Deter DUE BOON, BeUsu i ber IN f 
tainly up the steep roof, I reached 
the chimney. Peering over the 
edge, I saw the downy lined nest 
about 18 inches from the _ top. 
The nest was apparently well- 
supported and _ contained 15 
creamy-white eggs. 
Wood ducks are normally tree 
nesters, using hollow cavities up 
to 40 feet from the ground for 
their nests. Strangely, the trees 
chosen are not always near water, 
although the young ducklings are 
usually led to water a few days 
after hatching. There are records 
of these ducks nesting in hay lofts, 
in orchards, and in special nest 
boxes built for them. I have found 
no record of their use of chimneys, 
but this observation is probably 
not unique. 
It was a source of argument for 
many years as to how ducklings 
are able to leave the nest when 
they are unable to fly. There are 
many recorded observations of 
their fluttering and tumbling from 
their tree-top homes after climb- 
ing from the nest hole. Young 
Wood Ducks have sharp hooked 
claws on their feet and tips of 
their bills which allow them to 
climb easily. 
There are also documented re- 
ports indicating that the hen car- 
ries young from the nest on her 
back or in her bill. According to 
Robert Lemmon, author of “Our 
Amazing Birds,” the distance from 
ft Dat 
“There I saw the downy-lined 
nest, well supported and contain- 
ing 15 creamy-white eggs.” 
nest to water seems to be the usual 
reason for a parent carrying 
young. 
It would have been interesting to 
observe how our Chimney-nest 
Ducklings were transported, or if 
they dropped from the roof them- 
selves. Since the creek was so far 
from the nest site, the hen may 
well have carried them. Unfortun- 
ately, due to the distance from my 
home to the nest site and a busy 
spring schedule at Forest Glen 
Preserve, I was not able to return 
to observe subsequent activity. 
But, for the record, at least one 
Wood Duck was wily enough to 
choose a quiet nest site far from 
woodland predators. 
S fA 
SMOKEY THE BEAR has company now. Georgia-Pacific Corp., 
conducting an eagle protection program on its timberland, is 
putting up 9 x 12” posters at wooded areas and campsites across 
the country to identify the endangered American bald eagle 
and caution against shooting or molesting the bird. The poster 
is headed: “Keep America’s symbol of freedom flying high. 
Protect eagles” ... 
