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I have been obsessively watching the mallards over the past week, she is one of 3 female Mallards:
1st
Male partner is of standard plumage.
2nd Male partner has a pale buff chest.
3rd (
) is in a ménage à trois with a male Mallard and a male Mandarin Duck! https://twitter.com/vagabondbaker/status/1247087805324460033
1st
Male partner is of standard plumage.2nd
Male partner has a pale buff chest.3rd
() is in a ménage à trois with a male Mallard and a male Mandarin Duck! https://twitter.com/vagabondbaker/status/1247087805324460033
Could it be 3rd ? Mandarin Ducks have an extra chromosome so hybrid ducklings are not going to happen but she probably mated with the male Mallard as he was feistier 
? Mandarin Ducks have an extra chromosome so hybrid ducklings are not going to happen but she probably mated with the male Mallard as he was feistier
The egg! She's left the nest to feed, she tried to cover the egg up but unsuccessfully 
. It's very exposed.
. It's very exposed.
Still waiting for egg number 2! Egg number one is still there, untouched, and not predated, since she left it yesterday morning. 
Breaking News! Mrs Mallard is back! 2nd egg is happening; she timed it perfectly for my morning coffee 
Its not female #3! The Mandarin Ducks wooing Mrs Mallard #3 swam by. So that means these eggs will be fertilised: we're going to have
She's covered the eggs up much better today, its looks like a little herby salad! 
. And as you can see at the end of this video, it's female number 1, with the standard plumage male 
. And as you can see at the end of this video, it's female number 1, with the standard plumage male
Herby egg salad!
Day 4; egg 3 (I think) . Mrs Mallard has done lots of excavating this morning, I think she has found the constriction of the wall, she's got to fit 12 eggs in there somehow! Look at that leg!
. Mrs Mallard has done lots of excavating this morning, I think she has found the constriction of the wall, she's got to fit 12 eggs in there somehow! Look at that leg!
I think that's the new egg. Lots of loose soil and gravel in there today. 
Day 5. I came back from my walk and Mrs was on the nest, Mr right next to her. I popped upstairs to wash my 
and heard a kerfuffle. Mr was chasing another Mr off, Mrs had fled. Mr checked the eggs, he's a good dad!
was on the nest, Mr right next to her. I popped upstairs to wash my and heard a kerfuffle. Mr was chasing another Mr off, Mrs had fled. Mr checked the eggs, he's a good dad!
