good [duck]deed for the day

trouble · #1 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 09:07 PM

a stray duck [looked like a cormant with webbed feet?] found on my front lawn , left him [her?] overnight, still there today, caught him in a towel and carried it about 400 metres to our local [swan] lake, where duck was deposited and he took to the water happily-better than becoming a meal for my foxy visitor!! Hope I did right.

loripo · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 09:24 PM

If he/she swam off happily then I think it was a good deed

Jason Green · #3 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 11:30 PM

Morning (no) Trouble!

Quote:

Originally Posted by trouble

a stray duck [looked like a cormant with webbed feet?] found on my front lawn , left him [her?] overnight, still there today, caught him in a towel and carried it about 400 metres to our local [swan] lake, where duck was deposited and he took to the water happily-better than becoming a meal for my foxy visitor!! Hope I did right.

You certainly did! It sounds like it was exhausted and needed the helping hand to get it there. Did you take a photo? Cormorants are fairly distinctive birds, so there can't be too many look-alikes. There's the chance it could also hae been the less-seen inland Shag, and differenciating between these two is down to the shape/colour of the face.

Where in the UK was this?

Take care,

Jason

Ukwildlifeo · #4 (**permalink**) 13-01-2010, 12:26 AM

I think Jason maybe right, I believe cormorants have webbed feet, as to SHags for that matter - perhaps one of these? If your inland it would be more likely to be cormorant.

sunnydale · #5 (**permalink**) 13-01-2010, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trouble

a stray duck [looked like a cormant with webbed feet?] found on my front lawn , left him [her?] overnight, still there today, caught him in a towel and carried it about 400 metres to our local [swan] lake, where duck was deposited and he took to the water happily-better than becoming a meal for my foxy visitor!! Hope I did right.

Definitely your 'good deed for the day'!

Jonners · #6 (**permalink**) 13-01-2010, 09:45 AM

We spotted a Mallard settling down to sleep in the road at Tescos. Rather than leave hime by the side to get squashed by some unsuspecting motorist, I scooped him up and popped him back down on the river, where he had a drink, wagged his tail and (hopefully) quacked a few thank yous. I too hope I did the right thing, as I was surprised that I could catch him.

Gill Catton · #7 (**permalink**) 13-01-2010, 09:46 AM

So many hungry and exhausted I think

trouble · #8 (**permalink**) 13-01-2010, 08:15 PM

Yes, I certainly was surprised to have so easily caught the little duck [cormarant?] I wish I had taken a photograph, but, am very new to this, so, I shall have to quickly step up the pace, to improve my wildlife watching.
I think the truth is, these birds are truly hungry and exhausted and we do well to help in the most inobtrusive way we can.