Quackers: The baby mallard forgets to duck and is trampled by his unaware mother as they approach the water's edge









Get out from under my feet! The moment duckling is trampled by mother as it takes to water for the first time
15th June 2009

Like most mothers, this duck is probably getting tired of telling her brood not to get under her feet. But at least one of them hasn’t been listening.

The duckling was soundly stepped on when its busy mother shepherded the youngsters out of the way of an approaching swan.

The duckling sprang back up, fluffing up its feathers indignantly before trailing after its siblings by the River Avon in Christchurch, Dorset.

Water off a duck's back: The mother duck notices she has trodden on one of her brood and checks to make sure he is unhurt

‘I couldn’t believe my eyes,’ said an onlooker. ‘She just trod straight on top of the little duckling. I thought she must have killed it, because it’s only a tiny frail thing. But it bounced straight back up again and shook itself down.

‘The mother had a look to see if it was OK and waddled on her way.’





Article: HERE