The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-11-19
AMERICAN WATER BIRDS
National Geological Park at WASHINGTON
Paradise for Sportsmen.

As the duck season approaches. snecial
interest is being shown in the lake at the
National Geological Park in Washington.
devoted entirely to water birds of North
America. This is not one OF the custom
airy artificial cement and grass-lawned
basins but real breeding pond with alb
solutely natural surroundings similar to
the breeding lakes of ducks and geese
formerly so frequent in the forests of our
northern states. This close approximation
to the wilderness lakes is especially ap-
preciated by Audubon societies, sports
men, and bird lovers. as it gives oppor-
tunity to study our North American water
fowl at close range and in their natural
surroundings The duck hunter could
easily imagine himself with blind in
the thlcket surround Nc the lake and his
decoys out attracting he birds within
close range, and bird lovers who come
to the park sit by the hou~ observing
habits OF the wild ducks, geese, and swans.
The plan is to show in this lake as many
ot the slXty-seven species of North Amer
lean ducks, geese, and swans as possible,
and at present l35 water fowl are on ex-
hibition, including twenty-four species.
The ducks are represented by twelve
species, the malIard, black duck, widgeon,
haldpate green-winged teal. blue-winged
teal, ruddy sheldrake, pintail. wood duck,
canvasback. redhead, and lesser scaup
duck, OF buebill; and the geese BY nine
species, the snow goose, blue goose, Ross's
goose, white-fronted goose. American
lNmte-fronted goose, Canada goose Hutch
ms goose, cackling, and barnacle goose.
The two native species of wild swans are
shown, the whistling swan, still common
III a Wild state IN parts of North America,
and the trumpeter swan. which formerly
occurred in the prairie regions of the west
This later swan, the finest Of North Amer
lean water birds, j. virtually extinct in a
wild state. as lar as known. and only three
captive individuals exist III America The
National Geological Park had one female
on exhibition and later learned that Il. NJ
Barnes, bird lover OF Lacon, Illinois, had
in his possession two males Of this species.
Mr.. Barnes kindly consented to deposit one
of the males in the National geological
Park for the sake of mating these birds at
the park and possibly saving the species
from final extinction The two birds are
now in a separate inclosure III the water
! fowl lake and it is hoped that this next
j year they will nest.
/ The lake, within an Enclosure over 200
yards in length and about IS yards wide
was originally formed by dverting enough
water from Rock Creek to fill a natural
depression running parallel with the
! Creeks, the surroundings being left as
NEARLY in their natural state as possible
The Enclosure is surrounded by a vermin-
proof fence to allow the birds to nest and
rear their young in safety, but this fence
Is visible only on the side from which
visitors view the pond On the other sides,
the fence is set back several rods in the
| trees and thickets to give the birds suit
able quarters Tor nesting and incidentally
! to make the fence invisible to visitors
The tine growth OF trees and bushes sur
rounding the lake has been supplemented
by planting thlckets. cattall Dogs and
sedges and logs and stumps have been
placed IN the pond to afford the birds the
KIND of nesting places they have been &C.
customed to IN the wild state
When the wild birds are first intro
dueed into the pond alter having the tip
OF one wing clipped to prevent their flying
high, they retire to the woods on the far
Iside of the pond and remain hidden some
times for several days But they rapidly
become accustomed to the proximity of
imam and after a remarkably short time.
Igo about their ordinary pursuits without
lpaylng the slightest attentions to visitors.
unless those visitors happen to offer
lhandfuls of grass, when some of the birds
Twill come squawking to the fence for the
Hood. There IS hardly a blade of grass