.

Spotted in the river was a parent duck, thought to be the mother, swimming along 5 recently born ducklings.

The family came from the west, swimming up north along the Japan Nation Route 1. Day after day, in the intense heat, they were seen travelling through areas mostly devoid of water. Tilting their necks, area residents said to themselves, "I wonder where they came from..."


Original text:
浜松・篠原川でカモの親子－小ガモ5羽引き連れ歩く姿も
(2012年08月30日）

篠原川を進むカモの親子

浜松・篠原の篠原川（浜松市西区篠原）で8月30日の早朝、カモの親子が確認された。

【画像】コンクリートに囲まれた川を泳ぎ進むカモの親子

同川は浜名湖と佐鳴湖をつなぐ川から住宅街を通る準用河川。一般的に魚などはあまり見掛けられず、周囲の小学校には水辺で楽しめるようにブロックなどを配置してコイやフナなどが泳いでいるが、通常カモなどは見られない。

確認されたのは、母親と思われる親ガモが1羽と生後間もない小ガモ5羽を連れて泳ぐ姿。

カモは北側から泳いできて、国道1号線を潜って南へ泳ぎ進んだ。連日の猛暑で場所によっては水がほとんど無いところは親子で歩く姿も見られた。周囲に住む人は「どこから来たのだろう」と首をかしげていた。