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| OTHER WOOD DUCK STORIES |
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We can Do Something About |
of America
Recently, twelve-year-old Greg Sharp of Eastover completed a wood duck nest box project as a service project for the Boy Scouts of America. Greg is the oldest son of my long time colleague and friend Alec Sharp and is currently a Star Scout of Troop 4 in Columbia. He needed a community project to help obtain Life Scout status (one level below Eagle Scout) and decided to enhance the community pond by installing wood duck nesting boxes.
It all started when I visited the Sharp’s new home, which overlooks Merrylane Farms pond in Eastover, and I remarked that the pond would be a great place to install some wood duck boxes. Several weeks later, Greg telephoned me and stated that he would like to install some boxes as a part of a Boy Scout service project and asked for my assistance. Greg thought the boxes would have a positive impact on the small community pond by enhancing the wildlife population. He asked some very mature questions and I explained that the boxes would be a long time commitment, one involving maintenance and record keeping.
Greg eagerly welcomed the challenge and assured me he would maintain the project. He seemed very excited about the prospect of having newly hatched ducklings on the pond as a result of his work. I agreed to help and made a phone call to Bryson McCord and Sam Jeffords at SCWA headquarters. Bryson and Sam answered a few questions about carrying capacity and box placement for me and helped secure five nest boxes for the project. Greg then presented the project idea to his scoutmaster with all the details for final approval, and the project began.
On the day the boxes were installed, Greg summoned help from anyone willing to lend a hand. His dad, sister, brother and a neighbor boy all pitched in to help with the installation. Another neighbor supplied a jon boat and I stood snake watch from the bank. It was a pleasure to see these kids take this project as serious as they did, even when confronted by a sunbathing snake they disturbed.
During the process of this project I was able to introduce Alec and Greg to the SCWA and explain some of the great things SCWA does to promote wildlife and wetlands and both guys were impressed. Alec had never hunted before I took him on a dove hunt last year, but now he already seems to be hooked. I look forward to introducing him and Greg to duck hunting this upcoming season and hopefully I can pass on the joy and heritage of waterfowling. At the very least, the SCWA has gained two new enthusiastic supporters.
In closing, Greg recently telephoned me to inform me that two of the boxes already had nesting activity within two weeks of installing them. I hope his enthusiasm for this project and the conservation of waterfowl continues.