A small miracle
Let me say at the outset that this post has nothing to do with food except that the small miracle happened as I was about to prepare my scrambled eggs (it was a fasting day). But I just had to write about this.
As I entered the kitchen I saw, perched high on the branch of a tall dead tree outside the kitchen, a duck, quacking loudly. I should explain that we were aware of the fact that a pair of ducks had very possibly made a nest in this tree. You can just see the big hole, near the very top of the tree. I don't think (but I don't know) that ducks often make their nests high up. Maybe they were trying to avoid the foxes that live hereabouts. And I had often wondered how the babies would get down.
We came out into the garden to look at her - there is something incongruous and gawky about a duck on a tree limb - even though we know, of course, that they can fly. Once again I voiced my fears about the babies getting down, when there was a sickening thump as something fell to the ground. A baby! We rushed over, though not too close as we did not want to scare the duck, fearing the worst - a dead baby duckling on the ground.
But no - mother rushed over, gave it a nudge and up it got and started following her around. Another sickening thump and there was another. I swear they did not fly down - there was no flapping of wings, just a headlong fall to the ground. By the time there were three we thought that was it - and perhaps so did she for she started towards the back fence and the river - but no - in quick succession three more hit the ground - miraculously all alive. But there was still something cheeping up above. A pause and then the last breathless fall - this one, I swear, bounced against a branch on the way down. But suddenly there was the mother duck with seven live babies. A miracle. I still do not understand how they survived that fall. The hole is right by the top branch in the picture.
I had thought to open our back gate, for I remember a year with a mother duck frantically trying to get through the back fence and there being no suitable opening. And it was a good thing that I did for this indeed is where they went. Straight out of the back fence and down to the river. David followed, snapping pictures all the way, but of course they are not that wonderful as he could not get too close and the bush often hid them. But I've cropped them a bit so you may be able to see a little. I think if you click on them you can see a larger view.
And they made it safely to the river. I hope they have found somewhere safe and far from the foxes down there. How wonderful to be there just at that moment. How amazing that they survived that fall. How brave of them to jump! A true miracle.
