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Hi all, Every year I feel sheepish doing this - but if you kind bird people out there would like to make a donation (however small) to my waterfowl rehabilitation facility (the only one in the State, as far as I know), the little ones will benefit greatly. The current count is five Canada goslings, two mallard ducklings, one common merganser duckling, and ten wood ducklings. And it is not even June yet. Yikes. Your donations will go to buy mealworms, fish pellets, and dry insects for the woodies, tiny fish for the merganser, and gamebird crumble for the geese. If you are interested how they all ended up here: the mother Canada goose got spooked away because of large dog. Six hours later, she had still not returned to guide her chicks to water. Another gosling was being 'abused' by teenagers by prompting of their parents who said it was 'payback' for the adult geese eating the corn in their field. The two mallard ducklings were the last survivors of a dog attack, and the mother of the nine wood ducks was killed by a car. Three other ducklings perished also. Many of you sent kind donations last year - if I somehow missed thanking you - please accept my thanks now. My hope is that all these little ones will be released by late summer, once they are feathered and able to fly. Thanks and regards, Helena Nicolay State and Federally Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator 96 Charlotte St Burlington, VT 05401