Backyard Nature, Duck Tales
A Journey With Nature
Every year, I experience a new adventure with nature. Because my yard landscape, is mostly native I have numerous butterfly, bee, insect, and bird species visiting throughout the seasons. I also see the usual suburban mammals including raccoons, chipmunks, skunks, rabbits, and opossums. And occasionally a random red fox or coyote walk through the yard. The visitors and inhabitants have plenty of food and a safe place to raise the next generation and I am use to their presence! But this is the first time a duck has chosen my backyard to build a nest.
While pruning shrubs on a Tuesday in mid June, I noticed a male and female mallard duck on the patio quietly talking to each other while they stared at my messy herb bed along the house. After about 10 minutes of duck discussion, the female mallard, walked into the herb bed and sat down on a pile of oak leaves leftover from 2025. Once she found her spot, Mr. Mallard walked away, quacking the whole time. Mrs. Mallard sat in that spot for about 90 minutes, leaving behind two eggs. I watched the nest daily from the the slider and did not see any activity until the following Saturday, when Mrs. Mallard returned to the nest, and this time she sat on the pile of leaves for about five hours. Mrs. Mallard left the nest at dusk and did not return until Monday when she began sitting full time on a nest of eight eggs.
Prior to nesting, mama Daphne (yes, I became emotionally vested and named the duck Daphne) was part of trio of neighborhood mallards. The trio included two males and Daphne and the three were always together. The trio often visit my yard in early spring for an hour or two, and can be seen waddling through other front yards on the block. After Daphne started tending the nest full time, the two males sat on our neighbor’s roof and watched over the nest from afar. Daphne would leave the nest early morning and late afternoon to forage. She would cover the nest with a thick layer of leaves every time she left. I never observed her foraging in our yard. I had a perfect view of Daphne and the nest from the patio slider and it became part of our routine to check on her throughout the day. I was looking forward to a yard of ducklings in the next several weeks… but nature had other plans! The next Saturday morning before dawn, Daphne left the nest as usual and while she was gone, another backyard critter raided the nest. I suspect the culprit was a skunk or raccoon. It was heartbreaking to observe Daphne’s discovery when she returned… but it is the natural cycle of life in nature. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to observe the nesting journey up close and personal for as long as it lasted! I will gladly give up access my patio again, anytime Daphne wants to honor me with her presence!