Tiny but adventurous ducklings cause havoc for wildlife rescuers in Milton Keynes

Dozens of ducklings newly hatched in the Spring sunshine are taking their toll on wildlife rescuers in the city.

For the adorably fluffy babies have no sense of danger and this year’s brood seems particularly adventurous. Practically as soon as they are out of the egg, they are starting to wander off – often to the most unlikely places.

This week alone, rescuers have been called out three life-saving duckling missions, one in an allotment, one in a weir and one in a drain in the middle of a city estate.

"They are adorable little things but they can certainly get into some scrapes. Ducks are not always best at keeping their babies in check so the little ones are wandering off all over the place at the moment,” said MK Swan Rescue member Allie Short.

The drama started on Tuesday when plaintive cries were heard coming from a large manhole drain in the middle of Emerson Valley.

Somehow four tiny ducklings had managed to squeeze themselves through the metal grill and were firmly stuck at the bottom of the drain.

"We managed to lift the cover, even though it weighed a ton, and there was no choice – I had to climb down there and get them out,” said Allie, who is only 16 days away from her wedding.

She and the ducklings survived intact and the brood is now being cared for by a wildlife fosterer until they are big enough to be released in a suitable spot.

The following night, Allie and her team received another callout, this time to eight tiny ducklings that had climbed over a weir at local lake and got trapped in the overflow water. Their mum was circling nearby, calling plaintively for them.

"It was a real team effort and, with the help of a large net, we managed to get them out. They were all fine and we left them swimming off happily with their mum,” said Allie.

Another Mallard duck has also shunned the water and taken up residence with her new brood of ducklings in an unlikely place – under a wheelbarrow on a Hanslope allotment.

An enclosure has now been build around the wheelbarrow to protect them from foxes and rescuers have decided to leave them be until the babies are big enough to release on the local canal.

Meanwhile a fourth duck family has taken up residence at the city centre, and was spotted this week strolling about the verges.

"We may be called MK Swan Rescue, but at the moment we’re dominated by ducks,” said Allie. “They’re driving us quackers!”

MK Swan Rescue has been rescuing swans and other waterfowl in the Milton Keynes area for many years. Rescued birds requiring treatment are taken to Animals in Need at Little Irchester or the Waterfowl Sanctuary at Godmanchester.

Much of their work involves swans who have been injured by fishing tackle at lakes run by The Parks Trust and they have saved many lives by their swift actions.

Anyone who would like to join the friendly team would be very welcome and they will receive training in handling the birds.

You can get in touch here or follow the group’s activities on Facebook here.