After reading Steve's mallard story, I thought I'd relay my own incident. On
Saturday I was washing my lawn tractor when I heard the flapping of wings,
stood up to look and just as quickly ducked for 3 incoming mallards. Two
veered right to avoid me while the third braked but kept on flying. There were
2 drakes chasing chasing a hen. The pair landed on the front lawn and mated and
just as quickly flew off. I have geese and occasional mallards in the farm
field across from route 20, but rarely see them here. Although many years ago
I found a mallard nest remains below one of my spruce trees which I'd had no
idea was there. I have a seasonal creek outback which isn't deep or big enough
for waterfowl. Anyway, the sighting of mallards at home is most unusual much
less getting almost run over by them.
Carol Keeler
Auburn
Sent from my iPad
On May 19, 2011, at 8:32 AM, "Susan Fast" wrote:
> I was walking down Leonard Rd. early this morning, zoned out listening to the
> rushing brook, when an explosion of wings from the top of the high bank
> brought me quickly to reality. My in-grained, sub-conscious bird detector
> pronounced “grouse”. I mean, what else could it be here? But then I saw a
> hen MALLARD flying off down the road. With much difficulty, falling once, I
> scaled the bank and found a nest of old leaves, surrounded by a collar of
> duck down, and containing 8 eggs. I would love to be around when the
> ducklings hatch, slide down the bank, cross the road, and hop into what
> appears as a mountain stream, bobbing the ½ mile or more to ?
>
> This is the first duck of any kind I’ve seen over the years on Leonard.
> Also encountered was a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH.
>
> Steve Fast
> Brooktondale
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