Canyon Lake couple rescues ducklings from storm drain

Nikki Holm urges one of the ducklings she pulled from a storm drain near her home on Clearwater Drive to reunite with its mother. She was able to retrieve all but one, but she and her husband Paul think they saw the last duckling make its way back to the lake and its family. Photo by Paul Holm

When spring arrives in Canyon Lake, not only are flowers blooming and the weather warming, but ducklings can be seen here and there waddling behind their mama ducks throughout the community.

Nikki Holm was recently made aware by her neighbor that ducklings near her home were in need of help. Nikki and her husband Paul live on the lake on Clearwater Drive and routinely see mama ducks with their ducklings every spring. This year, this particular duck and ducklings came to know Nikki quite well.

Nikki said on this particular day she was planning on going to the grocery store to buy groceries for her neighbor. She needed to reschedule, so she texted her neighbor to let her know. It was then that the neighbor informed Nikki that she had contacted the Canyon Lake POA to solicit help in rescuing ducklings that had fallen into a storm drain on her street.

“I felt compelled to do something,” Nikki said. “Earlier that morning I was admiring some older baby ducks in our yard.”

Nikki and Paul quickly sprang into action. They could see that a mama duck had been separated from seven out of her nine ducklings. The mama duck and two of her ducklings stayed close to the trapped ducklings, but kept some distance from Nikki and Paul.

Ducklings wait for help after falling into this Clearwater Drive storm drain. Nikki and Paul Holm found the ducklings and pulled them from the drain and reunited them with their mother. Photo by Paul Holm

“The mama duck made frequent vocalizations to her ducklings, almost like she was telling them to accept human help,” Paul said. “The mother duck seemed to understand she needed help.”

Paul videotaped as Nikki began her rescue. Nikki laid on the pavement and reached her arm down through the storm drain grate. One by one each duckling walked over to Nikki’s hand as she would call it over and then lift it up onto the street. Each one would quickly rejoin its mother.

“I tried really hard to remain as calm as I could,” Nikki said. “Every time I reached my hand down to get another duckling, they seemed to understand that I was helping them.”

Nikki and Paul said they love living so close to wildlife in Canyon Lake. This experience made it all the better.