Rescued

[cherrybee]

I went to Exeter Quay today as it is a lovely walk along the canal with an awfully lot of swans Mallards and PIGEONS,they get everywhere.Well I got some beautiful shots of the swans and I feel they are better than some others I took.I then noticed a Little stream coming under the walkway where the ducks and swans were going under a bridge.I went to the other side and to my delight saw a mallard female with chicks.I watched them for quite some time and the mother was getting very upset with 2 males and swam of and back to the canal.I thought all the chicks went too but there was one little one who she knocked off a brick in her hurry to get away with her other chicks.The poor little thing stayed there for a bit then dropped into the water and followed mum.But when it got to the canal mum and three other chicks was way off.The poor little thing settled itself on another pile of stone looking very wet and bedraggled.I sat on the edge on the path to watch.At first it was squeaking away but after a while that stopped and mother was going even further off.It started to look very unhappy and seemed to be shaking and not looking too good.I stayed where I was and a few other people were also getting concerned for the little duckling.There was also another duckling in a crevice which we could see was already dead.A young man came along who works at the quay who also had a friend in the RSPCA who was along the quay.we watched a little longer and he said he was going to rescue it as he didn't think it would still be alive much longer and said the mother will probably not come back.She was then out of sight.He lowered himself down to the small pile of stone and very gently handed the duckling to me.It was all shivery very wet cold and bedraggled.He hauled himself up and then took it to the RSPCA man.He said there had already been one rescue that day so they must be used to seeing it along there.I have never held a Little duckling and it was so small.He seemed to be a little happier as the man went off to get help for him and I felt privileged to help.I hope the poor little thing survives he was so cute.Here are a couple of photos I managed to take

[Mark43]

Well done Cherrybee.............your good deed for the day.

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Mark43

Well done Cherrybee.............your good deed for the day.

I didnt really do anything except sit on the path hoping mum would come back for the little fella.He looked so sad.I just happened to be sat on the ground and was able to help that lovely young man.You can see by the photos how small a place he had to lower himself.He could have fallen in

[Mark43]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

I didnt really do anything except sit on the path hoping mum would come back for the little fella.He looked so sad.I just happened to be sat on the ground and was able to help that lovely young man.You can see by the photos how small a place he had to lower himself.He could have fallen in

Don't be silly...........you could have walked away or have been indifferent.........some people would have.

Today you are the forum heroine

[glsammy]

You may not think you did much, but you were there to help, most people would just walk by. Let's hope they survive.
Oh, remember my Egyptian geese chicks? Good news so far, still six..

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Mark43

Don't be silly...........you could have walked away or have been indifferent.........some people would have.

Today you are the forum heroine

Oh stop you are making me blush

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by glsammy

You may not think you did much, but you were there to help, most people would just walk by. Let's hope they survive.
Oh, remember my Egyptian geese chicks? Good news so far, still six..

Oh lovely I am so pleased

[Gill Catton]

yes it's lovely that the duckling is now safe.
shame the waterway wasn't a little more vegetated at the edges.
I read a book written by phillipa Forrester (the tv presenter) about a wildlife documentary that her husband was making oof the river that flowed at the bottom of their garden (lucky them) and she wrote about how she found an abandoned duckling that the mother had left and rescued it and raced upstream to find the mother and reunite the baby. She did this a couple of times beofre she realised that the female regularly was seen without the full compliment of babies one day and back up to speed the next. she also noticed that they tended to stick to the same section of river. Then she noticed a baby come belting out of the riverisde vegetation one day when the family party went past. She came to the conclusion, that this happens quite a bit and the lost baby instinctively goes to hide in the vegetation and the mum comes along later to retrieve any babies! This obviously wouldn't have worked for your baby as although it would've dried off fairly quickly, it clearly had nowhere to hide a gull or a heron would probably have taken it. Well done!

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

yes it's lovely that the duckling is now safe.
shame the waterway wasn't a little more vegetated at the edges.
I read a book written by phillipa Forrester (the tv presenter) about a wildlife documentary that her husband was making oof the river that flowed at the bottom of their garden (lucky them) and she wrote about how she found an abandoned duckling that the mother had left and rescued it and raced upstream to find the mother and reunite the baby. She did this a couple of times beofre she realised that the female regularly was seen without the full compliment of babies one day and back up to speed the next. she also noticed that they tended to stick to the same section of river. Then she noticed a baby come belting out of the riverisde vegetation one day when the family party went past. She came to the conclusion, that this happens quite a bit and the lost baby instinctively goes to hide in the vegetation and the mum comes along later to retrieve any babies! This obviously wouldn't have worked for your baby as although it would've dried off fairly quickly, it clearly had nowhere to hide a gull or a heron would probably have taken it. Well done!

There was a lot of vegetation where they were but mum was being chased by 4 amorous males.Where I first saw them it was a wide stream coming of the canal and at one part there was a little island in the middle full of trees weeds bushes etc.But mum took off with 3 of her little ones but the fourth could not seem to keep up.When it went under the bridge toward the canal I went to the other side to watch it struggle along but mum was long gone i could see her in the distance still quacking aggressively at the males.When i saw where the chick had rested with its little body shaking I just stayed there in the hope mum would come back.There were a few of us concerned but other people would look for a while and move away.I dint really know what I could have done if that young man had not come along.All I know is I was reluctant to leave it