Flamingo Chicks

9/9/16 colored pencils
(The orphaned chick in the hand of its adopted father, John)

Several flamingo chicks hatched recently at the Woodland Park Zoo, including one that had been abandoned as an egg. They are growing fast, an e-mail from the zoo informed us, so we popped over there on Friday between errands just to see the new chicks.

When we first arrived, we spotted the two with parents who were feeding and scuttling around under the feet of the grownups, but there was no sign of the orphan. By the time I had sketched one of the chicks, their keeper came out with the one we had been looking for – the orphan, who was also the youngest. About three weeks old, the little one (gender as yet undetermined) could sure run fast. Being hand-raised by its adopted human father until it’s old enough to join the flock, it actually responded to keeper John’s calls! As we watched it clumsily bump into things in its path, John assured us that flamingoes are not the smartest birds in the nest. Still, the fuzzy little guy/gal sure was cute. The next time we see it, it will probably be tall and pink like the rest of the flock.

9/9/16 colored pencils
(One of the other new chicks old enough
to mingle with adults.)

If I had a flamingo chick in my hands,
I'd grin like that, too!