Beware of low flying ducks. A major air route appears to lead directly over my reserved parking space which faces the lake. On their approach, ducks don’t seem to factor in the possibility of inconsiderate folks standing in their flight path. I’ve learned to duck (if you’ll pardon the expression) if I hear the sound of wind whistling through feathers.

But the odds of getting clocked in the head by a swooping duck are infinitesimal compared to the chances of either stepping in or having your car slimed by duck droppings. During the dry season, our lake path can be festooned with piles of doo-doo since ducks do nothing but eat, sleep, take an occasional swim, mate and excrete as they waddle around. 

Just beware that while you’re gazing at the beauty of the natural world, you might just step onto its nastier side.