April 16, 2004
Fish Trapping Finds Duck, Robin Eggs
A group of Byrne Creek Streamkeepers out placing traps to try to catch, identify, and release fry and other fish ran across one intact and several hatched mallard eggs, and one intact robin egg that had fallen on the ground in the salmon spawning habitat.
Since all the other mallard eggs were hatched, we suspected the intact one was a "dud," so to speak.
We couldn't spot the robin nest and in the heat of the moment, I brought the robin egg home with the misguided idea that perhaps it may still hatch.
After searching the Web, I discovered what common sense should have told me in the first place -- even in the unlikely event that the egg hatched, the bird would still be doomed, for it would imprint upon us and never be able to survive in the wild.
Another example of silly good intentions :-(.
