Rohnert Park Public Works rescues ducklings from storm drain, reunites them with mother

Rohnert Park Public Works supervisor Billy Wilson has a new nickname after rescuing six ducklings from a city storm drain Wednesday morning.

“I’m the duck guy,” he said.

That’s what locals are calling him after the department shared the story on Facebook Wednesday afternoon.

According to Wilson, who is in charge of streets and facilities, the department got a call around 9 a.m. from a resident on Daniel Court who said several ducklings had fallen into a storm drain the night before.

“The mama duck sat there all night on the grate,” Wilson said.

Once he arrived, the rescue operation took all of 10 minutes, as Wilson popped the grate, used a long-handled net to fish out the six ducklings grouped together at the bottom of the drain, and placed them in a box. After he got them in the box, Wilson said the resident who called the department helped reunite the ducklings with the mother, who was standing nearby throughout.

“It was pretty simple,” he said.

According to Wilson, this was second time this month the department has been called to rescue ducklings.

“Usually this time every year it happens,” he said. “The ducks are cruising around and they fall in the storm drains.”

Wilson said the biggest surprise was the amount of local reaction the story got once it was shared on social media.

“I was at an awards ceremony last night at my son’s high school (Rancho Cotate) and as I was going up to get the itinerary, a lady was like, ‘you’re the duck guy,’” he said. “It’s funny, I can’t believe it’s gotten traction like it did. I’m the duck guy.”