One morning a few years ago, a resident of Nahant, Massachusetts – Steven Thibeault – saw from the window how a little duckling was drowning in the pool.
He immediately rushed to save the baby.
Pulling out the chick, the man tried to find his mother, but could not.
Then Steven took the duckling home and began to raise it himself.
Cheerio – that’s how he called him – ate well and grew quickly, and Steven began to think about releasing the bird into the wild.
But the duckling was in no hurry to leave the foster dad.
During the day, while the man worked, Cheerio would go outside, fly, swim in the ocean and communicate with other ducks, and return home in the evening.
Steven is mentally prepared for the fact that one day the duckling will leave him forever, but it seems that this lifestyle suits him completely, and he is not going to change anything.
Like any caring owner, Steven is pleased with the active social life of the pet, but he is also pleased that Cheerio prefers to spend evenings and nights with him.
By the time the man returns from work, the duckling is already waiting for him at the door.
Neighbors watch with a smile as this unusual couple walks in the yard.
Most of all, Steven was afraid that the duckling, fed by a man, would not be able to communicate with relatives.
But Cheerio quickly joined the team.
According to Steven, the duck is a bit insecure with females, and sometimes the man supports him from the shore.
But in general, everything is going well. In addition to ducks, Cheerio made friends with other species of birds – eiders, mallards, geese and gulls, which spend their winters on the warm waters of Nahant.
The sociable duckling is also tight with Steven’s cat – Reeses. The two often play in the backyard.
When Steven brought home a wet duck a few years ago, he had no idea that Cheerio would become his true friend.
The man understands that the bird should live in the wild, but he will not insist – the doors of his house are always open for this duckling.
