Clara is among the most popular and captivating of the residents at Clare Oaks Retirement Community in Bartlett.
This is her third documented stay, all three coming, appropriately enough, on the cusp of Mother’s Day. While Clara’s first arrival was considered a fluke of sorts and the triumphant return a blessing, the third visit last month makes for tradition.
While there is some discourse regarding exact numbers, Clara weighed in with a 15 in 2009, 13 last year and 10 this spring, baby ducks that is. Clara is an Anas platyrhynchos, also known as Wild Duck or a brown female Mallard.
Senior Wildlife Specialist Katie Birk commented on the odd occurrence saying “Ducks laying eggs in the same spot is not something that happens often, however, if the place has been successful in the past, they will renest.”
No one clearly remembers Clara’s dramatic arrival but sometime in April of 2009, the mother duck found sanctuary in the courtyard of the three-story wrap-around retirement complex. She arrived, took cover and softly laid her eggs outside the window of 99-year old Sister Florence, who presses against her window throughout the day to watch Clara and her ducklings play in the plastic blue baby pool.
“And how, I watch them – they’re cute little creations,” said Sister Florence. “It’s good to put in the time just watching them instead of reading all the time.”
Not all the residents are nearing the century mark next October like Sister Florence, but all of them are infatuated with Clara. The silver-haired fan club can be seen on most days seated comfortably in a semi-circle watching Clara’s every move.
The residents are intrigued by her pattern, her off spring and the coming departure in which every duck will fly up and out of the courtyard and over the three-story brick walls and tile red roof. Well, it’s not always that easy.
“One year Wildlife Services had to come in and transport a couple of the ducklings to a local pond,” said Shelia Rose, R.N. “And last year, one of the ducks didn’t follow the group as they flew out. We called Wildlife, the duck took one look at him and flew over the roof.”
The short stay is rather homey, with a steady diet of popcorn and other snacks, a pool (with a downspout run-off ramp for easy access), separate court yards, a fence partition for privacy, sun and shade. The lush greenery makes for a duckling smorgasbord of bugs, plants, worms and insects.
Patricia McWilliams places popcorn pieces on the front tray of her rolling walker. Only Clara can reach the pieces before waddling away.
“It’s fun to watch them because they like to whack each other,” said McWilliams.
“They come up to the door every morning,” said Thelma Broeker. “It’s amazing how the mother takes care of them.”
“The mother does a real good job of covering them up with her wings,” said Sister Connie, “but one night it was so bad out I wanted to put a little afghan blanket on them.”
Many of the residents and visitors to the pond have become very attached to the ducklings, and some have found them to be a means of reminiscence. Ben Krautman, a bio chemist during his working days, finds that the ducks bring back his boyhood memories on his parents’ farm in Missouri. “We had all kinds of critters,” said Krautman.
“They’re cute little guys,” said Emma Schlueter, a native of Colorado “but they’re nothing new to me. I’m an old farm girl.”
When the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis founded Clare Oaks for a residential senior lifestyle to enhance and nurture mind, body and spirit, they did not have Clara in mind.

But somehow, Clara and all the little duckling are doing their part to provide approximately six weeks of entertainment for all the residents, whether they are living independently or in an assisted capacity.

More and more residents have requested feeders be placed outside their windows for easier viewing.

Clara and clan unwittingly bring even more joy to the residents. Clare Oaks officials report that on the weekends the courtyard is even fuller with residents’ families, where children flock to see the ducks swim, waddle and tickle the fancy of the Clare Oak residents.

Thanks to the peaceful environment, the trend should continue on according to Birk, “It seems like the environment really likes to have them be successful, so they should continue to reproduce there until they can’t any longer.”