IT ALL started as an innocent after-dinner stroll in the
sun-dappled glades around Ambleside Beach. But it was a
walk that would lead to the back of a police car,
mysierious couriered deliveries, and a close encounter with

Peggy
Trendeli-Whittaker

death.

If that’s not an opening worthy
of Snoopy, the famous novelist of
“It was a dark and stormy
night..."’ fame, I don’t know what
is.

A few Sundays ago, my mate
and { were walking after dinner
and our steps took us to the
Ambleside Park duck pond, home
of the West Van attack swans (but
that's another story).

Staggering across our path was
a miserable mallard, who looked

_as if he had been heavy into the
drink. Listing alternately to star-
board and the port, he lost his
footing and fell frontwards onto
his face every few steps.

Surrounding mallards and
Canada geese, in a less than im-
pressive display of sensitivity,
hounded the poor thing, who
fought back as best he could,

This, we could see immediately,
was a matter for The Authorities.

Fortunately, I had just seen An
Authority drive by in a West. Van
police cruiser, so ran to intercept
him. I flagged the police officer
down and proceeded to explain
the situation,

At first, our uniformed friend
did not appear thrilled with the
request to ‘‘do something’ about
a sick duck. :

He did, however, promise to
search out a bylaw enforcement
officer, and I said I would be
waiting at the patient’s side.

It’s not easy guarding a sick
duck. For one thing, they insist
upon picking fights with other
ducks even though this is clearly
not a sensible option for them.

Second, it is very tough explain-
ing to hostile Canada geese why
everyone would perhaps be better
off if they hung out in some other
area of the pond.

While I shook my finger and
remonstrated with all involved
feathered creatures, Peter bravely
wandered off and pretended he
didn’t know me.

Actually, that’s not fair. He
said he was watching for the
bylaw control officer, who was
taking his time about making an
appearance. Or maybe it just felt
like a long time.

Anyway, bylaw control ap-
parently couldn’t help'so our
police officer returned with the
address of a West Van woman
who shelters sick and injured birds
in her home.

Being a dropout from Brownies,
I had never gone on to Girl
Guides to immerse myself in their
Be Prepared lifestyle.

Had I done so, I’m sure I
would have been able to pull a
Duck Transport Bag out of my
walking shorts.

However, given my delinquent
childhood, here I was at this un-
folding drama with an un-
forgivable lack of knowledge re-
garding proper duck procurement
and transport procedures.

Now that West Van’s Const.
Jensen was actually present at the
scene, he was emotionally hooked.

Each time we almost talked
ourselves into believing the duck
was better off left alone, it would
do something pathetic, like fall
over, and Const. Jensen would

FLOOR
SQUEAKS

We can fix your problems
© Give us a call
© For a free in-home estimate
LEO
CARPET & LINO SERVICES
987-6870

ECO INFO

make ‘‘poor duck’’-type noises
and crouch down to look at it
more closely,

So Peter said he would try to
catch it with his bare hands, sans
bag, and the community-spirited
constable said he would be glad to
drive us to our car four blocks
hence (we thought this would at-
tract less comment than walking
through Ambleside clutching a
duck),

My job was to chauffeur Peter
and the duck to the waiting
Horseshoe Bay bird lady, and
make soothing noises.

Custom built closet
organizer

Installed or Do-it-
yourself

Mirror doors
Melamine finish
Elfa baskets
Wire shelving
Accessories

So that’s what we did. The
mallard was obviously very
frightened, but as Peter was able
to catch him with case he was also
very sick.

He seemed highly suspicious of
what was, | imagine, his first car
ride, but had calmed down some-
what by the time we reached
Horseshoe Bay.

We were greeted by a Canada
goose on the front lawn of the
address we had been given. The
goose wandered grumpily into a
Jarge aviary when we knocked on
the door.

It was opened by Val Maynard,
who has cared for sick birds for
years as part of a network of
Wildlife Rescue volunteers.

She immediately cuddled the
duck, and determined that he was
a year-old mallard male who had
not eaten much of anything for
about two weeks.

We stood in her kitchen —
amidst the attractive debris of her
interrupted dinner party —~ and
helped where we could.

- Peter learned how to force-feed
a Vitamin B pill down a duck’s
throat, then she put him in a cage
with a heating blanket, water and
a mirror (the duck, not Peter).

Unfortunately, the sickness was
probably induced by humankind;
the duck was showing all the
symptoms of poisoning, but the
source could be any number of
chemicals.

Pigeon poison from the
graineries across the water. Lawn
chemicals from a non-organic
gardener.

Vsnowroom Open Mon-Sat. 9-5
CANADIAN CLOSET

‘A family owned business since 1984”

1385 Crown St. NVan. 986-4263

THE SAFEST WAY TO ENJOY THE SUN

Ingested Jead shot from the
Fraser Valley is sometimes seen in
birds, but usually not those from
the North Shore.

According to Maynard, Wildlife
Rescue has a network of helpers
who specialize in different
animals. They maintain a clinic at
Burnaby Lake, which is currently
open seven days a week, from 9
a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Wildlife Rescue summer
staff — usually one or two
grant-funded vet students and
volunteers -— see just about
everything walk, fly or slither
through their door.

And at this time of year they
see a lot of young birds brought
to them by well-meaning but
uninformed citizens who think the
fledgelings have been abandoned
by their parents.

In fact, for three or four days

after leaving the nest, these babies
can’t fly, but use the time to de-
velop their strength and learn the
ropes.

r heir parents spend the time
rushing about gathering food for
all their offspring, so often aren’t
on the scene,

If you see one of these birds on
the ground, it’s sometimes helpful
to put it up in a tree, away from
ground predators such as cats.

But otherwise, they are just fine
and will get a visit from their
mother or father shortly.

Wildlife Rescue is always in
need of funds and committed vol-
unteers. If you can help — or if
you have a sick or injured animal
— call 526-7275.

I thank you, Wildlife Rescue
thanks you, and the duck — who
at last report was improving, but °
slowly -—— thanks you.

SAVE 50% OFF RIVIERA MARK I
/ HORIZONTAL BLINDS

SAVE 30% — OFF ROBERT ALLEN
Sheer, drapery & upholstery fabrics.

all today for a FREE estimate

| GOLDEN TOUCH

Since 1984
1099 Marine Drive, N.Van.

Corner. of Lioyd/Marine

TERIORS |

$8612

10 AWNINGS from SUNWEST

Frying on Your Deck?
Beat The Heat and SAVE NOW...

— Bring in this ad for —

1
FREE INSTALLATION
l
{
|

FAT OOO

THIS SUMMER!

on our

PATIO/SUNDECK AWNINGS

Offer expires sunset ¢ June 30th
Order TODAY — Protect your family

and enjoy the benofits ALL SUMMER! |

fogs Bee SE eee Ce ee es Gere ce ew ee a eee ee ee oe

SUNWEST AWNINGS}

The safest awnings under the sun!

1547 Welch St., North Vanceuver
9871577