Harbor Ducks
Dublin Core
Title
Harbor Ducks
Subject
Bicentennial quilt; Essex, Connecticut; ducks
Description
Those who live in Essex, and visitors, who find their way to the foot of Main Street, know the joy of the webfooted, feathered friends who inhabit the small area of the waterfront between the Dickinson boathouse and the town dock. The large group of mallards and whatever others of their ilk who wish to join in, are faithfully here no matter what the weather. Summer is of course the most popular time, but even on a gloomy day in winter there are many faithful friends, old and young alike, who bring crackers, bread or "store-bought" bird food. And all of this for the pleasure of watching the ducks maneuver in and out amongst each other, to snap up the hand-outs. Some of the ducks are descendents of ducklings that were raised by local residents in their yards and released into the river. As well as Native Sons, Essex has Native Ducks.
It is easy to understand the enchantment! A pigeon stalks majestically on the boat ramp, pretending that it doesn't really care but hoping for a bit of the "goodies". An occasional seagull joins the flock or sits on a piling as if to see what all the raucus is about. The ducks maintain their snobbish, fraternal order and no quarter is given as far as food is concerned.
While the boat ramp is being used, or if small boys of "derring do" deign to dive off the pier, the ducks move reluctantly aside with disdain at the interruption. However they are happily conditioned to know that, in spite of the interruption, this is their territory. And imperative they are: they are the Harbor Ducks of Essex!
Ogden Nash in "The Face is Familiar" had this to say about ducks:
The Duck:
Behold the duck
It does not cluck
A cluck it lacks
It quacks
It is especially fond
Of a puddle or a pond
When it dines or sups
It bottoms ups.
It is easy to understand the enchantment! A pigeon stalks majestically on the boat ramp, pretending that it doesn't really care but hoping for a bit of the "goodies". An occasional seagull joins the flock or sits on a piling as if to see what all the raucus is about. The ducks maintain their snobbish, fraternal order and no quarter is given as far as food is concerned.
While the boat ramp is being used, or if small boys of "derring do" deign to dive off the pier, the ducks move reluctantly aside with disdain at the interruption. However they are happily conditioned to know that, in spite of the interruption, this is their territory. And imperative they are: they are the Harbor Ducks of Essex!
Ogden Nash in "The Face is Familiar" had this to say about ducks:
The Duck:
Behold the duck
It does not cluck
A cluck it lacks
It quacks
It is especially fond
Of a puddle or a pond
When it dines or sups
It bottoms ups.
Creator
Schultz, Caroline
Publisher
Essex Historical Society
Date
1976
Contributor
Little, Matthew W.
Rights
Essex Historical Society
Format
Digital Image, Adobe pdf
Language
English
Type
Still Image
Identifier
Quilt_39
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Those who live in Essex, and visitors, who find their way to the foot of Main Street, know the joy of the webfooted, feathered friends who inhabit the small area of the waterfront between the Dickinson boathouse and the town dock. The large group of mallards and whatever others of their ilk who wish to join in, are faithfully here no matter what the weather. Summer is of course the most popular time, but even on a gloomy day in winter there are many faithful friends, old and young alike, who bring crackers, bread or "store-bought" bird food. And all of this for the pleasure of watching the ducks maneuver in and out amongst each other, to snap up the hand-outs. Some of the ducks are descendents of ducklings that were raised by local residents in their yards and released into the river. As well as Native Sons, Essex has Native Ducks.
It is easy to understand the enchantment! A pigeon stalks majestically on the boat ramp, pretending that it doesn't really care but hoping for a bit of the "goodies". An occasional seagull joins the flock or sits on a piling as if to see what all the raucus is about. The ducks maintain their snobbish, fraternal order and no quarter is given as far as food is concerned.
While the boat ramp is being used, or if small boys of "derring do" deign to dive off the pier, the ducks move reluctantly aside with disdain at the interruption. However they are happily conditioned to know that, in spite of the interruption, this is their territory. And imperative they are: they are the Harbor Ducks of Essex!
Ogden Nash in "The Face is Familiar" had this to say about ducks:
The Duck:
Behold the duck
It does not cluck
A cluck it lacks
It quacks
It is especially fond
Of a puddle or a pond
When it dines or sups
It bottoms ups.
It is easy to understand the enchantment! A pigeon stalks majestically on the boat ramp, pretending that it doesn't really care but hoping for a bit of the "goodies". An occasional seagull joins the flock or sits on a piling as if to see what all the raucus is about. The ducks maintain their snobbish, fraternal order and no quarter is given as far as food is concerned.
While the boat ramp is being used, or if small boys of "derring do" deign to dive off the pier, the ducks move reluctantly aside with disdain at the interruption. However they are happily conditioned to know that, in spite of the interruption, this is their territory. And imperative they are: they are the Harbor Ducks of Essex!
Ogden Nash in "The Face is Familiar" had this to say about ducks:
The Duck:
Behold the duck
It does not cluck
A cluck it lacks
It quacks
It is especially fond
Of a puddle or a pond
When it dines or sups
It bottoms ups.
Original Format
Cloth fabric, quilting square, handicraft art
Collection
Citation
Schultz, Caroline, “Harbor Ducks,” Essex Library Association digital quilt, accessed May 8, 2024, https://bicentennialquilt.omeka.net/items/show/39.