Marilyn and Monroe are not the only ducks who choose our yard as their spring vacation spot. Two others, whom I named Larry and Lily, are also frequent visitors.
Larry is a more vocal duck. He quacks a lot, nearly continually. Not all his quacks are loud, in fact it more sounds like grumbling than quacking most of the time. I have come to call it quackeling.
Lily is quiet, tentative and timid. While Marilyn will approach me and wait for me to put down food, Lily hangs back and watches. I wonder what has happened in her life to make her so distrustful.
Her relationship with Larry differs from Marilyn and Monroe's relationship as well. Where Monroe watches Marilyn and encourages her to go first, Larry is not cut from the same cloth. He pushes forward to eat first, he grabs Lily by the neck and pushes her in the direction he thinks is best; he quackles at her constantly.
One morning, as I sipped my coffee and watched Marilyn and Monroe, Larry and Lily came to visit as well. I was about to toss out the grain just as they landed at the edge of the lawn. I recognized them, both by the constant quackeling of Monroe, but also by the small bald spot on the back of Lily’s neck. I set down my coffee and reached for the container of food. Grabbing a handful, I sat down on the steps, and invited Marilyn to approach.
As soon as I sat, she waddled up to me, stopping about a foot away. Monroe wandered by the plum tree about 6 feet away, trying to act nonchalant, but watching me. I began tossing the grain to her. Marilyn ate and then sipped water. When Larry saw me doling out food, he waddled up as well, though he stopped about 2 feet away. When Lily tried to approach, he quackled at her to stay back. I tossed some food her way, and he dove to get it first. I tossed out the rest, making sure that Lily would get some while Larry was busy with some I had tossed a little further out. Soon, Marylyn ambled to her normal sleeping spot, Monroe watching and guarding her. Once she was settled, he came to get his breakfast.
Larry continued to eat, even when Lily waddled off for her nap. He didn’t even watch to see which way she headed. She stopped a few feet from Marilyn, and curled up. Larry tried to prevent Monroe getting food, but I was watching, and made sure that both got plenty.
I stood up, moved back to my regular chair and my now lukewarm coffee, and took some pictures of them. I pondered the styles of the two drakes. I know that part of their actions is inbred instincts, but obviously, there is room for personal variances too. Monroe was a much more nurturing partner than Larry was. In fact, I compared Larry in my mind to the descriptions of abusive spouses and realized that humans do not hold the patent on cruel behavior.
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