The peace was shattered yesterday afternoon. I was working on my OU report with the french windows open as Spring thought about coming, when I heard a commotion in the garden. There were seven male mallards all trying to mount poor little Sooty, the white duck. I shooed them all off, though I don’t usually interfere with nature. Sooty was really stressed. She kept quacking and ruffling her feathers (I know what that means now) and she has a bare patch on top of her head where they were holding her down. Later on a single male returned and mated with her. She wasn’t very happy, but I decided not to interfere again. (And the ducklings would be so cute) Another female is nesting down the bottom of the garden. I haven’t seen how many eggs she has yet.