The tadpoles are interesting. I check their progress daily. I have found those living in the sunniest areas, that is with the warmest naturally heated water, are the most lively and are developing the quickest. In the two ponds, they are still at risk from predators, but in any of the other containers. So I shall find it fascinating to continue monitoring their progress.
Our poor female duck has clearly lost her first clutch of eggs. She continues to spend her days by the pond, but is dreadfully harried by stray males. Years ago, we had plenty of female mallards in the area, but now they seem to be so reduced in number that life is a constant worry for the females. No matter how hard she tries to hide, stray males enter the garden, wander about, poke their heads under bushes, seeking and usually finding her. Our female mallard becomes very distressed at being constantly harangued, often by two or three males at once, and we have, on occasion, seen five or six. If we are in the garden, she will hurry toward us for protection, and if we see from the window and go outside she stays still while we clap our hands and cause her ardent pursuers to fly away.
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