I was up in Central Park this afternoon. Like last week, most of the mallards swimming around the pond were male, the females having nested. I'm disappointed to report that one of the few visible females, who apparently did not successfully nest, was my big white obnoxious duck. Trailed by a male still in breeding plumage -- some of them are losing it already -- who obviously adores her, she charged around quacking, driving other ducks away from what she considers her private stretch of shoreline. Her pint-sized boyfriend raced to keep up. Finally, having made her point, she jumped up onto the grass, he followed, and they curled up for a nap. So I guess we're not getting a clutch of pushy, loud-mouthed ducklings this year.

On the other hand, that pond is now home to a great white heron. I hear there's a pair, but I only saw one, flapping those slow-motion wings, circling for the right spot of marsh to hunt in.