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Liphook family re-homed - Heather (19th Apr 2007 - 00:06:29) If any of you have recently seen the family of tiny ducklings on the pond at Chiltley Manor but wondered where they have now gone, you might like to hear a nice (true) story with a happy ending...... For reasons we will never know, the mother had presumably decided Chiltey Manor Pond was not quite to her liking and decided to relocate her large family to another home. I would be interested to know if anyone else spotted the family on Wednesday 18th April on their epic journey? It would be interesting to confirm (or otherwise) my guess that they had made their way over Haslemere Road to the library carpark, through the Little Rec and into the Recreation Ground and then through the back gardens of London Road residents. They definitely appeared to be heading in the direction of Radford Park. I am not sure if they were just lucky to have had no encounters with cats or dogs en route, but one way or another, the mother duck and about 12 tiny ducklings (they would never stay still enough to do a definitive count!) arrived in a neighbour's garden this afternoon. They had reached a point almost opposite Tower Road where, due to fences and a sharp rise in the ground, they could not go any further through gardens or undergrowth and the mother duck appeared confused and unsure what to do next. In fact her only option would be to take her family out onto the pavement and walk along London Road to the Radford Park entrance, but with people walking dogs along that stretch and the fast traffic, it must have been a frightening prosect for her. Eventually a group of 5 neighbours managed to gently persuade the duckings into a large carboard box, but understandably there was no way the mother was going to let us do the same to her. It probably appeared a little surreal, but we walked along the road with the box of ducklings quacking and calling, and mother walking along the grass verge beside us, keeping a close eye on the box. There was a nasty moment when she stepped into the road, but fortunately the bemused driver in the approaching car slowed down, and we encouraged the mother back onto the hedge side of the path. About half way to the park entrance, the mother seemed to sense we were trying to help her or perhaps she just got tired of walking and she took off and flew overhead circling around as if to tell us to hurry. We let the ducklings out by the river and the mother flew down and led them all into the water. It was a very satisfying moment as we watched her paddle off happily downstream with all her babies safely following along behind. Ahh! If only all the problems aired on talkback could have such a good ending!

Re: Liphook family re-homed - S (19th Apr 2007 - 08:26:17) How great is that? :-) That's really made my day, what a wonderful story.

Re: Liphook family re-homed - liz (19th Apr 2007 - 10:15:14) Lovely story - thanks!

Re: Liphook family re-homed - Eneida (19th Apr 2007 - 16:20:06) Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....how sweet, but I can't help feeling sorry for Daddy Duck....coming home, after a hard day at the Pond, to find all his family gone!!! :( Eneida

Re: Liphook family re-homed - Jenny (19th Apr 2007 - 16:50:52) That is such a nice story - brought a smile to my face! Thanks for making my day

Re: Liphook family re-homed - Candyfloss (19th Apr 2007 - 18:55:45) It is heart warming, when people put themselves out for the sake of something/someone else. Wonderful story. As for Daddy Duck - he is probably just another statistic for 'absent' fathers!!

Re: Liphook family re-homed - Mike Grimes (20th Apr 2007 - 00:06:29) Or duck filled fatty puss!

Re: Liphook family re-homed - candyfloss (20th Apr 2007 - 23:00:52) Mike Did you get that from a xmas cracker!! LOL

Re: Liphook family re-homed - Lizbo (25th Apr 2007 - 10:23:08) Maybe not the same little ones, but having had to wait for the infuriating lights by Bibi Annas to change, I had to stop to let 2 cute baby ducks cross the road heading in the direction of the Midhurst Road car park.

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