I'm the Lucky Duck...

This Sunday started out like any other awesome one. Got to sleep in and wake up when I was fully rested. I decided was going to run to Starbucks so we could have coffee with our breakfast. 

You know how sometimes you take a different route than you expected? Yeah, well I did that. I took a turn at the light and decided to get to the Starbucks via the Lowe's Home Improvement Parking Lot versus the shortcut I was originally planning. 

Thank goodness, I chose a different path. I saw a duck right next to a grate. "Oh, no," I thought. I decided to get the two coffees and decided if she was there when I was done, I was going to check it out. 

Still in my nightgown and no bra (I know, but I wasn't going to be getting out the car so I figured I was safe.) I stopped my car in the loading zone and walked to where she was. I looked down and lo and behold- there were her babies, all huddled together for safety. 

I decided I wasn't going to let this go. I wasn't going to let someone else handle it. What if no one does? Then they'll likely die and I'll feel crappy for not taking it upon myself to get the job done. 

So I started off and called all of the following: 

-Sheriff's Office, who told me to call: 
-Fish and Wildlife, who told me to call: (heart is sinking lower) 
 (I also called Lowe's: the manager who answered said she wasn't able to help me and there's nothing anyone could do) Wow, just mind-numbingly apathetic.  
-Animal Clinic, who wasn't open and had a number for: (heart is on the ground)
-Another Animal Clinic, who gave me a number for: (heart starts rising a little bit)
-Hillsborough County Animal Services (Then got a call from D wondering why I'm not back with any coffee.)

A-ha! Finally. I stayed on the emergency line and hoped that it was an emergency to them, too. It was. They dispatched Officer Adams. 

I was home by this time and he called me directly and said he was on the way. I scarfed down the rest of my breakfast and got dressed like a normal person should be to meet him there. 

I arrived at the parking lot before him and there was no sign of Momma Duck anywhere. Her babies were still in the drain. Shit.

I walk around and there are ducks flying over head in the direction of the retention pond and there are too many ducks for me to tell if the one I saw this morning is the one. I do see another Momma Duck and spot one duck staying close to her. It almost looked as though she were inspecting the ducklings. Hmmm. 

So I walk back to my car and wait for Officer Adams. He shows up and was able to see the ducklings himself. He told me he doesn't have the necessary equipment BUT Fire Rescue can and will get them out. Sweet!

He gives me a number and tells me to call (and he'll call, too) and when I call I'm told that Fire Rescue won't come out. What?! Thankfully Officer Adams was still in the parking lot and I walk over and tell him what they said. He told me he called and Fire Rescue is on the way. Thank you!

Officer Adams tells me to wait there since I'm the one who's made all the calls and gotten the ball rolling. I do and when I see the Fire Rescue squad show up, I see a Lowe's employee stop the truck, talk to them and pointing to the drainage grate. Grrr. I go over to the only female in the truck and say, I'm the reason for all of the trouble. They park and when they get out to look she said she can't see them. I told her they're right under the pipe and the Animal Services Officer was able to see them. 

The grate was lifted and the lady climbed down. Lowe's was generous enough to supply a box, free of charge thankfully. (sorry, for my sarcasm considering how I was treated by the STORE MANAGER.) While the ducklings were brought up and placed in the box, two things happened: One, a Lowe's employee came right up and told Fire Rescue she's the one that called them (BIG, FAT LIAR) and took a picture of the ducklings in the box like it was a carnival and two: I call Officer Adams. Poor guy, he's had enough of me, I'm sure. I tell him that I'll take them where ever they need to go but I need help in where. He called me back and told me Blue Pearl Animal Clinic is known for rehabilitating animals, or at least knowing who will, etc. 

By now all of the ducklings are safe and in the box and I tell the Fire Rescue Lady that I'll take care of them. Her smile was so nice that I couldn't help but be thankful for her to go down there and help them and me. 

The Lowe's employees were saying they saw Momma Duck go off in the opposite direction of the retention pond (I officially have decided at this point that I'm never going to shop at Lowe's again- thank you crappy employees of Lowe's.) I dubiously walk all over the parking lot and the babies are calling out but no dice. I go over to where Officer Adams and I both agree the best place to see if Momma Duck was around: the retention pond. I let the babies call out from their box and I see one showing more interest and but I'm obviously too close for comfort so I back up and Momma Duck (?) flies over the fence and lands too far away. Crows scare her and another duck away (Daddy Duck?) back into the pond. 

Momma Duck and Daddy Duck keep pacing the retention pond and I make a decision that I was super uncomfortable with. I have to let one of the Ducklings out to see if she'll come back and claim it as hers. 

It works! Baby Duck 1 hauls butt down to the waters edge and Momma Duck meets in at the same time as other Ducks come around. Uh-oh. She gets rid of the others by keeping attention off of Baby 1 and is swimming around all crazy (Baby Duck 1 is trying to keep up, so cute!) The others leave and Momma Duck seems super happy but before I can reach in and get the others, she swims off. Baby Duck 1 still close to her side, she goes to eat, etc. 

I decide to let the others out, to see if they'll call to her but no dice. Hmm...so I sit there for another 15 minutes trying to let everything happen on it's own. Nothing's happening so I start trying to get the babies to move. I crackle pine cones, make scuff sounds with my flip flops against the concrete curb and it's working, but slow going. 

All the while, Momma Duck is making her way back around. Whew. And finally they all start running to the waters edge, Momma and all of her Babies are reunited. No rehabilitation services needed. 

I call Officer Adams and thank him for all of his help and efforts. I call my Daddy and start getting all choked up. By the time I call K- I'm crying. Poor thing, K doesn't know if it's good or bad. I finally am able to explain the babies are back with their Mommy. Tears of happiness and relief. 

Thank you Hillsborough County Animal Services Dispatch and Officer Adams for taking me seriously and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue for bringing them out and entrusting them to me. 

A happy ending I'm happy to share. Here are pictures: 

Box full of ducklings. Staying away so they would keep calling out to Mommy and Daddy.

Someone's attention has been captured!

They actually flew to try to get closer but my dumb self was too close for their comfort.

After the one was released, I let the rest go. One was so happy  to get away it tried to go through too small of an opening and I had to pull the baby out and put it through a regular opening in the fence. 

Close for comfort. But they're moving. 

Slowly moving away

Inch by inch, they're moving. 

When I say inch by inch, I mean it. :) But I don't mind. 

Wa-hoo! They're marching. 

Mommy and Daddy making a beeline for their babies. 

I zoomed on this one. Momma and the one baby coming closer. 

Mommy and Daddy with open arms and the babies are hauling butt with their short little legs. 

Almost to the water's edge. 

Reunited. 

After all united again, happily swimming on the other side pond. Close to tears at this part. I was at the whimpering stage at this point. 

After seeing them swimming, I looked down and actually smiled at the bird's messing the box. 

Bawling at this point, I turned and looked back at the temporary, empty nest  and just smiled through the tears. 

Some may wonder why I didn't take a picture before letting them go. I honestly didn't want a picture of the nice people of Hillsborough County doing their job nor of the scared littles in a box- this wasn't a carnival or a freak show. I'm a firm believer that a a wild animal belongs just there: in the wild. I don't enjoy taking pictures of animals in captivity. Some may argue that I take pictures of my cats- who are domesticated pets, I might add. Okay, okay- so I compartmentalize. Whip me with a wet noodle. I'm still against it. 

Some may say those ducks were lucky that I kept at all of my efforts. I'd say with an experience like this, I'm the lucky one. Thank you, God, for putting me in the right spot at the right time. I'm so grateful for an experience like this. 

Hugs, 

A.