# Almost Dead Duckling



## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

My wife, daughter and grandson were watching a hen and her ducklings on the neighbors lake when a large bass took one of the ducklings down. My family was horrified! The hen went crazy over the spot of the strike, beating the water with her wings and making a real racket. In about 5 seconds the duckling surfaced, only it's head and neck above the surface but heading for shore very fast. The poor little bugger ran out onto the grass where I caught it and examined it for injuries. Other than being covered with slime and soaked, which explains why it swam partially submerged, it appeared unhurt. I gently dried it off, and returned it to the hen and the other ducklings. They swan off and were gone completely in the afternoon. My family was happy to see the end results, but didn't realize what they actually saw was mother natures creatures life and death cycle.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

Years ago I saw the same thing happen at Mogadore with a different ending. I did not see what took the duckling and at that time there were Musky in Mogadore. There was a big swirl and the duckling was gone.


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## fishinchick (Apr 5, 2004)

How sad!  I'm glad you were able to save it though! Congrats to you for that!!!

We had an incident happen here at my house today.  A baby robin was in the window well and could get out, so i helped it out with a flat window screen I was getting ready to wash. Anyway, it jumped out, and proceeded to go right over and fall into the next window well.  Not exactly a smart little one I guess. Anyway, I used the same screen to help it out of that one, and it took off hobbling across the yard, and towards a group of robins. Being proud of myself in my animal rescue techniques, I went ahead washing the screens and lawn chairs with the hose. I heard some "bird commotion", and when I looked over next, guess what I saw!  A huge dove jumping and flapping its wings on my little saved baby robin! The mother robin chased the dove away, but the little bird has lost the use of one wing. It's still in our yard sitting there with its little hungry mouth open flopping one of its wings. *sigh* I might as well have just signed his little execution papers; I"m a murderer.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

When mom was alive, we used to sit out on her proch and watch the mother ducks lose a little one almost every day to big flatheads. One duck started out with 18 little ones, and only 3 made it  CATKING


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## Zfish (Apr 5, 2004)

Well I was spraying the weeds this evening and low and behold I see something move. Its a baby bird that just hatched I cant get it back into the nest and Im not sure what to do with it. I just fed it a piece of worm from left over fishing today. Any Ideas I'd like to hear them. I'll take a pic and post shortly. Man its beak is HUGE compared to its body.


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## Fastlane (Apr 11, 2004)

Saw this happen to a Canadian goose one day at a small farm pond only it was a snapping turtle that got it. Went back 3 days later and all the babies were gone.


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## nitro882 (Apr 13, 2004)

shortdrift:
I watched a seagull grab a duckling and fly off to the break wall a cross from sandusky boat ramp ,not a good sight....
Mother nature.....only the strong survive
nitro882


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