So my day started off far more eventfully then I planned. As is the usual case with wildlife, it only gets into trouble when you are rushing off to somewhere. Mom and I were driving to work when I spotted a mother mallard and 3 tiny ducklings sitting on a storm grate on the side of the road by the BP right off of North Court. Knowing that tiny animals and storm grates don't mix, I made Mom stop the car and ran over to them, stooping to scoop the three little ones out of harm's way. I was so intent on catching them before they fell in the holes, that I forgot there was a protective mother there as well. She hit me like a brick in the face, beating me with her wings and knocking my glasses into the road. I stopped for a moment, stunned that I had just been cold cocked by a duck and finished saving the three peepers. It took me a moment to find my glasses, fearing they had fallen in the sewer or would be run over by a car. I then realized that there was more peeping coming from the sewer grate... Damnit! By then Mom had parked the car and we heaved the heavy cover out of the way. I lay flat in the road and reached down into the dark chasm. There had to be at least 15 day old ducklings in there! Fearing they would run from me down the pipe and away from any chance of survival, I started grabbing them, and for lack of a better word, flinging them gently towards their mother. All the while my very protective mother was running around in the street trying to keep cars from running me over and steering the panicked ducklings towards their mallard momma. A cop pulled up just as I was trying to get the last one and amusedly made sure we were alright. I am very glad he didn't ticket us for opening the sewer grate. He drove off smirking, on his way to tell his buddies about the crazy people, I'm sure. I managed to get all but one peeping young one out. Tragically he ran down the drain pipe and would not come back. His tiny peeps are still painful to think about... But my main worry was his mom coming back to his calls and all the babies falling back in but luckily she high tailed it away from the scene with her group of at least 17 in tow. And so begins the season of duck and goose-ling adventures yet again. I just wish I had a video because I am sure I looked pretty funny getting attacked by a duck, laying in the road, and flinging tiny ducklings out of a hole... I went to work with a very dirty uniform and a swollen nose. *smirk*
On that note, I really wish people would construct things to be a little more wildlife friendly...
Huggles!
~me