There they were, four wood ducklings racing down Goddard Street in Powell River, much to the amazement of a woman and her children, who were en route to school.
Not yet feathered, and soft and downy, they were small enough that all four of them could swim laps in an ice-cream bucket.
These little ducks quickly imprint on their caretaker so it was imperative to have them moved to a suitable rehabilitation facility as soon as possible.
They were flown out on Pacific Coastal Airlines the next day to BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Victoria.
As it is too stressful to fly the wood ducklings back to Powell River, they will be released in the Victoria area with a small flock of other rescued youngsters.
This species was almost exterminated by the middle of the 20th century, however, annual studies are revealing that their populations have grown in some areas of North America.