The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-06-15
Birds of Good VIII
BLACK DUCK

There Is such a variety of environ
mcnt at Good Will-highlands, river
banks, marsh sand, open fields, lawns
with ornamental shrubbery-that one
may reasonably expect to meet many
feathered friends In course of the year
For a number of seasons the common
black duck has chosen the river front
at Good win for nesting place: last
season two pairs selected that section
of the state OF Maine and | know that
one pair, and ] think both succeeded
In raising their broods. 1t is not re-
markable that they should choose the
place that they do, but the Kennebec
River Is long and has many good
nesting places for the species between
Fort Popham and Moosehead Lake and
| have sometimes wondered at their
choice, so near a rather noisy COM
munity OF young folks-noisy at least
at swimming time when the boys re-
pair to the river bank by the score for
the daily dive. -
Another pair of ducks has, for a
number of years! chosen Marten
Stream, above Audubon Rapids; the
stream Is narrow at the spot favored
by the fowls. and for week or two
after the eggs are Matched the mother
has some nerve racking times when
she discovers canoe gliding noise
lessly up stream She tumbles into
the water, and beats her way. appar-
emily with great difficulty. up stream,
Just in front Of the canoe until she
has rounded a curve out OF sight OF
the men at the paddle. Here she
waits until the canoe also rounds the
curve, when she Is seized with another
false paroxism of fear, and repeats
her performance; this is done over
and over again. until satisfied that she
has decoyed the canoeist far enough
from her precious ducklings to as
sure their safety, she rises, flies in
circle and returns to her post SO
far as | know her ruse is always sue
cessful. we have never harmed her
brood.
But the most unaccountable choice
of a breeding place for ducks is on
the highest land controlled by the
Good viii Home Association, or per-
haps I should say. just over the line
on the land of Mr.. Frank Moore.
There is small swamp. 1t has no
inlet or outlet for its muddy water.
Probably there is a hollow in the ledge
that underlies the soil there. The
melting SHOWS and the spring rains
fill It. frogs croak, tadpoles hatch,
and in course of time the water eva
porates and the bottom becomes dry
and hard This sometimes happens
in July. But for three yeart, TO my
own knowledge. a pair of ducks mas
nestled here. In preference to the rlv-
err and the marsh. perhaps hall
mile away, as ducks fly
PARTRIDGES
The partridge, most prosecuted Of all
Maine birds, seems to have iair
chance at Good VIII. 1t looks some
times as though the plump and rather
shy creatures understood 1t. | nave
always associated the partridge with
the wild woods-a bird that preferred
to dwell
Far from the maddening crowd"
But In recent years he has shown con-
siderable confidence in man. One
often sees them on the Bowdoin Trail
where they must be aware that the
human specie is never far away, and
in winter they are often seen roosting
on the branches Of trees just south
OF Cuilford cottage in full view from
the cottage and where they can both
see and hear the boys. On the other
trails cartridges are no novelty, but,
now that the "lsw is on" aud their
haunts legally protected the year
round we may hope tney viii become
still more numerous, and Ii this nap
pens at Good VIII because Of protec-