Do you still remember...
Silvester?
Silvester, a wild duck or mallard, was taken in at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf on the last day of 2019. Hence the name Silvester.
Friends of Aiderbichl brought him to Henndorf and our keepers took the beautiful black and white drake straight to the veterinary clinic. There it was discovered that his left leg was broken several times. Silvester could neither walk nor fly and sought shelter under a car.
"Räb räb räb"...
is the call of the drakes, and that of the females "wak wak wak".
"Raab räb räb. Thank you for finding me. I was in pain and didn't know what to do. I lay down under this car. Thank God the people discovered me before they drove off. I can't imagine what would have happened to me otherwise...räb räb räb!".
So Silvester was lucky and was rescued in time. First of all, he was given a painkiller in the clinic, then X-rays were taken and the broken leg was splinted afterwards.
"Yes, and, räb, thank God the humans were paying attention. My leg was hurting so badly. There was a doctor who didn't say "wak wak wak", but she had a gentle voice and tender hands that treated my leg carefully.
Silvester was, so to speak, another rescue operation in the old year. After the clinic, he was brought into the warmth of the duck house at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf to rest for a while.
"Räääb. Hm, it's quite pleasant here. Again, there are such nice people who carefully lifted me out of the box and put me in such a small stall. Man, I was tired. I don't think I'll be able to fly and run around for a while, I heard the nurse say. I pinched her hand tenderly in return. She gently stroked my soft feathers. I was simply tired. So I won't be able to fly for a while, räb. When wild ducks fly, it always goes "wich wich". Did you know that? Wank wank...Now I won't fly for a while."
Silvester was a very patient patient and the leg healed well. He ate properly and one had the impression that he liked it quite well in the duck houses.
"Räb räb. You could say that. Everything there: Food, water, nice duck mates and geese. Räb räb, the geese are just so noisy, but that's okay. Do I want to fly away from here? I don't think so. Of course, we all don't have clipped wings here, we could fly away, but, why should we?".
If Silvester should decide to do so, we would already send a few tears after him.
"Räb räb räb, don't get upset. I'm staying. Do people know that my wingspan is up to 95 cm? I have up to 10,000 down and cover feathers that protect me from wetness and cold. I get the fat from the bristle gland and brush it into the plumage with my beak. That way I stay on the surface of the water. Raab räb räb. There's a lot more to say. The best thing is to ask for me, Silvester, at Gut Aiderbichl. Then I'll tell you a lot more about wild ducks. Räääb!".
Silvester lives with the Aiderbichl ducks and geese in the "Ducks and Geese Apartments" by the pond, right next to Batzi and Hermes, the two deer. Hopefully you will be able to visit us again soon, then you can drop in on our Silvester. Stay healthy.
