A cautionary duck tale

Sometime late this summer, eight beautiful Peking ducks appeared on Bangs Lake in Wauconda. They swam in a group close to the shore ignoring and being ignored by the geese, coots, mallards, gulls and eagles.

When the weather began to change and the water began to freeze, like all the other water fowl, the Pekings were forced to swim in the unfrozen center of the lake. But unlike their lake mates, the Pekings are domestic creatures ill equipped to survive the winter.

Several area rescue organizations were sympathetic, but since their goal is to help wildlife and not domestic animals, they could offer no assistance.

Always with the fear that I would come up short of the number eight, I checked the lake every day to make sure they were surviving.

Now, thanks to the persistent efforts of Mike, Joe and Carol from Wauconda Boat, Larry, Alice and Phil from Honey Hill, five of the eight are living warm and cozy on Vicki's farm outside the Village.

The rescue of the remaining three is ongoing.

This little saga has a happy ending, but please let it serve as a reminder that domestic animals should never, ever be released into the wild. Doing so is like handing them a death sentence.

Someone somewhere will be willing to take in your unwanted pets. Spend a little time looking.

Joan Baillie

Wauconda