This post is about a nesting mallard that picked a pretty unusual place for her nest.
Back Story
Every year we have mallards in our pool right after it opens up. They fly in and land to swim around. Eventually, a dog will see them and run down to the fence around the pool.
Sometimes the duck will fly out immediately. Other times they will swim away from the dogs, the dog follows them and then they swim back where they were. Stella did this dance with a pair of ducks for about 10 minutes a couple years ago.
Earlier this year, I was cleaning pool near the stairs when I heard a duck quacking as it got closer. I drake flew a few feet over my head, made a big circle in the back yard and then landed right in front of me. At the same time, the dogs were converging on the pool. Stella was outside of the fence but Willow was flying down the stairs, where the gate was open. The drake decided he was surrounded and went vertical, quacking as he flew away.
We continued to see ducks through the spring. Usually, they nest down in the park behind us. We can hear them evenings until the eggs hatch and the hens take the chicks to a pond on the other side of the high school. About a week ago, Jae noticed a hen up near the garage. She looked like she was trying to nest under a tree but there was nothing but dirt. She mentioned it but we thought nothing more about it.
Discovery
About a day after Jae saw the hen up by the garage, I opened the West garage door to take out the garbage. As I walked out of the garage a hen Mallard jumped out of the planter between garage doors and flew out to the yard. I looked into the planter and discovered 4 eggs. There really was not much of a nest, just a bunch of leftover artificial plants from a Christmas display from a couple years ago.
Now, when I walk out of the garage, she ducks her head to hide. If I drive my truck out, she just ducks down and watches me.
I had to repair my trailer, so I parked the truck between the planter and where I was working. She was fine until I would walk into the garage. She would duck down and watch me. This went on for a couple hours, until I had to move the truck. Then she got off the nest and stood on the edge.
Apparently, it takes 28 days for the eggs to hatch. So, hopefully we will be able to coexist until then. How shes plans to get the chicks out of the planter remains to be seen.
We will provide updates as things progress.
Summary
We have a nesting mallard in our planter in the front of the house. Not an ideal place for her or us but we will try to make it work.
I did not know the birds liked the pool!
The ducks stop by every spring. Once I put the solar cover on it and they nest then they stop coming.