My Wildlife Experience

The other day I was outside mowing the lawn and had stopped to empty the bag with the grass clippings. As I turned around I saw 2 wild mallard ducks waddling purposefully across my lawn toward me. I was really surprised because I thought the noise of the mower would have kept them away. So anyway, the mama duck waddles right up to me and looks at me like "So, where's my treat?" The daddy duck is standing behind her keeping an eye on things. I could just hear him thinking "I can't believe you drug me over here to talk to this woman!" all the while rolling his eyes and wearing a long-suffering expression. I squatted down and she waddled closer, quacking quietly, until she was about 2 feet from me. I could tell she wanted something to eat but I was afraid that if I moved, they'd fly away. Finally I decided I'd just go inside and get some bread. If they were still around when I came back, I'd give it to them.

When I came back outside I found that they had followed me around the side of the house and up the front steps. The mama duck was standing in our entry waiting patiently while the daddy had assumed his watchful (disgusted) position behind her at the bottom of the steps. I started to feed them but the daddy didn't want to appear too needy. He'd only take some bread when he thought I wasn't watching. (He was there under duress after all!) After I'd fed them a couple of slices of bread, they decided that was enough and it was time to go. So they waddled down the stairs and out onto the driveway. I followed them out and watched as they quacked at me and then took wing and flew away. I haven't seen them since but Jessica tells me that they've threatened her before. (Methinks she doth exaggerate!) One of the reason this is such a neat experience is that my mom used to have ducks in their old house (they had a pond) and it wasn't unusual to see the ducks following her around the yard "talking" to her. My experience felt a little like a torch-passing from mom.