Stranded Below The Concrete Edge
A white mother duck paddled in circles through the dark puddle at the bottom of a deep concrete culvert, her four tiny yellow ducklings trailing close behind her tail feathers.
The steep, sheer walls rose several feet above the water line, far too high for the ducklings to leap or flutter their tiny wings over.
From the grassy shoulder beside the road, a woman knelt on the curb, leaning forward with outstretched hands to see if she could reach down to scoop them up.
Her fingertips brushed empty air, several feet short of the murky surface where the small flock drifted back and forth.
Every time the mother duck nudged her bill against the slimy concrete side, the ducklings tried to follow, only to slide backward into the brown water.
Climbing Down Into The Channel
The woman leaned back on her heels and pulled off her white sneakers, setting them neatly on the dry grass above.
Keeping her white socks on, she swung her legs over the hard edge and braced her palms against both sides of the narrow trench.
She lowered her weight slowly until her sock-covered feet sank into the cold, murky runoff covering the bottom of the trench.
Balancing her steps along the slick concrete base, she moved forward quietly, keeping her body low so the birds would not scatter in fear.
The mother duck stopped paddling and held her ground, watching the woman approach while keeping the babies sheltered close behind her webbed feet.
Lifting The Family To Safety
The woman crouched down in the water and slid both open hands gently beneath the mother duck’s belly, supporting her wings against her sides.
The duck remained calm, resting quietly in the woman’s grip as she lifted the heavy bird upward and placed her down gently onto the green grass above.
The mother duck immediately stood near the lip of the concrete, softly calling down toward the remaining hatchlings.
Next, the woman reached down and cupped two of the fuzzy yellow ducklings in her hands, lifting their dripping bodies up over the ledge.
She reached back down for the remaining two babies, scooping them from the water and setting them safely beside their waiting mother on the lawn.
An Unexpected Bond On The Grass
With the channel empty, the woman placed her hands on the upper ledge and hoisted herself up onto the grassy bank.
She grabbed her shoes and sat cross-legged in the grass to catch her breath, but the duck family did not wander away.
Instead, the mother duck waddled directly over to her crossed legs, with all four ducklings tucking themselves tightly against the woman’s damp white socks.
The woman smiled, resting her palm gently on the mother duck’s smooth white neck and stroking her back as the ducklings nudged against her ankles.
A man walking nearby stepped forward and handed her a cold bottle of water, watching with a grin as the woman stood up and strolled across the open grass, the entire duck family marching in single file right at her heels.
Know someone who loves animals more than anything? Send them this sweet rescue.
