While 500 birds seems like a lot, in reality, it is insignificant to the mallard population.

Before artificial nitrogen fertilizer became widely available, the world's population was around 2 billion. When we no longer have it - or if we ever decide to stop using it - that may be the number to which our own naturally gravitates.

It's reality that's bringing this about. We're going to have a loss of population, real simple. If you have a loss of population, you will have vacant housing. It's a formula for blighted neighborhoods. That's the No. 1 issue we have before us.

These areas have been covered with wet snow that is now melting away, exposing it to mallards and other waterfowl that feed in fields.

The pond where the ducks are dying is not necessarily the location where they are picking up the fungi-infested feed.

Look at him now, poor fellow. That's what a dose of reality does for you...Never touch the stuff myself, you understand. Find it gets in the way of the hallucinations.