Wow! You certainly have a front row to the life of the Mallard Duck.
Yes, I would definitely block off the area with caution tape so that no one comes to that porch. It is illegal to disturb waterfowl nests.
If you can observe how many eggs she has laid, that will help you determine when the young will hatch.
After all the eggs have been laid, that is when the female will begin incubation. You will know when this process begins because she will be sitting on the nest all the time. She only leaves for very short periods of time to eat. The male does not bring her food.
It will take about 30 days for the young to hatch, and they will all hatch within 24 hours of each other. After that, the entire group will move to the water. Hopefully there is a pond or lake close by. Once they are gone, you can clean up your porch and have access to it again.
Hope you enjoy this unique opportunity, even though it is a little inconvenient for you!
-Naturalist Denise Wolfe
(440) 286-9516
