We’re getting into the back half of August, and around Chebacco Lake, some of our younger residents seem to have decided it’s time to start spreading their wings - literally.

From ducklings preparing for their first real flights to deer making themselves at home on Gregory Island, there has been plenty of wildlife activity around the lake this week. Add in a familiar great blue heron, sunflowers nearly ready to bloom, and even a bit of neighborhood real estate news, and it has been another eventful stretch around Chebacco.

Here’s a look at what’s been happening this week around the lake.

Gilligan, Ginger, Mary Ann and Lovey are pretty much full-sized ducks now, and the wings are getting a serious workout. I have a great video from this week of them flapping away and clearly getting ready for that first real flight!

Last night was another first. I went outside to put them in their pen and…no ducks. I searched the backyard and couldn’t find them anywhere. So, for the first time, they spent the night somewhere outside their pen on their own.

Sure enough, first thing this morning, all four were right back here on the property. I think they’re starting to tell us they’re ready for the next chapter.

Unlike the ducks, our squirrel-box resident has NOT been coming home.

Chebacco Cassidy hasn’t been back for a while now. We’ve learned that disappearing for a few days is part of his routine, but this has turned into a pretty extended absence.

Maybe he’s upgraded. Maybe he’s got multiple lake properties and is spending August at the summer place. Either way, the box remains vacant and we’re still keeping the camera on. If anyone knows of a squirrel looking for a home, send them our way!

A doe and her two fawns seem to have taken up residence around Gregory Island, and quite a few of us have seen them.

The fawns prancing around the neighborhood are awfully cute. They’re also surprisingly comfortable around people, which is adorable to watch, although hopefully they’ll develop a healthy little bit of caution as they grow up.

Our neighborhood great blue heron has been making his presence known as usual, and he’s not exactly quiet about it.

Earlier this week he apparently decided our boat looked like a perfectly good place to hang out. I managed to get some video before he finally decided he’d overstayed his welcome and flew off.

The sunflowers around our house are just about ready to explode into bloom. We’ve been waiting all summer for this, and it looks like we’re only days away. I’ll definitely share some pictures once they open.

A little Chebacco real estate news: 44 Lakeshore Drive went under agreement after only a few days on the market.

It was priced right, it’s a really special lake property, and clearly buyers agreed. It’ll be exciting to see who the new owners are, and hopefully we’ll be welcoming some new neighbors to the Chebacco community soon!

• The ducklings practicing those wings

• Our Gregory Island doe and her two fawns

• The great blue heron taking over the boat

• Sunflowers getting ready to bloom