It’s a quacking good story with a happy ending for Tufty the duckling.
Things looked bleak for the days-old mallard after being abducted by crows near Crossmichael.
But a TAS Building Supplies staff member drove up just in time to save the chick.
And Tufty is now enjoying a new lease of life at Cuil Farm near Castle Douglas.
TAS Customer sales rep Emma Sudron said: “One of our team saw a tiny baby duckling at the side of the road being mobbed by crows.
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“They were picking the wee thing up and dropping it then picking it up again.
“He managed to get get a hold of the chick but couldn’t find it’s mother.”
Emma added: “We think the crows must have carried it away when the chicks were being taken to the water.
“The mother moves the ducklings at two or three days old and that’s when they’re most vulnerable.
“The crows were obviously going to kill it and eat it. They are vicious.”
Tufty was brought into the TAS base and was kept safe and warm.
Gerri and Kayleigh McDougall of Cuil Farm were contacted to see if they give Tufty a home.
And by chance there was a ready made family ready and waiting – two newly hatched cayuga ducklings.
Emma said: “Gerri had new baby ducks and she managed to integrate Tufty with the other ducklings.
“She is a local duck expert and Tufty is doing just fine.”
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Gerri told the News: “Tufty was quite noisy at first but has settled down now and is doing fine.
“We haven’t sexed it yet so we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl.
“It copies everything the other ducklings do – they have really taken Tufty under their wing.
