'Duck Man' catches five ducklings before they crash to earth

A bank worker has earned the nickname "Duck Man" for his ability to catch ducklings as they leap from a 15 foot high nest outside his office.

By Robert Mendick

Published: 10:30AM BST 18 Jul 2010

Joel Armstrong catches the first duckling to jump from the nest Photo: JED CONKLIN To the mother duck, positioning her nest 15 feet above street level must have seemed like an ideal way of protecting her brood from predators.

The only problem was how to get the ducklings back to the (very hard) ground and on to water in one piece once they were hatched.

Enter Joel Armstrong, a bank official also known as 'Duck Man'. With skills an England goalkeeper could only dream of, Mr Armstrong caught all five ducklings in quick succession as they tumbled from their nest high above the concrete pavement.

Saved from injury and possible death, the ducklings were placed on the ground next to mum and then guided by Mr Armstrong the quarter of a mile through busy traffic to the nearest river.

The ducklings' remarkable journey of survival was captured last week by a Sunday Telegraph photographer, who followed their progress from the nest to their first swim in the water.

The series of photographs show the ducklings, still unable to fly, tumbling from a building ledge and being caught by Mr Armstrong before they hit the concrete.

As crowds gather, they walk along the pavement, cross three roads and then jump into the water. In the final shot they swim into the distance to live (hopefully) happily ever after.

Mother duck laid her eggs in the middle of June in a nest overlooked by Mr Armstrong from his office window.

Each day, Mr Armstrong would go to work at Sterling Savings bank in the American town of Spokane in Washington State and wait patiently for the eggs to hatch.

"Once the last one hatches, I know I have about 24 hours before it's time for them to leave the nest," explained Mr Armstrong, 44.

"When mother duck starts looking down, I run out of the office and wait for the ducklings to jump. The mother jumps first, quacks at the ducklings above and they follow.

"The tricky part this time was when two jumped at pretty much the same time. Luckily I am ambidextrous and I caught one in one hand and one in the other."

Mr Armstrong, a father-of-two who admits to better than average hand-eye co-ordination, has had practice at duckling-catching, having performed his heroics twice before in 2008 and again last year.

He's not sure if it's the same duck laying eggs each time, admitting: "They all look the same."

To date he has caught 26 ducklings in three years. And no, he hasn't dropped one yet.

No way that duck's falling by accident. Some barstewards pushing them !!!!

Nice with orange sauce.

There is a species of sea bird that does the same thing. The chicks jump from nests high up on the cliffs and fall to the water below, bouncing off ledges and rocks as they go. Despite some nasty looking crashes they never seem to get hurt!

Can't remember what or where, saw it on Animal Planet.

Just watched forgotten films of WW2.

Japanese on Okinawa tried the same thing...............results not quite as encouraging.

Glad to see you used their full name.

Razor bills in Scotland.

A single egg is laid from early May onwards and both parents incubate it for 33 - 36 days, then share the feeding duties. At about 18 days old, the still down-covered chick launches itself from the cliff, fluttering down on tiny wings, usually at night to avoid predatory gulls. They often fall onto rocks or into heavy surf but they are well protected by fat and feathers and can swim strongly. Their parents continue to feed them out at sea until they can fly and fend for themselves.

http://www.ypte.org.uk/animal/razorbill/163

Glad to see you used their full name.

Modern "new age" man me...................

Razor bills in Scotland.

A single egg is laid from early May onwards and both parents incubate it for 33 - 36 days, then share the feeding duties. At about 18 days old, the still down-covered chick launches itself from the cliff, fluttering down on tiny wings, usually at night to avoid predatory gulls. They often fall onto rocks or into heavy surf but they are well protected by fat and feathers and can swim strongly. Their parents continue to feed them out at sea until they can fly and fend for themselves.

http://www.ypte.org....l/razorbill/163

Typical scottish parents................Too tight to give them the bus fare.

There is a species of sea bird that does the same thing. The chicks jump from nests high up on the cliffs and fall to the water below, bouncing off ledges and rocks as they go. Despite some nasty looking crashes they never seem to get hurt!

Can't remember what or where, saw it on Animal Planet.

The question remains....would the duckings have survived their fall if unaided by this heroic photo opportunist?

Depends on whether the photographer's assistant is up there throwing the correct species off the cliff.

Depends on whether the photographer's assistant is up there throwing the correct species off the cliff.

I can't help but imagine....well what if they decided to jump on a Sunday?...........SPLAT!!!

Our brilliantly marked Woodducks build their nests in trees and the duckings fall quite a distance once they flee the nest. I've seen big lineups of vehicles all come to a stop when momma duck takes her ducklings for a stroll across a busy highway.

There used be a duck nest every year next to the pond outside the police headquarters in central Adelaide.

The coppers knew to the day when she'd want to introduce them to real water and traffic would be stopped and a patrol car would escort them nearly a mile through the busiest part of the city to the Torrens River.

There used be a duck nest every year next to the pond outside the police headquarters in central Adelaide.

The coppers knew to the day when she'd want to introduce them to real water and traffic would be stopped and a patrol car would escort them nearly a mile through the busiest part of the city to the Torrens River.

True, scaead, I've seen whole groups of people all lined up taking photos of the duckling family as they waddle their way to safety. The local newspapers have pictures of it every spring.

I fear the mother duck is no longer with us, old age would have caught up with her. The police headquarters building has been demolished for a number of years now as well.

I lived not far from there for a while and the annual duck waddle was a major event.

I can see why you moved..............

Who was it saved some owls in Bangkok and took them to his office?

Don't ask me to do a link - I've just learned to embed.

I can see why you moved..............

The word "Adelaide" should have been enough for you without me having to provide further evidence.

True

I went there in 1989...............It was shut.

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

True

I went there in 1989...............It was shut.

Thanks for my morning laugh. Good Humour is always based on truth.

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

Thanks for the heads up sceadugenga.....I got some family moved there 2 years ago and was planning to spend at least a coupla weeks there next year.....maybe I should scale it down and spend the time elsewhere...any recommendations.....?

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

Thanks for the heads up sceadugenga.....I got some family moved there 2 years ago and was planning to spend at least a coupla weeks there next year.....maybe I should scale it down and spend the time elsewhere...any recommendations.....?

Land of the long white cloud?

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

Thanks for the heads up sceadugenga.....I got some family moved there 2 years ago and was planning to spend at least a coupla weeks there next year.....maybe I should scale it down and spend the time elsewhere...any recommendations.....?

Land of the long white cloud?

If TOT is to be believed you could try Thailand..... Phuchet and Pattaya sound just like Adelaide without the churches.

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

Thanks for the heads up sceadugenga.....I got some family moved there 2 years ago and was planning to spend at least a coupla weeks there next year.....maybe I should scale it down and spend the time elsewhere...any recommendations.....?

I go there regularly because of friends and family. I may have been a little harsh in my assessment, it's still mainly a pleasant small city with plenty of interesting things to see within a day's drive. The wine making areas are excellent if you're into wine.

There's an active night life scene for younger people, the city centre provides all night dance clubs etc for weekend revellers.

To travel interstate, and I'd recommend Sydney, you need to check out the budget airlines like Tiger. Domestic flights with Qantas et al can be expensive.

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

Thanks for the heads up sceadugenga.....I got some family moved there 2 years ago and was planning to spend at least a coupla weeks there next year.....maybe I should scale it down and spend the time elsewhere...any recommendations.....?

I go there regularly because of friends and family. I may have been a little harsh in my assessment, it's still mainly a pleasant small city with plenty of interesting things to see within a day's drive. The wine making areas are excellent if you're into wine.

There's an active night life scene for younger people, the city centre provides all night dance clubs etc for weekend revellers.

To travel interstate, and I'd recommend Sydney, you need to check out the budget airlines like Tiger. Domestic flights with Qantas et al can be expensive.

Thanks I'll have a month in total so plenty time to head up north check Sydney and do some fishing or whatever.....

Unfortunately it's the typical western city now.

Gang warfare, drugs, unsafe to walk the streets at night, all the crap associated with government spending cuts.

Nice Asian student scene though, the universities work hard to attract them.

Thanks for the heads up sceadugenga.....I got some family moved there 2 years ago and was planning to spend at least a coupla weeks there next year.....maybe I should scale it down and spend the time elsewhere...any recommendations.....?

Broome, Darwin and points in between.

Broome, Darwin and points in between.

Ah, Darwin, the place where all the people who try to prove the Darwin theory live.