Friday 10 June 2011

The Height of Multitasking and One Lucky Duck!

They say that women are better than men at multitasking...now I believe it!

A few days ago I looked out the window to examine the flowerbed in hopes of being delighted by new developments:  buds, flowers, or shoots. The first thing I noticed was a sparrow, busily collecting plant matter for a nest.  As she was actively filling her beak with debris, a male landed on her and I presume they mated. Now THAT might just be the height of multitasking!

Have you ever heard of a lawn of fertility?  Me neither, but I think we have one!

A few hours later, there was a chorus of quacking.  One female and seven male mallard ducks descended on our front lawn. Think for a minute about that ratio. What a lot of suitors!!  Is this where the expression 'lucky duck' came from???

Want proof of my dual-footed visitors? I have it! The photo is poor quality as it was taken through a window:


The hen quacked and hissed at her pursuers as they took turns approaching her.  Is this part of the duck mating ritual?

The "lucky duck" hid out under the spruce (left side of photo) and every once in a while a drake would get up the courage to venture under the bows to try his luck.  In the meantime, the other drakes waddled slowly around the tree, sometimes hissing and attempting to attack one another. 

I don't know exactly what went on under the tree, or who the lucky winner was.  I didn't ask!