Family of ducks march through shop to reach river

A duck brought a busy street to a standstill as she proudly marched through a shop with her 11 ducklings to give them their first swimming lesson in a river.

By Murray Wardrop
Last Updated: 10:37AM BST 29 Apr 2009

The fluffy new family had to be escorted to safety by shop staff after the ducklings hatched on a wall in the backyard of the Kidney Research UK charity store in St Ives, Cambs.

Their journey involved a 100-yard waddle through the store, across pavements and over a busy road to the River Great Ouse quayside, where they plopped three feet down into the water.

Dozens of shoppers stopped and watched in amazement as the mallard and her ducklings ignored the bustle on the street and set off for a dip.

Shop manager Carol Andrews has been chaperoning ducks through the store each Spring since it opened seven years ago.

Every year Mrs Andrews makes a ramp so the mother duck and her brood can get out of the yard and into the storeroom.

She then helps them make their first journey to the river, guiding them through traffic and pedestrians.

She believes it is the same mother duck who returns to have her ducklings in the safety of the enclosed back yard.

Mrs Andrews said: "The mother builds her nest on top of an ivy-covered 8ft wall in the back yard and when the ducklings hatch she pushes them out of the nest onto a picnic bench, then they have to jump 4ft onto the ground.

"I didn't know if they would come again this year, but I was outside in the yard about a month ago and saw the mother flying into her nest.

"It's very sweet as they waddle through. Lots of people come to watch.

"They are on their own now, I can't do any more for them, but I will go down to the river every day to make sure they are all right."

The RSPB said it was unusual for ducks to nest in such a way but commended the shop's staff for accommodating the mallard's curious choice.

A spokesman said: "Ducks tend to nest on the ground, so it's quite unusual for one to nest on top of a high wall but it does happen.

"We have records of ducks nesting on balconies, especially if there is a lot of pressure for space.

"If this duck knows it is has been safe on the wall in the yard in the past then she will go back."

Shopper David O'Doherty, 28, a hair dresser from Cambridge, said: "They are the cutest things I've ever seen. They seem very well mannered and weren't at all flustered by all the attention.

"They've chosen the right shop too given the credit crunch."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5239052/Family-of-ducks-march-through-shop-to-reach-river.html