310 R. and N. Stevens—A Sanctuary for British and Foreign Waterfowl



MAKING A SANCTUARY FOR BRITISH AND

FOREIGN WATERFOWL


By R. and N. Stevens


For many years it had been our ambition to fence in an area of land

containing a large lake, so that it would be possible to keep many

species of waterfowl. The idea was that they would breed, and that

many of the young birds would be allowed to grow up full-winged, so

that in time our sanctuary would call to mind the halcyon days of long

ago, when wild Ducks, Geese, and Swans were really numerous in this

country.


Lately it has been our good fortune to see our ideals materialize

here in Shropshire, after many months of searching for a suitable place.


The lake is river-shaped, which is a distinct advantage, as although

it is 40 acres in extent, all the birds can be easily seen by walking along

the water’s edge. It lies from north to south, and a belt of trees protects

the whole length of its eastern side. Round the lake 160 acres of park

are enclosed by fox- and otter-proof fencing, and the enclosure is

divided into three areas by fences which follow the line of bridges over

the water. In the south enclosure lies the house and garden. In the

north enclosure a spruce wood flanks the western shore. This wood is

intersected by canals leading from the open water, and so the place

is ideal for the wintering of Tree-Duck, some of which cannot stand

exposure to hard frost.


At our last home in Worcestershire we used to keep the waterfowl

on what might be called the intensive system. The ponds were

insignificant in size and so were extremely crowded. When the time for

emancipation came it was rather an undertaking catching up all the

birds, of which there were about twelve hundred, and many wet hours

were spent in trying to outwit the divers, which quietly sank and joined

the fishes under the water when chased. However, in the end every

bird was caught and safely transported here by road.


In addition to stock birds for breeding we put on the lake a few

hundred waterfowl which had been reared the preceding summer

and left full-winged, that is to say they had not been pinioned but had



