Mama Duck and her 12 ducklings test the waters of the Spokane River (May 2009). Photo: Jesse Tinsley, The Spokesman-Review
Spokane's Mama Duck hatched 12 ducklings on Friday, May 15, 2009. Then on Saturday, May 16, around 5:30 in the evening she once again urged them all to jump from their second-story nest to the concrete sidewalk below. Luckily, Spokane's Downtown Duck Hero, Joel Armstrong, was on hand to catch them and help them reach their final destination, the Spokane River.
This year's trek to the river was more treacherous than last year's due to the fact that Mama Duck led the journey while people were lining up on sidewalks and street corners waiting for the 2009 Armed Forces Torchlight Parade in downtown Spokane. Organizers of the parade estimated that the event drew a crowd of more than 150,000 spectators this year.
Like last year, Joel gathered all the ducklings into a cardboard box to carry them to the river, but Mama Duck would have none of that this time. Apparently she intended to "parade" her babies for all to see! Instead, Joel and his family members walked along side their feathered friends, doing their best to provide an escort through the crowded streets.
All the attention from reporters and parade-goers didn't deter Mama Duck, either. All 12 of her babies arrived safely at the river's edge and hopped into the water for their first swimming lesson.
For complete coverage of their adventure, see "Ducks Make Splash With Parade of Their Own" on Spokesman.com. There, you'll find photos of the new brood, along with a video of "The Ducks' Day."
To see the original story of Spokane's Downtown Duck Hero (May 2008),
along with all the Reader Responses, go to:
http://spokane.net/stay_connected/HotTopics_DuckHero.aspx
To see a slideshow of the 2008 duck rescue, go to:
http://spokane.net/dh/index.aspx
To read the follow-up interview we did
with Joel Armstrong in August 2008, go to:
http://spokane.net/stay_connected/HotTopics_DuckHero2.aspx
Send us your comments ...
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