Sunrise 6:05 am: Finally, ducklings

It had all the markings of another disappointing morning at Lake Lagunita. There were only a couple of coots visible when the Dawn Joggers and Cassie climbed the steps up to the levee path. By the time they were halfway around, the male DJ had started grumbling under his breath about "all the Katie, Angelina and Gwyneth ducks" taking off for the more upscale - and tranquil - environment of Searsville, which is located within the protected Jasper Ridge preserve. But as they rounded the corner near where the boathouse once stood, a real family appeared: eight fuzzy ducklings being paraded about by a proud mom. When Cassie joined the male DJ at the lake's edge, the father, who was some yards away, made a beeline to his family and flapped his wings. Of course, Cassie has always been much more interested in herding than retrieving.