While I'm normally bad about IDing birds, that aspect of bird watching has
never been the draw to birds for me.
Several years ago I lived in home on Woods Creek Lake in northern Laurel
County. We had some of the most hellacious ice storms during the period I
lived there and one notable morning it was so bitterly cold, the lake cove in
front of our house froze inches deep on the surface. Across the lake I could
see a mallard sitting away from the shore and I convinced myself the poor bird
had gotten frozen to the ice. The bird never moved and my level of anxiety for
the duck rose. I made my husband break out the canoe and we trudged down the
snowy, icy hill to the lakeside and with a clang and a bang we got it out onto
the ice and were going to scoot ourselves across to save this duck who I knew
its life was in danger. And then I realized that even with all the commotion,
the bird never moved. It didn't bat a wing or wink an eye. Duh!!!
And fyi, that next Spring out canoeing on Wood Creek Lake, I "liberated" every
duck decoy I found. And lest anybody think that may have been illegal, it is
my understanding that all duck decoys are to be brought in each day at the
conclusion of duck hunting - so I was actually helping by enforcing the rules.
Ceci Mitchell
The Far Side Farm - NW Franklin County KY
(formerly of N Laruel County KY)thefarsidefarm@xxxxxxxxx
