New York: Ducklings rescued on Commercial Drive

NEW YORK -- The first indication that something was wrong was the duck in the road.

Gina and Scott Donlyak, of Chadwicks, were driving down Commercial Drive around 11 a.m. Friday when they saw it.

Photo: Utica Observer-Dispatch

Scott Donlyak got out of the car to usher the duck out of traffic and thought it was strange when it began hissing at him aggressively. That's when he heard something that made everything a bit clearer: "Peep! Peep!"

The Donlyaks looked into a nearby storm grate and saw four ducklings inside — "really little, tiny things," Gina Donlyak said.

The couple called 911 to report the trapped ducklings, and New Hartford police and animal control responded. Officers were able to rescue two of the ducklings within an hour.

Photo: Utica Observer-Dispatch

Unfortunately, by then the mother duck had been scared away by the commotion, and the remaining two ducklings had moved further into the drain system and could not be reached.

"We were able to catch two of them, but the others scurried back into the pipes," New Hartford Animal Control Officer Jeff Madden said.

At that point, officials at the scene contacted Woodhaven Wildlife Center Director Judy Cusworth, who recommended that the rescued birds should be placed by the grate to help reassure their siblings and perhaps draw them out.

Photo: Utica Observer-Dispatch

When that didn't work, state Department of Transportation employees were called in to consult, but ultimately determined there was nothing more that could be done.

Cusworth, who will be caring for the two rescued ducklings until they're old enough to fly, said she's encountered similar situations before.

"I'm used to going after them in these storm drains," she said. "Maybe it was a month ago in the Applebee's parking lot, 14 baby ducklings fell into the storm drain and the mother didn't leave."

Photo: Utica Observer-Dispatch

The trapped ducklings might still rescue themselves by following the pipes back to a stream somewhere, she added.

"You never know where those storm drains are going to go," she said.

(Observer-Dispatch - June 17, 2016)