Today Was Just Ducky! - 24 Jun 2020


I went out to get something for lunch, and decided to swing by the banquet center off Desana Dr. in Wyandotte. I had no sooner parked, taken a bite of food, and started thinking about photographing Barn Swallows flying along the Detroit River, when a woman pulled up next to me, got out of the car and released 4 baby Mallard ducklings in the grass next to the river. She walked over to my window and mentioned that she had just rescued them from the middle of Biddle Avenue near Goddard.


As I watched the ducklings, though, they started following her back to her car. So I jumped out and helped her corral them. The tiny little adorable wanted nothing to do but run to their new momma. I offered to look after them so that she could leave, and she thanked me. I spent the next 15 minutes or so trying to coax them toward the water, but they had now adopted me!


I decided to pick them up and drive back into Wyandotte to see if I could reunite them with their mother. No luck. I then decided to drive down to Dingle Park and release them near the pagoda where Mallards usually hang out. 


My attempt to release them failed. I tossed them under the gated fence toward the shore, but they wanted to come back. I even crawled under the fence to encourage them toward the water where several Mallard pair were swimming. But, they wanted back. Another lady came by and offered to throw some bread to see if the adult ducks would come closer and perhaps adopt these ducklings. Again, no luck.


So, I decided to retrieve them and drive them to Elizabeth Park. After calling the Vet and finding out that they don't take them, I needed to get them where they might be adopted. 




I cannot overstate how absolutely adorable these tiny ducklings were. While driving, they were climbing my arms, legs, hands, lab while "PEEPING" the whole time! They fell between the seat and door, crawled under the brake pedals, tried climbing into the backpack, and generally made the drive better than baby-goat yoga.

I found a small puddle next to the canal just inside the park and they took to it. Two trips to the car were needed to round them up, but they ended up together and soon were being investigated by several pairs of adult Mallard. I quickly left, hoping that they'd take to their 'new' home.

I returned after work and failed to relocate them, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they are ok. With a mix of happiness and sadness, I took off for home.

Wyandotte Boat Launch, Wayne, Michigan, US
Jun 24, 2020 12:00 PM - 12:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
1 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  4     ducklings found on Biddle and released at Elizabeth Park. Adorable photos and story at https://birdingthroughglass.blogspot.com/2020/06/today-was-just-ducky-24-jun-2020.html

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160217729

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

No sooner did I get home and look out the back window that I saw another 14 baby ducklings walking in formation along the back of the yard sans parents! They walked by as a little tight group, and continued on along the hedge row until they disappeared into the brush.

Too darn cute!

Brownton Abbey, 26340 Higgins Way, Wayne, Michigan, US
Jun 24, 2020 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Yard watch
1 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  14     Ducklings walking through yard sans parents.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160217953

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)