Duck!

With the arrival of spring and all the rain, we have also inadvertently acquired two additional “members” of the household.  We’ve had a mating pair of mallards take up residence in our front yard, where Bryan had thrown down some new sod recently.  They showed up one evening while I was running the sprinklers and funny/oddly enough, they consistently come back every day.  I’m not sure where they disappear to nest during the night but during the day, they nap under our magnolia tree and eat from the leavings of our bird feeder.

Since they’ve become our temporary family, the duckies have become accustomed to our presence.  They won’t even move when I pull the car into the driveway.  Bryan put out a water bowl for them and I’ll shake out some rolled oats for them every now and then.  When Bryan’s parents were visiting, they sat out in the yard and watched them do duck things for a few hours.  Bryan’s mom named them Daisy and Donald because of course every "pet" has to have a name. 

It’s a novel experience, having wild animals decide to make a home at your home (not counting the ants who are constantly trying to find some grub around our house).  It’s also been really fun watching people walk by our house, do a double take at the ducks on the lawn, and walk away without a smile on their faces.

Bowie has done a remarkably good job of tolerating their presence for a hunting dog.  We can tell him to “leave it” and he’ll sit on the porch and watch them intently.  The ducks are also used to him now and know he isn’t a threat.  The extent of their concern is a slow waddle away if they see him walk toward them.

I’m curious as to how long the ducks will stick around and where they plan to lay their eggs.  And I never cease to experience a little thrill of joy when they come back to our yard and know that we can provide a safe respite for them in the big wide world.  I hope that y’all have each also found your own safe spot this spring and are gearing up for the hot hot summer!