It began again in February, a few female ducks hanging out at the pond. As in years before, a lot of male ducks appeared and each did everything he could to persuade the girls to pleaseplease give his DNA a chance.

The best man won and for a few weeks, the happy couple paddled around together. About a month ago, sightings of the female grew brief and infrequent.

Today, she showed us why. Ducklings!