As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Friday, 6 February 2015

Gwent man braves icy water for five hours to rescue duck trapped on frozen pond

First published 04:00 Friday 6 February 2015 in News
Last updated 06:20 Friday 6 February 2015by Ciaran Kelly


YOU might think he's quackers, but a Gwent man was so determined to save a stranded duck that he spent five hours in freezing conditions to free it.

Kris Britton, 25, has been a volunteer at the Owl Sanctuary at Festival Park in Ebbw Vale for three years.

At 9.00am on Tuesday, the sanctuary received a call from Gwent Wildlife Trust following a report that a domestic duck was trapped on Blaina's Cwmcelyn pond, which had frozen over the night before.

Mr Britton and his fellow volunteer, Carl Howells, immediately headed to the scene armed with poles and nets. They believed the operation would only take half an hour but the duck, who was in shock with the cold, could not be coaxed away from the pond.

It meant that Mr Britton, from Abertillery, had to break into the ice, with water up to his shoulders, to rescue the helpless duck.

He said: “This year’s been so cold, and I didn’t really want to go in. I was completely red.

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