Ducks crossing and falling from the skies
Ducks ahoy! This new duck crossing appeared at Woodlands recently.
It is the brainchild of Woodland’s Cafe’s Annemarie Fielding who says reaction to the initiative has been great.
“People love it. When they see it they laugh but it makes them slow down which is the idea.”
The Café’s assistant manager decided to put the crossing in after two ducks were run over recently.
“Unfortunately people have tended do go too fast on the road coming in to Woodlands. And the ducks like to sit on the tarmac where it’s warm.”
Annemarie is working on additional signage, the duck images have been sketched by her brother Steven Hawthorne and will be cut out and installed by the crossing soon.
She is a fan of her small flock of Pekin ducks (and wild mallards as well) and feeds the birds every day.
“They know my voice and come running.”
Power to the new duck crossing at Woodlands and to Annemarie.
Speaking of our feathered friends – this little fella honestly dropped out of the sky at Pukemokemoke Reserve last Sunday.
Keen birdwatcher David Riddell was approaching the log hauler site and startled two harriers who were passing food from one to the other up in the sky as part of their courtship just above the tree tops.
The object they were passing was this little guy – he dropped into the grass near David’s feet, peeped once or twice but seemed none the worse for wear.
David bundled him up and took him to the nearby Mangatea stream where there were a couple of ducks – hopefully his parents. This is one lucky plucky duck!
And here are the lucky pekin ducks at Woodlands –
