Fearless ducks set a quacking pace

The ducks crossing Cole St, Masterton, watched from a distance by a cat. Photo / Barbara Caffell

It was a genuine case of getting your ducks in a row yesterday morning as Masterton people documented the "bold trek" of a family of up to 22 ducks that brought traffic to a halt in the town as they made their way to the lake in Queen Elizabeth Park.

Tina Nixon, of the My Masterton Facebook page, posted photos of the ducks at 8.40am with the caption: "we cater for all our citizens in Masterton".

"This family of 19 ducks have a nest somewhere close to the council," she wrote.

"But for the last few days they have been making a bold trek to Queen Elizabeth Park about half a kilometre away through town via the busiest roundabout in the Wairarapa.

"Traffic slows and stops for this very intrepid family."

The quacker of a post was viewed more than 12,000 times, shared more than 100 times, and liked more than 330 times.

A trail of updates by witnesses kept social media users informed of the ducks' progress.

Facebook commenter Suzanne M Camps wrote "so good to see that the whole family have survived".

"Usually predators get most of them and now they decide to take on traffic."

Although Mrs Nixon's posting claimed 19 ducks, photos taken by Barbara Caffell reveal the impressive parade across town eventually ballooned to 22 ducks.