Stuck duck

Although I've heard of ducks getting stuck in freezing ice in a pond, we've never had it happen here -- until Sunday. I looked out the window and saw a lone duck sitting on the ice near the water's edge in the morning. An hour later, he was still there. And another hour later, he was still there. I convinced Mike that he would not be there for two hours if he were not stuck, so he went out there to rescue him. He discovered that the duck's breast feathers were frozen into the ice. He took out a pitcher of hot water and poured it around the duck's breast. The duck flapped his wings and stretched out his neck, but he didn't get loose. Mike took out a second pitcher -- and a third. Finally, as he walked out there with the fourth pitcher, the duck started to flap its wings as Mike approached, and he was free.