Double duck rescue: a tale of feather heroics in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Two daring rescues unfolded yesterday, reuniting ducklings with their anxious mothers for the first time and relocating them entirely after the second.  

At around noon Wednesday Amador Castro, the co-owner of the UPS Store Moses Lake, said he left the store to run an errand and heard chirping from behind the building. 

“Then I heard quacking, and I was like, ‘This is weird,’” Castro said. “I walked over by where our trash cans were, and there's a drainpipe that should be connected to a pipe that comes out off the building, but it's not connected. I kind of looked down there, but I couldn't see anything, but I could hear the whole bunch of little chirps, like duck chirps. There were two moms; they were just frantic, quacking loudly. If I got close to them, they kind of hissed a little bit.” 

Castro said he then called the non-emergency line and a friend about the situation. While waiting for some assistance, he brought water for the adult ducks.  

Moses Lake Police Department showed up soon after with a member of Animal Rescue Friends Society of Grant County following close behind.  

“These moms were not happy their babies were stuck,” said a statement from the rescue organization.  

Armed with a six-foot leash and a plastic cup, police officers fashioned a makeshift duck swing, effectively hoisting the little ones out of their dark prison. After an hour of creative problem-solving, all 13 ducklings were rescued and joyfully reunited with their mothers. 

“It took a little bit of persuading to lead the moms back to marshy safety,” said the ARFS statement. “So thankful for the officers for helping these babies.” 

Castro said the police explained to him that there was a grated drain across the parking lot, and the ducks likely fell into that and made their way over to the drainpipe.  

“I didn't know that that was all connected, so I just assumed somebody threw them down there because it's such a small pipe and it's not a convenient spot where ducks would walk over it,” Castro said. “So, I wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but I'm going to take the cops theory, because it makes more sense. I also would like to think that no one is mean enough to throw baby ducks down a drainpipe.” 

However, the duck drama didn’t end there. Later in the day, the Moses Lake Fire Department received another call about what they are assuming is the same flock of ducklings found in distress, once again.  

“We actually feel like these little guys had to be rescued twice yesterday,” said MLFD Lt. Lynn Dodd. “Earlier in the day there were two mamas and approximately 13 babies. They were rescued once at about one o'clock. But I guess they didn’t stay out of trouble.”  

Firefighters arrived at the Safeway storm drain around 4:30 p.m., only to find the little ducks had wandered into the drain and fallen victim to the dangers of the road.  

“Unfortunately, some of them didn’t make it,” said Dodd. “We found four deceased and eight that we were able to rescue.”  

The mother duck was nowhere to be found, Dodd said.  

MLFD said in a statement that Battalion Chief Dave Holle and his wife Christine were happy to take the orphaned ducks in.  

“One of our battalion chiefs has a farm, and they are now being cared for there,” Dodd said, expressing relief that the surviving ducklings would not face any further danger. 

Holle and his wife said they are hopeful that they will get strong enough to spread their wings and fly wild when they get bigger, but if not, they are more than welcome to stay at the Holle Homestead and hangout with chickens and cows.  

Reflecting on the rescues, Dodd said, “It felt like such a treat from the day. You can have such a stressful day at work, and getting to save baby ducks was definitely a highlight.” 

The ducks can now quack happily ever after, healthy and well cared for, Dodd said.   

“They are going to be spoiled out at that farm, I just know it,” Dodd said. 

    Two Moses Lake Fire Department first responders worked to rescue ducks out of a storm drain outside of Safeway in the afternoon. This was the second rescue of the day for the ducklings.
  

    From left, Moses Lake Fire Department firefighter Josh Bollinger, Capt. Schrade Rouse and Lt. Lynn Dodd hold the ducklings they rescued from the storm drain Wednesday.
  

    The mother ducks were reunited with their ducklings after the first rescue of the day.
  

    The baby ducks made their way to Battalion Chief Dave Holle and his wife Christine’s homestead where they will be nurtured until they are big enough to fly away. However, the two said the babies are more than welcome to stay at the homestead long-term.