A. Rampton—Waterfoivl at South Lake , Woodley



293



there is no hope of young Duck being successfuily brought up by their

mothers. Jays and Crows in the air, and pike in the water, effectually

kill any ducklings that are not quickly caught up and segregated.

The trouble this year at any rate was that we could not spare sufficient

time in looking for the nests ; no easy matter at the best of times, and

still harder when there is so much cover available ; and diving Duck

at least are pretty well impossible to catch, once they have hatched

and got on the water.


Next year, however, we hope to do much better ; not only will

there be more birds breeding, or old enough to breed, but there

will be better accommodation for them, and, we hope, the weather

will not be quite so miserable.


Since the spring we have acquired a number of new ducks, and

now possess some seventy odd species, numbering about 300 pairs

in all. Some of the more uncommon birds are Cackling, Orinoco,

Semi-palmated, Maned, and Black-barred Upland G-eese, Red Shoveller,

Versicolor Teal, Barrow’s Golden-eye, Eider, besides Canvasbacks,

Red-billed Pintails, and the Goosanders which we had originally.

We hope very shortly to be taking delivery of pairs of Harlequin,

Scaup, and Black-billed Tree Ducks. I might also add that we have

tried keeping specimens of the Red-throated Diver and the Common

Guillemot, both of which were received through the kindness of Messrs.

Stevens. Although the diver apparently settled down well, it unfor¬

tunately disappeared after a week ; and the Guillemot succumbed

to cold. I am doubtful about Guillemots, but I am sure Divers and

Grebes could be kept with ease, were they once established at a more

favourable time of the year.


In conclusion I should say that next year we hope to keep a certain

amount of Duck full-winged—all our future Mandarins and Carolinas,

most of the British birds, though they most probably will clear off

in the spring, and some of the Geese (e.g. Magellans) and the Tree

Ducks.


By that time, vermin, at present our greatest enemies, should have

been materially diminished.



