Duck Tales: Man Uses Naval Skills To Get 11 Ducklings Down 9 Stories
at 6:01 am NPR
This spring Steve Stuttard reunited with an unusual friend: Mrs. Mallard, a duck that nested in the fuchsia planter on his ninth-story apartment balcony in Manchester, U.K., last year. Upon her return, she laid 11 eggs in a planter filled with grass. I know ducks have strange routines when it comes to nesting, and mallards, if they have a successful site, they will return to it, says Stuttard, a retired Royal Navy survival specialist and an avid bird lover since childhood.
Those skills came in handy last year when he devised a system to quickly and safely transport Mrs. Mallard s seven ducklings down to the water 20 to 30 meters from the base of his building once they hatched.
Originally published on May 8, 2021 9:36 am
This spring Steve Stuttard reunited with an unusual friend: Mrs. Mallard, a duck that nested in the fuchsia planter on his ninth-story apartment balcony in Manchester, U.K., last year. Upon her return, she laid 11 eggs in a planter filled with grass. I know ducks have strange routines when it comes to nesting, and mallards, if they have a successful site, they will return to it, says Stuttard, a retired Royal Navy survival specialist and an avid bird lover since childhood.
Those skills came in handy last year when he devised a system to quickly and safely transport Mrs. Mallard s seven ducklings down to the water 20 to 30 meters from the base of his building once they hatched.
Listen • 3:27
Mrs. Mallard returned to Steve Stuttard s ninth story balcony this year to lay her eggs. Stuttard kept watch and helped make sure that all 11 ducklings made it down to the water where they happily swam away with Mrs. Mallard.
This spring Steve Stuttard reunited with an unusual friend: Mrs. Mallard, a duck that nested in the fuchsia planter on his ninth-story apartment balcony in Manchester, U.K., last year. Upon her return, she laid 11 eggs in a planter filled with grass. I know ducks have strange routines when it comes to nesting, and mallards, if they have a successful site, they will return to it, says Stuttard, a retired Royal Navy survival specialist and an avid bird lover since childhood.
Embed Mrs. Mallard returned to Steve Stuttard s ninth story balcony this year to lay her eggs. Stuttard kept watch and helped make sure that all 11 ducklings made it down to the water where they happily swam away with Mrs. Mallard. Emma Newman/YouTube
toggle caption Emma Newman/YouTube
Mrs. Mallard returned to Steve Stuttard s ninth story balcony this year to lay her eggs. Stuttard kept watch and helped make sure that all 11 ducklings made it down to the water where they happily swam away with Mrs. Mallard.
U.K. man delighted when a duck returned to his 9th-floor balcony to hatch her eggs
Steve Stuttard couldn t believe his luck when a duck nicknamed Mrs. Mallard chose his balcony in Greater Manchester, England, as a nesting site for the second year in a row.
Social Sharing
For the 2nd year in a row, Steve Stuttard has helped a ‘Mrs. Mallard’ get her ducklings safely to water
CBC Radio ·
Posted: May 04, 2021 5:24 PM ET | Last Updated: May 4
A mallard has nested and hatched ducklings on Steve Stuttard s ninth-floor balcony in Manchester, England. (Submitted by Emma Newman)