No crisis too small as rescuers save ducklings from storm drains

Costa Mesa firefighters made quack work of a rescue Saturday night when they responded to a call about a family of trapped ducklings.

According to a Twitter post from the Costa Mesa Fire Department, an urban search and rescue team freed the birds, which were stuck in a storm drain at 3303 Hyland Ave., near the SoCo Collection shopping center.

The crew had the half-dozen or so ducks out within 30 minutes after someone called about the predicament around 8 p.m.

“Strong work by your Costa Mesa firefighters!” the department wrote about the rescue on its Facebook page. “We respond to mitigate all emergencies and will stabilize any hazardous situation.”

Newport Beach workers rescued their own brood of distressed ducklings just before noon Sunday.

According to police, a parking-control officer responded to a call about a mother duck and her offspring trying to cross the street near the intersection of Jamboree and Ford roads.

“The mama duck was standing on top of a storm drain along the center median on Jamboree, in obvious distress. All 12 ducklings had fallen down the storm drain and gotten stuck 10 feet below their mom,” police said in a news release.

An animal-control officer lowered himself into the storm drain and hoisted the ducklings to the parking officer.

After being reunited, the family made it safely to the Back Bay, police said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck