Mallard Duck (eggs and nest)

Description:

My first encounter with the female mallard occurred when she laid an egg along the edge of our driveway (we live in the country, and my dad noticed it). The egg inevitably broke, and was likely infertile because of its location and solitariness -- birds may lay infertile eggs if they haven't copulated. Well, needless to say, it wouldn't be our last meeting. A week or so later, my mom told me that she noticed a nest at the base of one of our spruce trees. The female mallard had in fact, built a nest of feathers and grasses, and her a clutch of 8 eggs was bundled up insideI then took these photos, without touching the eggs (if you touch a bird's eggs, there is a good chance they will be abandoned by their mother). I went back three days later to the remnants of a tussle; an animal - I'm assuming our local red fox, or a neighbours cat - had intruded upon the duck's haven, scattered the nest, and removed all 8 eggs. About a week later, my papa was in the garden, and dug up yet another Mallard duck egg. This is why I think it was our local red fox; foxes often store their food in niches.