Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Traumatized

With all the crazy things going on in my life lately - I try to keep positive - but it is hard sometimes.

Last night my husband and I took our two dogs on a walk around the neighborhood before the rain blew in. It was warm and pleasant outside and we walked our usual route - out to one of the man-made ponds in our complex.

The recent rains had greatly raised the water level and I think the run off from nearby chemically treated lawns and fields have been seeping in toxins because there was a lot of dead fish all along the edges of the pond.

As we were looking at the sad sight of so much dead fish in an obviously contaminated pond - we noticed a little duckling swimming all alone along the edge of the shoreline. Glancing around you saw only Canadian geese and a couple of mallards. No family of mama ducks or additional ducklings anywhere.

Being the concerned animal lover that I am - lol- I thought of I would try and catch the little duck - buy some duck food at the local feed store and then take him to my grandfather's farm or the stream near my grandmother's house.

As I walked towards the little guy, he, of course, began swimming away from me - as he quickly swam cross the dip at the corner of the pond - he faltered. It looked like his tripped on something.

He quickly disappeared from the water and I though - ok, he is so scared he is diving away - well, except HE NEVER CAME BACK UP!

So I am pretty sure something ate the baby duckling. :( OMG! Is there really something big enough in our little local pond to eat a baby duck?!

All I have to say is that I am no longer going to let my little Lola drink from the edge of the pond - no way!

Jeez - so much for our lovely evening walk restoring my spirit!

I just kinda stood there - shocked. My hubby was standing behind me with the dogs - and he kinda uttered a little sound after a few minutes and said, "Um, Stacy, I don't think he is coming back up."

And I was like, "No...no.....he will come up...lets wait a little longer...."

But no...he never came back up.

Geez now I feel terrible - I am pretty sure he never would have gotten eaten if I wouldn't have walked out towards him. Sigh.

And this morning - I researched what could be big enough to eat a duckling - I guess, for one...bass larger than 1 lb eat small ducks. Ok...well, I see people fishing in our ponds all the time- I bet they are stocked with bass. :( Or it was a snapping turtle - scary!

Image from Ducks & Other Waterfowl

5 comments:

a/k/a Nadine said...

How unfortunate for you and the duckling. I'm sure knowing that's just a part of life doesn't make it feel any less sad.

Candid Carrie said...

I kept waiting for the duck to come up. I can't believe your husband wouldn't go in to check on the situation. I want the happy ending. I need the happy ending. Dredge the pond, he could be in an air pocket underneat something waiting.

Momma Val said...

Awwww! Poor little duck. Well at least nature ran it's course rather than him getting sick and dying a miserable death from all the toxins. Is there possibly a storm drain sewer in the area where he went down. Maybe there was suction that pulled him down?

Stacy said...

Carrie - lets just assume what Momma Val mentioned - it DID happen right near a big pipe thing - so maybe the current pulled him under and he just popped up at the other pond. Yup - that's what happened! No awful ending - I need the happy ending too - especially this week!

Candid Carrie said...

I feel better now. It would make a great way to describe "after life" ...

Mommy, why did my gerbil have to die?

Sweetie, he didn't die, he's just living on the otherside of the pipe with Grandpa.