Waterford-East Lyme Animal Control Is For The Birds!

As Waterford-East Lyme's Animal Control Officer, Robert Yuchniuk spends a lot of time wrangling dogs and cats. Recently, however, he's had his hands full with birds. 

Last week, for instance, he was called in for a duckling rescue. The problem started when one duckling fell into a storm drain behind East Lyme Stop & Shop, but it didn't stop there. Each time the distraught mother went over to the drain to check on one baby, another duckling would fall in. 

"By the time I got there, there were five of them!" said Yuchniuk.

Yuchniuk was able to scoop them all out with a net but to make sure they were uninjured, he kept them overnight for observation. Having nowhere to keep them at the Animal Shelter, he brought them home and put them in the tub.

Yuchniuk said the overnight guests were a source of constant fascination for his dogs and great deal of fun for his son—way better than a rubber ducky at bath time.

Duck? They're Seagulls! 

A few days ago, it was a seagull in distress that needed his assistance. The gull had fallen into a crevice between large rocks at Blackpoint in Niantic, where it became entangled in string. Yuchniuk got the call as the tide was coming in but he was able to safely extricate the bird.

It's at Waterford Country School's rehabilitation center now until its broken wing is mended. 

Whoot-Whoot!

In his tenure as Animal Control Officer, Yuchniuk has rescued all kinds of birds, from pet parrots that flew the coop to injured hawks, crows, and even a baby turkey. One of his all-time favorite bird rescues, however, happened last October.

It wasn't so much that the rescue effort was impressive—the bird was lying stunned on the pavement after an apparent crash-landing so it was pretty easy to catch—but the bird itself was magnificent. It's not every day you get to see a horned owl with a three-foot windspan and two-inch long talons up close.

Yuchniuk brought the injured owl to a wildlife rehabilitation center where, aside from a possible concussion, it was given a clean bill of health and deemed fit to be released back into the wild after a few days rest.