Duck Rescue!!

[Catherinedana]

Driving into work today - I was a l m o s t here when I spotted a muscovy duck sitting at the curb on the left side of the road (in the street). That road is curvy and although not extremely busy, folks are going to work and not looking for "sitting ducks"! I made a u-turn and went back to where she was, thinking that she must have gotten hit and I was going to try to get her in my car and drive her over to the Sanctuary where I volunteer. Well, she stands up hissing at me and reveals three ducklings, two alive, one dead, that she was sitting on. OMG! I grabbed the ducklings and began chasing her across the street (over a grassy median in high heels!). She decides to double back and I have to get in front of her again to move her to the other side of the street where there is a lake. My car, meanwhile is sitting running in the middle of the street with the door open, the traffic light off the huge street where most of the traffic comes from is about to change and I'm sinking in the grass, running with a duckling in each hand.

We make it to the other side and she heads to the water. I put the ducklings down and they run to her and they reunite. Now I have to safely cross the street and the median and get back to my car!! But do you know, not one car passed in either direction the whole time that this was going on. . .perhaps someone was watching over us? I rather think so!

I was all shaky when I got back in the car. I'm safe at my desk for now but I'll go check on them again later, maybe bring them something to eat to keep them on the lake side of the road!!! :)

[CountryWolf07]

Bless you! :) That is a very kind thing you did. I would've done the same thing.

[Laura's Babies]

Awww! The Mama didn't want to leave her dead baby? Thanks for rescuing them! Not everybody would have taken the time to do that.

[Anikaca77]

I'm so glad, thank you for helping them.

:)

Great Job!!
Melissa

[Bonny]

You are a HERO for saving the duck family. A job well done & I think the good Lord was looking down on you keeping things safe during your rescue operation. ;)

[Catherinedana]

Just drove by there and mom and two babies are on the grassy median. She is sitting with her head tucked back and they are cuddling with her. I didn't want to disturb them since they seemed settled and are pretty much in a safe place. I just wish they would stay on one side of the street or the other! I will drive by again before I leave to see where they are at that time and if they need assistance. I guess I'll have to help them out for a little while. I'm thinking that I should bring something for them to eat and try to keep them in one spot.

I'm very concerned for them, poor things! Such a tough place to live!! :(

[Karen]

Awww, thank you for helping the duckies!

[phesina]

Thank you, and God bless you for doing this.

[lvpets2002]

:love: Awee God Bless You.. For Sure you are their Guardian Angel Mom.. So glad you & the ducks are ok.. I will bet they will be waiting for you this evening.. Let us know ok..

[Freedom]

Hooray! Today, YOU made a difference.

Maybe chat with some folks at the Sanctuary place, see if they have any ideas for the duck family.

[cassiesmom]

Oh, my! How fortunate that you came along when you did! I hope they are okay tonight.

Here is a picture of Muscovy ducks that I copied from Wikipedia. The male on left and the female on right.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Cairina_moschata_-Texas_-USA-8.jpg/300px-Cairina_moschata_-Texas_-USA-8.jpg

When I first worked at UnitedHealthcare, a goose made her nest on a little grassy "island" in the parking lot. There had been a tree there, but it didn't do well, so the landscapers removed it and just covered the island with sod. When we saw that pair of geese putting a nest there we panicked, because it was in about the third row of parking spaces ... what will she do if it snows? What if someone doesn't see her? The landscaper saved the day, though. He blocked the two parking spaces on either side of the little island for her. Every employee at every tenant in that building was keeping an eye on that goose on her nest. I think she got sick of us!

[Catherinedana]

I had to move them again last night when I was going home. They were making circles in the median, mom looking a bit panicky. This time I had to stop traffic as mom duck honked and hissed in front of me and I carried the babies behind. Hey, you do what you have to do, right? :rolleyes:

I saw mom by the lake preening this morning so I didn't go over, just came into work. I have a bag of feed for them and I will dump it by the lake at lunchtime. That might keep them on that side of the road.

Unfortunately, the Sanctuary can't do anything for these guys. They are healthy; just living in a crappy place! I could try to relocate them, but I hate to interfere like that. And it would probably be difficult to catch mom duck. I'm wondering if I can somehow get a "duck xing" sign on that road - not sure that would make a difference, but it might alert some folks and make them more aware.

Your goosie was lucky, CM - these ducks have only the crazy bird lady to watch for them!!!

[Genny]

AWWW!! As soon as I saw 'Duck Rescue' I had to read the thread since I love ducks! We use to have a lot of muscovies..

That reminds me of the time my mom and I were out in town (I was about 3 or 4) and there was a chicken truck about 5 or 6 cars ahead of us. All of a sudden one of the chickens jumped out somehow and ran to the side of the road--my mom pulled over the van and chased that chicken which was practically in the road until she caught it and we then carried it to a friend of her's who has pet chickens! lol it was crazy but I'm glad she did it or it would have gotten run over for sure ;/

[Catherinedana]

OK here's the latest duck update. I scattered the feed for them after my friend and I chased them off the median onto the lakeside yet again at about 11:30 a.m. Mom ate like she was starving. I think that's the problem - we had very cold weather here and all the plants and stuff died so she probably doesn't have much to eat. There was another dead duckling on the median, but it didn't look injured. It hardly weighed anything at all so I think they are just not getting enought to eat and that's why mom keeps moving. The remaining duckling followed her into the water and then another very tiny one appeared that I hadn't see before. I think he's too small to get up the embankment so he just stays on that side. I moved the dead one over to the lake side as well, hoping that she would not go looking for that one again. It has gotten so complicated!!!

Drove by on my way home and did not see them at al so maybe they ate and were resting in the bushes. Crazy bird lady will drive by again in the morning and see what she will see!!!

Quack!!

[cassiesmom]

You go, Catherinedana! rip, second duckling :( and please mamma duck and baby duckling be careful.

[cassiesmom]

Your goosie was lucky, CM - these ducks have only the crazy bird lady to watch for them!!!

You know what stinks, though? Our office was in two locations during the 6 years I worked there. The first one had a sidewalk along the office and a retention pond at the end of the street, perfect for walking during lunch breaks. The building was very plain, though. The second office was very nice, lobby with marble tile and plants, nice trees and landscaping. But the landscapers kept shooing the geese away, especially in the spring. We had gotten used to having them around and even watching over them from our previous location.

[Catherinedana]

Gooses make big messes so I guess they didn't want them to spoil the effect in front of your nice building! I remember being in a park in New Jersey and doing a big slip and fall because of all the goose poop on the ground (Canada Geese). Big source of amusement for several people around. . .probably for the geese too!