This is one of the great nature videos of all time. Herons are notorious for picking off baby ducklings as a sort of mid-day snack, and at first this bird predator seems to have all the advantages as it slowly advances. But the heron underestimated the fierce protectiveness of the mother duck, who risks her own life to chase this marauder off (squawking in terror!). Honestly, I love watching mama ducks with their young; they are so attentive, so protective, allowing them free rein to explore and swim far out into the water - before bringing them all back home again by some secret signal. I find myself longing for a mother who was that caring, that protective, and that devoted to my safety. It's a strange model to use, I admit, but if I could've been raised by a duck, I would have saved myself decades of grief and despair.
