Ducks rescued by BW staff at London Docklands
2nd May 2008
Two abandoned ducklings have been rescued from West India Quay by staff at British Waterways Docklands office.
With no mother duck in sight, and nearby females unwilling to 'adopt' them, the baby birds were brought indoors were they were kept warm and watered until they were collected by a representative of the Swan Sanctuary, who have found a home for the ducklings in Colchester.
Staff at the Docklands office, who are more used to dealing with locking 1,000 tonne barges, visiting vessels and naval frigates in and out of the dock system, as well as maintaining the waterspace around Canary Wharf, than rescuing small and fluffy ducklings, turned rescuers as they heard the two ducklings distressed calls.
Ensure we don’t disturb nesting birds
Leela O'Dea, ecologist, British Waterways said: "Spring is definitely in the air, and the next few weeks will see a baby boom on the waterways, with chicks, ducklings and cygnets all making an appearance. British Waterways London will be taking extra care as we work on the water and towpaths to ensure we don’t disturb nesting birds. We also remind boats to watch their speed to avoid wash overpowering the newborns."
British Waterways cares for and manages 100 miles of canals and rivers and 110 acres of docks in London. These inland waterways are a haven for wildlife in the city. The series of docks and quays on the Isle of Dogs is home to a rich variety of birds and animals, from common seals to the rare black redstart, as well as terns, coots, moorhens, mallards, cormorants and swans.
The variety of wildlife makes the Docklands a great place to live
Dennis Fink, British Waterways' Docklands manager, said: "The variety of wildlife in the docks and quays we manage helps to make Docklands a great place to live, work and visit. It's a privilege to be able to work in such an interesting area. The ducklings certainly made an impression on the team here and we all hope that they thrive in their new home, while we will continue to keep an eye on the other new arrivals in the docks."
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