When cookbook editor Kitty Stogdon, 32, called in at Braunston Marina on her 60ft narrowboat in August for a two week break from her itinerant life as a single continuous canal cruiser, she discovered that a hen-mallard had moved in overnight to make its nest in the large plant box on the boat's cabin roof garden. It was too late to do anything, as by now the hen-mallard was in the process of laying a clutch of eggs; by the afternoon there were nine of them. Amazingly, the nesting spot chosen was surrounded by boats, with people constantly walking up and down the pontoon. This did not seem to concern the hen-mallard, which lay flat and seemed to almost to disappear under its brown camouflaged feathers. Kitty reported the incident to the marina office, where owner Tim Coghlan said there was nothing that could be done until the ducklings had hatched and moved on. This could take at least six weeks, but the good news was that Kitty would not have to pay for the mooring beyond the agreed two weeks. As she was in Braunston with all its marina and village facilities, including four pubs, she could not have chosen a better place. The bad news was that Kitty's cat, Badger, would have to stay firmly ensconced in the boat's cabin for the duration.
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