| Nurse Duck 1 in first person |
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| Mallet's Bay Colchester Vermont |
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| NURSE DUCK 1: First Person - PAGES 1-6 |
Nurse Duck quacks louder and longer than
any other duck I have ever known.
With feet flailing, she propels herself right
up and out of the water to tell the world she
is there.
But first, let me tell you how I met Nurse Duck.
any other duck I have ever known.
With feet flailing, she propels herself right
up and out of the water to tell the world she
is there.
But first, let me tell you how I met Nurse Duck.
The bay is at the northern end of Lake
Champlain. It is very cold and icy in the
winter, but as soon as the ice breaks up
in the spring, the bay bursts out with
birds, turtles, muskrats and fish.
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Champlain. It is very cold and icy in the
winter, but as soon as the ice breaks up
in the spring, the bay bursts out with
birds, turtles, muskrats and fish.
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It was hard to count them because they
swam around so much. I know there
were at least twenty, maybe more.
swam around so much. I know there
were at least twenty, maybe more.
You can tell a male mallard by his shiny,
blue/green head and the white ring
around his neck.
It doesn't seem fair, but the females
have only brown feathers. They're still
pretty though.
blue/green head and the white ring
around his neck.
It doesn't seem fair, but the females
have only brown feathers. They're still
pretty though.
Family life is important to mallards.
Mother and father share the serious
job of protecting their baby ducklings.
Mother and father share the serious
job of protecting their baby ducklings.
Now let me tell you about one family of
mallards that lived in our bay.
mallards that lived in our bay.
These particular ducks were mallards.
This spring,there were many ducks
paddling around.
paddling around.
The bay has deep water in the middle,
but near shore, there are little coves
and marshy places where Vermont's
many rivers empty into the lake.
but near shore, there are little coves
and marshy places where Vermont's
many rivers empty into the lake.
During the summer, my husband and I
live on a boat in Mallett's Bay.
live on a boat in Mallett's Bay.
picture
of boat
of boat
The marina where we stay is in one of
these coves. Protected on three sides
by a rocky, tree-covered shoreline, it is
the perfect place for wildlife to thrive.
these coves. Protected on three sides
by a rocky, tree-covered shoreline, it is
the perfect place for wildlife to thrive.
| Non-Fiction |