It was weather that only a duck–or a brace of them–could love. And Helen M. from Montclair was a witness:
We had a Robert McCloskey moment this morning on Valley Road. I was sitting in my car in the CVS parking lot when I saw a mother duck and about 15 ducklings waddle up the driveway beside the bank and cross the street.
Cars stopped and drivers stared out from their windows. A couple of pedestrians stopped and helped shepherd the ducks into a corner to keep them safe from traffic. Merchants from Illusions hair salon brought a box and technicians from Katz and Dogs Animal Hospital helped herd them into a carrier. The mama duck was the real problem as she really didn’t want to go into the box, even though a young girl on her way to school offered some bread crumbs from her lunch box!
Finally, the ducklings made it into the carrier and the mama was in the box. We carried them back across the street and behind Charlie Brown’s, over the railroad tracks (don’t try this at home, kids), and let them go.
They waddled quickly into the brook and swam away. Isn’t spring – and Montclair – wonderful? So many people stopped and helped. Thanks especially to Mary Jane from Iggy’s Place, who took charge and knew where to go.
My favorite book as a child and one I now read to my 4 children. Love this story. Glad to hear they made it Anderson. Good work Martta!!
T’is the season.
There is a very brave mama duck sitting on her eggs in front of RAS. The school has done a great job of blocking the area off.
BTW – love the feel good story.
Hmm duck soup
“Be kind to your web-footed friends…For a duck may be somebody’s mother.”
Bloomfield Center has a Mama Duck nest every year. I don’t want to disclose the location only because we don’t want to disturb her. This is year 4 in the vicinity, but 2nd year in this very location.
We have counted 9 eggs in the nest; last year they hatched on 5/8, so we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the ducklings.
Animal Control was able to get them safely to water in the past – we hope we can work with them again this year!