I let The Boy out for his morning exercise and when I came back to check on him this is what I saw. The ducks I made friends with last year are back and they have come to realize that my cat is not in any way about that life(probably because he runs in terror every time they flap their wings). It appears that the three of them have collectively decided that as long as he keeps his distance the yard is cohabitable. For his part The Boy is readily agreeable. Every time he stands up they alert, and every time they alert he sits back down until they feel safe again. He seems to not want them to leave. Either that or he doesn't want to get his ass kicked by a couple of birds.

(For what it's worth, I'm not trying to encourage this behavior because I want them to be safe. I watched for a minute and then called him in so they could finish grazing in peace)