By Gabrielle Swan
FIVE stranded ducklings have been saved thanks to the efforts of three Comber children and their uncle.
Ten year-old Noah Rea, his brother Caleb (8) and sister Maisie-Mae (6) were walking at the picturesque Orlock Point, near Donaghadee, while spending the day with their uncle Matthew Rae.
The Andrews Memorial Primary School pupils spotted a family of ducks – a mum and five ducklings – but almost immediately the mother spied Mathews’s dog, Spot, and two low-flying birds of prey and took off.
With the preying raptors circling, the five ducklings were at risk until the Rea family decided they couldn’t leave the babies to a grisly end, so they took them home.
Reflecting on the eventful Monday, Matthew describes the rescue after the mother duck had fled.
“The birds of prey came swooping in so we felt we had to take the ducklings away from the area,” said Matthew.
“We first thought there were only four ducklings but we noticed one of the hawks followed us, but another stayed back.
“I said to Noah to go back and have a look, and there was one left. That made five.”
Matthew got in touch with Ards and North Down Lost Pets, who came to take them to a specialist USPCA centre where they will be looked after.
“It was nice to save them and the kids were a wee bit sad they had to leave them,” said Matthew. “We explained to them that they were off in a better place. It was a nice wee moment, it taught the kids a thing or two.”
The ducklings were named in honour of their rescuers, with three being named Noah, Caleb and Maisie-Mae. The remaining two were named Scarlett and Eddie.
The mother of the three duck rescuers, Lydia Rea, said her children were slightly saddened to see them go.
“They thought it was amazing, they were actually very sad they were needing to leave them,” Lydia said. “They asked if they could come visit them where they were going to, but unfortunately, they couldn’t.
“They thought it was incredible, to be able to pick up the wee ducklings and take them down to safety, because of these two big hawks which were flying above.
“They thought that was amazing, absolutely incredible. Then last weekend, my mum found three duckling garden ornaments and she gave them for me to put in the garden,” added Lydia.
