Ducks on the Pond

 I'm a day late.  My apologies.

May Day, May Day

Behind my house is a retaining pond, sometimes the water is low and other times it is filled to the brim.  It all depends on the weather, as with any pond.  When rain is lacking, the marsh-like grasses are prominent along the bank.  The mud is dry and crusty, and the wind moves the grasses in a gentle sway.   When it is filled to the brim, the water is glistening and bright, reflecting the sun’s rays.  Either way it is a beautiful site.  Either way it is a small retreat for wildlife to come and enjoy.  There are turtles basking in the sun on any given day.  Canada geese find their way to this watering hole and enjoy its offerings.  I have seen river otter frolicking in this relatively small body of water.  I have spotted a variety of ducks who come and go.  Most recently, however, a male and female mallard have taken up residency at the pond.  The male is all colorful and majestic with his emerald-green head and white-ringed neck.  The female is dull in color but still sports a beauty in her graceful movement.  They spend their days dipping their heads into the water in a process of foraging for food called dabbling.  They are no doubt going to raise a family.  Nevertheless, they find that only a couple of hundred yards away from the pond is a swimming pool.  It is off-season, so no humans are swimming, and the water is clean and fresh.  Like any other couple, they probably want a vacation to a lovely resort, away from their daily routine.  These mallards make their way up the hill, across the road, through the fence, and into the swimming pool!  What a site to see.  How surprised the on-lookers are to see a couple of mallards in the pool!  It is only a short-lived visit, and they return to their natural habitat.  This morning, they were happily foraging in the pond with their heads underwater and their bottoms in the air.  They may have thought the grass was greener on the other side of the road but soon found that they were exactly where they needed to be:  in the pond oasis behind my house!

Tamm Harvey

05/01/2025