F*ck a duck!

Literally, as it happens. There's a canally bit of river just close to where I live and we went over there yesterday for a stroll and a sit in the sunshine. We were watching a mother duck taking her six fluffy ducklings out for some training, gently nudging them up the bum when one of them strayed a bit off course, when suddenly a drake arrived on the scene. He had a glint in his eye which could only mean one thing. This was a mallard with a mission. He swam up to the object of his affections.......and then all hell broke loose. He chased her up onto the bank, much flapping and squawking ensued, and she clearly wasn't havng any of it. She flew off in high dudgeon, marched up and down the bank a bit in a threatening manner, and then tried to dive bomb him. He mooched around, clearly trying to work out what he was doing wrong, and then another, bigger, male arrived. First drake, obviously twigging that it was all over for him, sloped off as casually as possible. whilst second drake took charge of the situation. He chased her up onto the bank again, more squawking broke out, and then.......it all went very quiet. A few seconds later second drake slides coolly down into the water, bobs his head up and down a few times, and glides off looking incredibly pleased with himself, whilst the lucky lady stays on the bank looking......well, satisfied.
Isn't nature amazing?