ANOTHER MALLARD TALE, MAMA LAYS AN EGG

This morning I had a new first in my backyard birding.  The Mallard couple were hanging out and She laid an egg right by my Lilly pond while he took a swim in it!

Mister Mallard is washing himself and swimming in the little Lily pond even though the whole lake is behind him.

 She lays an egg right there next to the pond!

They both just walked away afterwards.  I read that it takes 28-35 days to hatch an egg and the temperature varies.
The female will not set on the eggs until they are ALL laid and then will set on them.  If I had an incubator I would take this lone egg as I don't feel she will come back to it laying in the open like this :(  So interesting though!

My Wild Heart to Yours...