Nesting duck on O-R property moved
A female mallard nesting with 13 eggs in a landscaped area next to the Observer-Publishing Co. parking lot on East Wheeling Street is transported by Richard Joyce, a Washington County Wildlife Conservation Officer, Tuesday. The duck was taken to a local sportsman club where its ducklings will be safe.
A duck laid 13 eggs in a nest next to the Observer Publishing Company parking lot on East Wheeling Street.
A female mallard that picked the wrong nesting spot, laying 13 eggs near the parking lot of the Observer-Reporter building in downtown Washington, was moved Tuesday by state Game Commission officials to an undisclosed location on a nearby sportsmen’s club property.
“I assume this girl is a first-nester because this is a horrible location,” said Wildlife Conservation Officer Richard Joyce.
The concern, Joyce said, was the mallard’s ducklings would fall through sewer grates and get picked off by predators on their way to a body of water after hatching.
“Catfish Creek is a few blocks away. They would never make it down there if they tried,” Joyce said.
The duck was first spotted March 15 by an Observer-Reporter employee as it waddled along the paved lot.
“It must have rained too much last night. I spotted this employee in the lot this morning who appears to be growing webs between the toes!” said a captioned Facebook photo from O-R Chief Financial Officer David Lyle.
Landscapers then set up a short-term nesting area in a flower bed where the duck bedded down and laid the baker’s dozen of greyish-blue eggs. Joyce said he would set up a new, secret nesting location and place the eggs there so they have a better chance of survival. The duck and her eggs were transported separately, Joyce said, for fear the mother-to-be would become stressed and break the eggs in transit.
The stress apparently got to her during the rescue, as instincts kicked in and the rookie took a last bathroom break before being prepped for transport.
A female mallard was spotted near the nest Tuesday evening but left after about 30 minutes.