David Smith did what he could to help a mother get her row of ducks to the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge on Monday. “I was amazed at the mother duck’s persistence and perseverance to reach the bird refuge,” he says. “Nothing was going to stop her.” By the way, those are not the ducks in the background. 
Duck crossing. 
The new kids in this mother duck’s flock blended right in to the foliage as the family made its way to the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge.
David Smith didn’t expect to take a field trip when he went outside to see what the rustling was all about in his Montecito yard Monday morning.
What he found was a mother duck emerging from some shrubs followed by nine little ducklings.
As the contingent waddled down the driveway toward the street, he thought about trying to herd them to a neighbor’s yard, where there was a pool. But the mother duck had other ideas and headed up the hill toward Hot Springs Road.
At that point, Smith knew he had to go with them. Hot Springs Road is hair-raising for human pedestrians, even with the newly installed walking path, so it wasn’t hard to conjure up a worst-case scenario for the bird and her brood.
Smith, an attorney who frequently works from home, said the mallard mother was unruffled by his presence as he walked along on the street-side of the path. Meanwhile, he did his best to shield his web-footed companions from the traffic while hoping drivers were taking notice as they raced past.
“When you’re a pedestrian, you sure see firsthand how distracted drivers are these days,” he told Noozhawk. “They really don’t seem to be aware of their surroundings.”
The mother duck was a different story, though. He said she acted like she knew exactly where she was going and how to get there. Every so often, she’d stop and gather her charges around her for a rest break. After a bit, they’d set out again.
The procession continued down the road, with Smith assuming crossing-guard duties at both driveways of the bustling Montecito Country Mart and then at the roundabout at Coast Village Road.
That’s where they ran into some trouble, he said. As he warily watched motorists slow to let the jaywalkers cross, the mother duck took a route across the roundabout that involved hopping up a tall curb.
She had no problem, nor did the first six ducklings in the pecking order. The three bringing up the rear were not as strong, however, and it took them some time to make the climb.
Right about that moment, Smith said, a friend rolled through the intersection and stopped to ask if he needed help. He told him to stay in the way while the ducklings finished crossing.
(David Smith / Noozhawk video)
From there, it was a relatively uneventful trip shepherding the family down the hill, underneath the Highway 101 overcrossing and the narrow Union Pacific railroad bridge, where Smith said drivers immediately stopped and volunteered their assistance. He said several bystanders ran up to direct traffic.
The mother duck led her flock across East Cabrillo Boulevard and down the bike path to the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, where the youngsters had to swim their way through ice plant to get to the reeds and thick vegetation surrounding the water. That’s where Smith lost them.
In all, he said, the trek was less than a mile and took them just under an hour. In addition to avoiding vehicles, the birds of a feather had to steer clear of a few other perils, like storm drains.
However harrowing his part of the walk was, Smith had time to take a few videos of the journey and to reflect on some larger life lessons from the serendipitous opportunity.
Smith’s dad, Sam, was a highly decorated Marine Corps major and aviator in World War II and the Korean War. He died seven years ago almost to the day, at age 91.
“My parents instilled in me a love of nature,” he said. “I was amazed at the mother duck’s persistence and perseverance to reach the bird refuge. Nothing was going to stop her.
“With the anniversary of my father’s passing on June 15, it was instinctual. I knew it was something my dad would have done. I am just happy that with the help of many bystanders and respectful drivers it all came to a happy ending.”
(David Smith / Noozhawk video)
This time of year, it’s not unusual to encounter ducks and their ducklings on the go, but it’s not always possible for an impromptu walkabout to help them.
Generally, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network suggests that good Samaritans monitor the family of ducks at a safe distance. If at any time they believe the ducks may be in danger, or have questions about how to help, they should call the SBWCN Helpline at 805.681.1080.
“It is always so wonderful to see members of our community go out of their way to show compassion and concern for wildlife,” said Ariana Katovich, SBWCN’s executive director.
Here are a few easy ways to help out ducklings:
» If you find a family group in your pool, create a ramp or step to help the ducklings get out.
» If you find a family group in your backyard, open any gates or other barriers to allow them an easy exit.
» Don’t feed ducks bread; it isn’t part of their normal diet and can actually make them sick.
» If you see ducklings without their mother, observe them from a safe distance for a period of time. The mother may still be in the area and might return. Call SBWCN at 805.681.1080 if you believe they may be orphaned.
— Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen can be reached at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
(David Smith / Noozhawk video)
