Miss Olivia Is Nesting

Last year at this time I had a few postings about two ducks who seem to hang around our property in the springtime: Dame Olivia (pictured here) and Sir Lawrence (aka Larry). Last year she laid her eggs on our roof. Somehow she got her chicks down from up there and into the irrigation ditch and then the upper pond.

Unfortunately in about three days all had been eaten by various critters including the bass in the pond. She laid a second batch on the roof which were cooked by the 120 degree heat we had in July. So this year she landed on the roof once, I yelled at her and she came down. Now she's built her nest on the pile of mulch in our driveway. We can always tell it's her because she is so light colored for a female mallard. I can get within three or four feet of her and she doesn't move. Turtle Doug took these pictures.

It's a good think that mallards are not endangered or threatened, because it's a rare duckling that makes it to maturity. She and Larry meet up each evening just before sunset for a swim in the ditch. He does not participate in the nesting activity.