Make Way for Ducklings, 2019
May 24, 2019 11:11 AM Subscribe
On May 23rd, Boston Police issued a traffic advisory: Tremont Street was down to one lane. A brood of Boston ducklings had not one but two friendly officers to clear their path, as well as assistance from the Boston Water and Sewer Commission when one duckling fell into a storm drain and needed rescue. Channel 7 had a helicopter on the scene.
My favorite part of this story is the last three photos.
OK, guys, we've brought an entire police detail out to escort the ducks, shut down a major street to accommodate them crossing it, brought in the Water and Sewer Commission truck and a full crew to shovel (!) the duckling out of the storm drain, and safely reunited baby duck with its mom. What do we do now?
Oh, I dunno, we didn't really think that part through. Let's just put the ducks in this printer paper box, and bring 'em to the nearest pond near where all the raptors are nesting ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by Mayor West at 11:25 AM on May 24, 2019 [6 favorites]
OK, guys, we've brought an entire police detail out to escort the ducks, shut down a major street to accommodate them crossing it, brought in the Water and Sewer Commission truck and a full crew to shovel (!) the duckling out of the storm drain, and safely reunited baby duck with its mom. What do we do now?
Oh, I dunno, we didn't really think that part through. Let's just put the ducks in this printer paper box, and bring 'em to the nearest pond near where all the raptors are nesting ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by Mayor West at 11:25 AM on May 24, 2019 [6 favorites]
Make way for ducklings!
posted by vibratory manner of working at 11:59 AM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by vibratory manner of working at 11:59 AM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
I love the pic of the tiny duckling looking up at its rescuer. "Thank you for rescuing me!"
posted by Gray Duck at 12:02 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Gray Duck at 12:02 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh
My
Glob
Look at those ducks
They are soooooooooo cute
posted by Hermione Granger at 12:04 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
My
Glob
Look at those ducks
They are soooooooooo cute
posted by Hermione Granger at 12:04 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
bpdnews.com: The Official Website of the Boston Police Department
posted by supercres at 12:16 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by supercres at 12:16 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh
My
Glob
Look at those ducks
I like small ducks and I cannot lie
You ornithologists can't deny
When a duck waddles in with with a fluffy fluffy waist
And stops traffic all over the place
You get sprung.
posted by Gorgik at 12:19 PM on May 24, 2019 [17 favorites]
My
Glob
Look at those ducks
I like small ducks and I cannot lie
You ornithologists can't deny
When a duck waddles in with with a fluffy fluffy waist
And stops traffic all over the place
You get sprung.
posted by Gorgik at 12:19 PM on May 24, 2019 [17 favorites]
Dinosaurs sure figured out how to be cute.
posted by medusa at 12:25 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by medusa at 12:25 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
not one but two friendly officers
Channel 7 had a helicopter on the scene
How nice that a Slow News Day coincided with a Slow Crime Day.
as well as assistance from the Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Along with a Slow Poop Day, apparently...
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:31 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
Channel 7 had a helicopter on the scene
How nice that a Slow News Day coincided with a Slow Crime Day.
as well as assistance from the Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Along with a Slow Poop Day, apparently...
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:31 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
Every year there's a mallard couple that escorts their brood from the undeveloped land near my housing complex to spend the day in the storm overflow pond in the stripmall parking lot across the street. Once or twice I've seen traffic patiently stopped while the family convoys over four lanes of busy state road on their daily commute, which makes me feel a little better about humanity considering how well I usually see those drivers treat bicyclists and pedestrians.
posted by ardgedee at 1:36 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by ardgedee at 1:36 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
Last week, in Littleton, CO, firefighters confirmed that fire helmets can hold a maximum of 10 ducklings.
posted by asperity at 2:05 PM on May 24, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by asperity at 2:05 PM on May 24, 2019 [5 favorites]
My heart has exploded. I can't stand it.
posted by tangosnail at 2:21 PM on May 24, 2019
posted by tangosnail at 2:21 PM on May 24, 2019
not one but two friendly officers
Channel 7 had a helicopter on the scene
How nice that a Slow News Day coincided with a Slow Crime Day.
as well as assistance from the Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Along with a Slow Poop Day, apparently...
Actually, they were all on-scene because of a water main break in the middle of State Street, including the news helicopter. Amazing that they had any time to spare for the wee duckies. On a genuine "slow day" none of those people would have been around and the duckling would probably not have made it out.
posted by briank at 2:57 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Channel 7 had a helicopter on the scene
How nice that a Slow News Day coincided with a Slow Crime Day.
as well as assistance from the Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Along with a Slow Poop Day, apparently...
Actually, they were all on-scene because of a water main break in the middle of State Street, including the news helicopter. Amazing that they had any time to spare for the wee duckies. On a genuine "slow day" none of those people would have been around and the duckling would probably not have made it out.
posted by briank at 2:57 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
I stand corrected. Thanks. Still, not exactly a slow news day.
posted by briank at 3:28 PM on May 24, 2019
posted by briank at 3:28 PM on May 24, 2019
which makes me feel a little better about humanity considering how well I usually see those drivers treat bicyclists and pedestrian
Ardgedee, same in my neighbourhood. We have lots of ducks (it was actually the main selling point for buying here) and everyone is super gracious to them. I've been honked at crossing my road but ducks? Everyone stops.
If I'm really lucky they stop for a walk around my garden on the trip up my road.
I love the photo of the smiling cop holding a duckling. Bet his mom saves a copy.
posted by kitten magic at 4:44 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Ardgedee, same in my neighbourhood. We have lots of ducks (it was actually the main selling point for buying here) and everyone is super gracious to them. I've been honked at crossing my road but ducks? Everyone stops.
If I'm really lucky they stop for a walk around my garden on the trip up my road.
I love the photo of the smiling cop holding a duckling. Bet his mom saves a copy.
posted by kitten magic at 4:44 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
I just love how local news is the same everywhere, even large coastal cities.
posted by phenylphenol at 6:32 PM on May 24, 2019
posted by phenylphenol at 6:32 PM on May 24, 2019
Meanwhile, today, the Orange Line was delayed by what one train driver referred to as a distraught swan.
posted by adamg at 7:08 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by adamg at 7:08 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
It’s been 8 hours. Have we gotten to the point in the thread where it’s ok and no longer hijacking the “awws” to point out that uncritical, straight-from-the-cops “Officer Friendly” stories feel a little anachronistic?
posted by supercres at 7:21 PM on May 24, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by supercres at 7:21 PM on May 24, 2019 [2 favorites]
Yeah, yeah, but cut Boston a break, because this particular sort of "Make Way for Ducklings" thing is really part of Boston culture. We've got a statue of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings in one of our main parks and every Mother's Day, parents and little kids parade around the park, with most of the kids dressed as incredibly cute little ducklings, but a fair number also dressed as Officer Mike (the parade used to be even better - it would follow the book's route up and down Beacon Hill, but they stopped that a few years ago).
posted by adamg at 7:32 PM on May 24, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by adamg at 7:32 PM on May 24, 2019 [8 favorites]
@supercres! You've won my bet for me!
posted by Hypatia at 9:16 PM on May 24, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by Hypatia at 9:16 PM on May 24, 2019 [7 favorites]
The last time I was in Boston I was walking from the MFA stop down to the Gardner when I saw a straight-up Make Way line crossing the Fenway there while traffic waited for them. Unfortunately I couldn't get the phone out in time to capture anything but the end of the procession.
posted by praemunire at 8:18 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by praemunire at 8:18 PM on May 25, 2019
Oh hey more ducklings: "Storm drains seem to be duckling kryptonite."
posted by asperity at 7:44 AM on June 17, 2019
posted by asperity at 7:44 AM on June 17, 2019
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posted by queensissy at 11:21 AM on May 24, 2019 [5 favorites]