By Sam Bennison

Widlife

Two waterfowl lovers help ensure wintering ducks survive the winter

Dec 24, 2024 | 4:52 PM

PRINCE GEORGE—Starting in December, two retired local wildlife enthusiasts go out and feed the ducks at cottonwood island park. Through their efforts they hope to ensure this population has ample opportunity to survive in the spring.

A number of years ago, when I was stationed in Prince George, there was a number of birds brought to me that ha fallen out of the sky along First Avenue,” says retired Federal Wildlife Officer, Brock Bailey. “When we looked at these birds, we found that they had starved to death. They’re all young mallards but they’d starved to death.”

Brock continues by saying that while there were calls to save the ducks and a program was started to feed the ducks.

Widlife

Two waterfowl lovers help ensure wintering ducks survive the winter

Dec 25, 2024

Community

Turning tragedy into charity: grade five student helps feed those in need

Dec 25, 2024

Fire

Fire destroys building at Red Rock weigh scale

Dec 24, 2024

The winter ducks at Cottonwood island park have never flown further south. Paul and Brock attribute that to normal duck behaviour but also the train cars that come through with grain.

“We don’t really feed them until well into December to make sure they get an opportunity to fly south,” explains Paul Cailleaux, a Ducks Unlimited Volunteer. “So, they’re not going anywhere.

Since they started the flock has grown to over 500 birds, creating the need for donations. While Pacific Western Brewing provides a bunch of grain they say they could always use more. They are asking anyone who wants to help to buy a bag of grain at CO-OP Capital Feeds and say it’s for the ducks.

The population isn’t at risk event without the grain because some of the ducks would survive. Brock says the biggest reason they feed the ducks is for others to enjoy.

“The enjoyment we have of of getting out in the morning and seeing the birds fly and watching the people take pictures,” adds Brock. “It’s just something we enjoy doing.”

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your inbox every evening.

***

Email: sam.bennison@pattisonmedia.com