Typically, when Doodle spies me at the French door to let Gidget out in the mornings, she’s honking with displeasure that she’s locked up and there’s a pond but feet away.

But lately, Doodle has been broody. And as a lonely duck, I know her mission is futile. For the last few weeks, I’d open the door to her little house, and she’d hiss at me, warning me away from her eggs, not venturing off for a dip until later in the day. This late-day swim isn’t surprising, given that she’s had to battle the crows all summer to hang onto her eggs. The crows often stole her food and eggs if she left them unattended.

I stepped out on the porch this foggy morning to test the weather as I let Gidget out. It’s mild after a hot and humid day yesterday, so I’ll enjoy my coffee on the porch while I can. Immediately upon my presence, Doodle began honking. I guess broody time is over.

In my jammies, I left the safety of the screened-in porch – only to be as surprised by this girl as she was with me. Slowly, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to snap a few pictures while being attacked by mosquitoes.

She stood motionless, eyes following me as I gave her a wide berth on my way to the duck coop. Doodle launching herself into the pond was all the disturbance she could handle, and she bounded off into the woods.