TURNS IN THE ROAD

WHO'S EGGING ME NOW?

That's what I thought when I returned from my walk and found this on my driveway. Then I remembered that I don't live in Megalopolis anymore with its many challenges but in a peaceful rural community.

FIRST THE FACTS

First of all, the splattered egg had not been there when I left for my early morning walk. Of that I was positive. Second, it was obviously a very fresh egg. So I pondered other possibilities as I watered our thirsty plants and bushes.

WHERE TO START?

I considered an investigation, but where would I start? As I came to the bush on the right, next to our front door, out stepped Lady M, our resident female Mallard. She stood still for a brief while and then waddled off. It looked like the only thing I needed to investigate was the bush she had been behind. Sure enough, nestled close to its root system, I found a nest of eggs.

MYSTERY SOLVED

So why was the broken egg on my driveway? How did it get there? Here's what I think happened: Lady M was on her way to the nest to "deposit" the egg and she misjudged herself.

VISIONS OF DUCKLINGS

Since seeing the nest, I've been having visions of ducklings . . . baby Mallards!! We only have five mallards in our pond and two older domestic ducks that stay here year round. (Wild ducks and swans come in and out during the winter.) Lady M is the only hope we have for adding to our resident duck population. Is she up to the job? There's a difference of opinion among the neighbors. She herself was hatched here so she is well known. And she has her detractors. Some say she is irresponsible. But I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Several of us are pulling for her, that she's stay the course. I'll keep you updated.