puddling

noun

1. The action of forming a puddle.
2. The process of working clay, loam, pulverized ore, etc., with water, to render it compact, or impervious to liquids.
3. The act of lining a canal with puddle to make it watertight.
4. The processing of pig iron (with high carbon content) by placing it into a reverberatory furnace, stirring to expose it to oxygen and create puddled iron and then (with further stirring to fully decarbonize it) wrought iron.
5. A group of mallards (ducks).
6. A behaviour in which animals like butterflies seek out moist substances to obtain nutrients.