Bicyclist Steers Duck Family to Safety

On the morning of April 26, at the corner of Rancho Bernardo and Pomerado Roads, bicyclist Neil Schneider came upon a mother duck and her 11 babies, waddling along in the bike lane next to heavy traffic.

Schneider stopped and tried to coax the ducklings toward the sidewalk, but the curb prevented them from following their mother. Schneider at first attempted to pick the babies up, but the gesture was not appreciated by Mother Duck. She was already on the sidewalk, but when Schneider started to pick up her ducklings to get them onto the curb, she began to squawk and come close to him. She did not bite or peck him, though perhaps it would have come to that if he had persisted in touching them.

Schneider then fashioned a makeshift ramp using a bag from his bike. Seven of the ducklings quickly took advantage of it and reached the sidewalk. The other four didn't seem to understand what they should do. Schneider waved his fingers by the ramp, trying to draw their attention to it, but no luck.

The mother became concerned again and jumped back into the bike lane. The seven safe ducklings came over to the edge of the curb and looked like they might tumble back down. Mom jumped back up to the sidewalk, and while she was distracted by the seven, Schneider grabbed the other four and got them onto the sidewalk.

The duck family was last seen scurrying into some shrubbery, presumably to rest up before continuing their long trek to nearby Lake Hodges.