South Hill resident helps family of ducks

Spokesman-Review reader Patty Haag, of Spokane's South Hill, sent in these photos July 16 with the following story: "When I spotted a mother and 6 young mallards marching down 16th Avenue into the Bernard rush hour traffic this morning I had to intervene and spent the next hour herding them back to the Manito duck pond. This included stopping traffic to allow for safe street crossings and asking a neighbor to hold back on mowing his yard so as not to scare them into the nearby brush. It was the slowest walk I've ever taken to the park but the ducks finally made it back to the pond thanks to neighborhood cooperation."

Section:Gallery

Wed., July 21, 2010

Patty Haag escorts a family of ducks down 16th Avenue on Spokane's South Hill on Friday, July 16, 2010.
Patty Haag escorts a family of ducks down 16th Avenue on Spokane's South Hill on Friday, July 16, 2010.
Patty Haag escorts a family of ducks down 16th Avenue on Spokane's South Hill on Friday, July 16, 2010.
After getting help crossing the busy streets, a family of ducks waddles off toward the Manito Park duck pond on Friday, July 16, 2010.
En route to Manito Park, ducks move from street to sidewalk Friday, July 16, 2010.
The ducks Patty Haag escorted from the streets of the South Hill arrive back at Manito Park on Friday, July 16, 2010.
Finally back at Manito, the ducks slip into the pond Friday, July 16, 2010.
The ducks paddle in the Manito Park pond Friday, July 16, 2010. "Have you ever hiked with a duck?" said Patty Haag, who shepherded the raft of ducks back to the park. "It takes forever but they are excellent followers of directions."