Kids & Family

Baby Duck Rescues 'Just Part of the Job' for Brighton Bird Store

Employees at the Wildernest store in downtown Brighton have a reputation for saving many ducks who swim too close to the waterfall at the Mill Pond.

Dramatic duck rescues are just part of the job when you work at Wildernest in Brighton, according to store employee Robert Cameron.

With many ducks swimming close to the waterfall, Wildernest depends on visitors of the pond to warn them when there is danger and remain vigilant by keeping a long net within easy reach for emergencies. 

On Monday afternoon, alerted to a problem, Cameron had raced across the street to save two small ducklings who had gotten trapped in the rocks near the small waterfall on the Mill Pond.

"I was able to scoop one, but the other one, I startled it and it went that way," Cameron said.

"That way" meant the duckling, who appeared to be just days old, got caught in the water's strong current and was pulled into the dark, long and airless tunnel that runs underneath Main Street in downtown Brighton.

Racing to North Street where the creek opens back up, Cameron sprinted the distance hoping to make it in time to catch the baby duck.

"I'm a runner so I can run pretty fast," he said with a grin, "and when I got there I waited, hoping it would come out and then sure enough it did and I got it real quick."

It was an exciting moment for the small crowd that had gathered to watch the rescue and Cameron admits the store does have a reputation in the community for coming to aid of their feathered friends.

"It kinds of makes sense that if there's a duck in trouble to go to the bird store," Cameron said.


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