- Joined
- Dec 12, 2009
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- 2,817
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- Location
- St. Charles County, Missouri
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- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
- #1
Thread Owner
As I began working my first post yesterday with a couple of female co-workers, I spotted one of our resident Mallard ducks taking her freshly hatched brood out for their morning stroll. The eleven chicks couldn't have been more than a couple days old.
All three of us were 'oohing' and 'awwing' at the sheer cuteness of it all. It was then that mama mallard decided to stroll past the storm water drain at the curb just outside of our work area. Being naturally inquisitive of this great big world they'd just entered, they decided to take a look inside the drain opening.
At that moment ten of them tumbled inside of the opening. The three of us just stared at each other wondering if our eyes were playing tricks on us. All of us were upset and near tears. Life is indeed cruel but we couldn't just sit idly by and allow ten mallard chicks to die inside of their concrete hell.
Mama and her lone survivor dutifully stood by the opening of the drain and would not leave them even for a moment. She peered inside several times and quacked as if to reassure her babies that everything would be alright. We could hear the responses from the imprisoned chicks so we knew that at least some of them had survived the fall.
All three of us were apprehensive about reporting the incident to a supervisor as he is very unpredictable in matters such as these. We half expected to hear a 'Oh well, that's life' reply but I had to take a chance anyway. Besides, the mama and her remaining chick were very close to our exit lane which could have caused an accident or gotten them killed.
I immediately called the supervisor to report the incident but I stressed the potential traffic issue rather than the ducks in the hole needing rescued. That way I KNEW he would spring into action and sure enough he did. Luckily another supervisor had just rolled up so I flagged him down as well. He's a fire marshall in one of our neighboring towns and is always in 'rescue mode'. Fifteen minutes later, three supervisors were out there; two of them trying to round up mama and and her lone (apparently smarter) offspring as the other lowered himself through the removed manhole cover to retrieve the wayward chicks from the hole.
I was finally able to relax when it was announced over the two-way that ALL the chicks had survived and the reunited family was relocated to the company lake.
I regret not using my cell phone to capture the event on video. I had plenty of time to start rolling and I still ask myself why I didn't record the poor chicks tumbling into the hole. It would have gone viral in an instant. Of course the rescue would have been captured on video too.
I'm just glad we were able to help.
All three of us were 'oohing' and 'awwing' at the sheer cuteness of it all. It was then that mama mallard decided to stroll past the storm water drain at the curb just outside of our work area. Being naturally inquisitive of this great big world they'd just entered, they decided to take a look inside the drain opening.
At that moment ten of them tumbled inside of the opening. The three of us just stared at each other wondering if our eyes were playing tricks on us. All of us were upset and near tears. Life is indeed cruel but we couldn't just sit idly by and allow ten mallard chicks to die inside of their concrete hell.
Mama and her lone survivor dutifully stood by the opening of the drain and would not leave them even for a moment. She peered inside several times and quacked as if to reassure her babies that everything would be alright. We could hear the responses from the imprisoned chicks so we knew that at least some of them had survived the fall.
All three of us were apprehensive about reporting the incident to a supervisor as he is very unpredictable in matters such as these. We half expected to hear a 'Oh well, that's life' reply but I had to take a chance anyway. Besides, the mama and her remaining chick were very close to our exit lane which could have caused an accident or gotten them killed.
I immediately called the supervisor to report the incident but I stressed the potential traffic issue rather than the ducks in the hole needing rescued. That way I KNEW he would spring into action and sure enough he did. Luckily another supervisor had just rolled up so I flagged him down as well. He's a fire marshall in one of our neighboring towns and is always in 'rescue mode'. Fifteen minutes later, three supervisors were out there; two of them trying to round up mama and and her lone (apparently smarter) offspring as the other lowered himself through the removed manhole cover to retrieve the wayward chicks from the hole.
I was finally able to relax when it was announced over the two-way that ALL the chicks had survived and the reunited family was relocated to the company lake.
I regret not using my cell phone to capture the event on video. I had plenty of time to start rolling and I still ask myself why I didn't record the poor chicks tumbling into the hole. It would have gone viral in an instant. Of course the rescue would have been captured on video too.
I'm just glad we were able to help.
once I saw traffic stopped for a Canada goose & her goslings crossing the hwy.
)
