Not-so-cranky Addendum to the Random Crankiness:

Mr. Mallard, about whom I feared the worst after his collision with the window and subsequent fall to the cement ramp, reappeared a few minutes after I published my last post. I sat there in shock, praying that he was ok, and then I noticed a fat little Mr. Mallard making his way onto the grass of the "amphitheater". He looked around as if he was dazed and disoriented and moved very slowly for a few minutes. I kept looking for signs of a broken wing or foot and when he began to waddle across the grass, I was very afraid that he was limping. Much to my relief, it was only his waddle in the uneven grass. After getting his bearings for a bit, I saw him call out to Mrs. Mallard, who was already in the irrigation/overflow ponds further on. She must have answered him because he waddled further across the grass, checked his angle of flight, spread his wings, and took off--nicely clearing the roof of the Hall of Flags and making it safely to the side of his little ducky wife.

I was quite happy and almost cried again out of sheer relief. I hate to see a happy couple, no matter what the form, break up for any reason.