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In This Issue...

	Adoption Weekend
	Donation Gifts!
	Pet Rock Festival 2005
	Preston, CT Foster Care
	Preparing for Honkers the Goose
	Save Maryland Swans!
	Tax Exempt Filing Update
	Get to know your predators: Snapping Turtles
	All about Cayuga Ducks
	Recommended Reading: Raising Geese
	Reader Poll #9

Get to Know Your Predators: Snapping Turtle The common snapping turtle has a brownish or blackish upper shell. Their head is large and their neck and tail, when extended, are very long. They can grow to immense proportions as adults, with some individuals having upper shell lengths of as much as 17 to 18 inches. Wild adults usually weigh between 10 and 35 lbs. The snapping turtle can be found in rivers, streams, ponds and large lakes. They are primarily bottom dwellers but may occasionally be seen basking on logs. Snapping turtles can be seen on land, primarily in late spring and early summer, when females leave the water to lay their eggs, which can be a considerable distance from water. Snapping turtles will eat ducklings both in and out of a pond and can do great deal of damage to the feet and legs of larger birds. Humane traps can be purchased to help you catch and relocate a snapping turtle that is making a nuisance of itself. Be extremely cautious not to dump off your problem predator on someone else when relocating. Snapping turtles will travel a long distance in search of a new home, so choose a remote relocation site. All about Cayuga Ducks Breeders introduced these ducks to the Finger Lakes region of New York in 1840. By 1863, these prolific black ducks bore the name of a lake in northern New York named after the native Cayuga people; in 1874 the Cayuga was included in the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection. The Cayuga duck is a medium-sized breed that averages between 7 and 8 pounds. Their bodies are moderately long and wide with good depth carried from the well-rounded chest to the full abdomen. They have oval heads, long bills that are slightly concave along its top line, and necks that are slightly arched forward. Cayugas are best known for their brilliant greenish-black plumage that is maintained by breeders keeping them locked up and out of direct sunlight. If allowed in the sunshine, Cayuga plumage transforms into a breathtaking prism of greens, blues, maroons and purples. Plumage sometimes becomes mottled with white as the bird grows older. Bills are slate black, and shanks and feet are dark gray to black. The Cayuga has long been recognized as one of the hardiest of domestic ducks. They are active foragers if allowed to run in areas containing natural foods. This bird averages 100-150 eggs per year; the shells of these eggs are black early in the season and they progress to light gray, blue, green, or white as time passes. The temperament of this breed is quiet and calm, and generally Cayugas can be easily tamed if hand-raised. Consider this rare, hardy bird as a lovely and useful addition to your flock! Some of the information above was obtained from: American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) Recommended Reading* | Ordering information | Domestic Geese By Chris Ashton * For our full recommended reading list, click here. If you order from Amazon.com by way of our web site, Majestic receives a portion of the proceeds! Book Description This text explains how to look after domestic geese, from setting up with the first birds to breeding, rearing and showing. Topics include: Breeds, their origins and characteristics Management of adult stock The breeding season Rearing the goslings Ailments and diseases There are many reasons for keeping geese…whatever the reason for choosing these fascinating birds, Chris Ashton explains how to look after them, from setting up with the first birds to breeding, rearing and showing. Illustrated throughout with photographs of the different breeds and showing various aspects of management, Domestic Geese will be an invaluable handbook for all keepers and breeders. Reader Poll #9 Question: What brand of feed do you give your waterfowl? Purina Mazuri Blue Seal Other Voting Has Closed. Please see next issue for results. Results of Reader Poll #8 How do you supply bathing water for your waterfowl?   Natural Pond/Lake  0% Man Made Pond/Lake 34% Kiddie Pool  66% Bathtub 0% Other 0% I Don't 0%     Contact Us Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary 17 Barker Road Lebanon, CT 06249 director@majesticwaterfowl.org Our Newsletter The Majestic Monthly is published 12 times per year. Back issues can be obtained online from our Newsletter Archives.

Hewey, Dewey and Lewey, a trio of Pekins, arrived at our sanctuary on Saturday. The trio was in danger of being dropped off on a waterway by their owner. A local vet and a local volunteer became involved and the ducks were hand delivered to our doorstep. They trio of ducks seemed undaunted by their journey and were rewarded for their bravado with the first swim in the spring water that has partially filled the new sanctuary pond.

The drake and two hens proved to be very healthy, happy, friendly and, of course, cute! They were placed into their new and loving home together the following afternoon. The pre-approved family had been waiting months for a trio of ducks and were quick to drive over and welcome these three into their hearts and homes. Thank you Michelle and Margie for stepping in and saving these animals from a disastrous fate and offering them a promising future.

Our adoption weekend also included two incoming Blue Swede/Pekin crosses, a gray and white hen named Lucky and a black and white drake named Maltese. The pair came to us on Saturday morning.

Jake The Drake and his new family have been waiting weeks for a hen to come into our sanctuary, so that Jake could have a companion to travel with him to his new home. Lucky and Jake became fast friends and both traveled to their new home on Sunday. We wish them and their family safety and happiness!

Maltese was adopted out within hours of his arrival at Majestic. His new owners brought in their Pekin drake Rupert on prior occasion to have his gender confirmed only to have us discover he was a she! The family decided they wanted a drake for Rupert the hen, and a week later we had Maltese ready to go. Rupert came to the sanctuary to meet Maltese and we dare say it was love at first sight!

Congratulations to all of our new families and best wishes to all of the ducks as they travel on to their new and loving homes!

Donation Gifts!

In an effort to raise funds to purchase fencing supplies and an aviary net to complete the sanctuary, we are offering special thank you gifts for donation levels of $25, $35, $50, $75 and $100. These gifts were made available on donation and were not purchased using Majestic funds. Please visit our web site to make donations and view the gift options available.

$25 Donation Level: All of the following: (See photo below)

	Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary Retractable Ballpoint Pen
	36 Thimon Thez® Stickers
	1 Thimon Thez® Stickety Doodles™ Magnetic Note Pad

$35 Donation Level: One of the following: (See photo below)

	Thimon Thez® "Thit Happens" Mouse Pad
	Thimon Thez® Magnets (package of 5)

$50 Donation Level: One of the following: (See photo below)

	Plush Majestic Ducks (6 per box in assorted colors)
	Enslaved By Ducks by Bob Tarte (Hardcover)

$75 Donation Level: (See photo below)

Loving Pekin Pair Figurine

$100 Donation Level: (See photo below)

Embden in the Rain Apron

Pet Rock Festival: September 11, 2005

Majestic will be at Pet Rock at Quinsigamond College in Worcester MA on Sunday, September 11th, Noon – 5 p.m. with a rain date of Sunday September 18th.

Pet Rock Fest is not only a huge animal event, but a year-round endeavor to educate, promote and communicate with people the importance of treating animals with kindness. For additional information and to register, please visit the Pet Rock Web Site.

We will be attending Pet Rock to educate folks about duck ownership, visit, answer questions and have some fun! We will be selling a few items to raise money for the sanctuary, and we will be accepting donations.

Young Matthew, our very own Pekin drake, will be with us to greet guests (he is quite the flirt with the ladies!) and Elijah will be in the adoptable pet parade, so you can see how BIG this sweet boy truly is! This is our first ever attendance at Pet Rock and the first time that ducks have been present, so please come and visit us to show your support. Plus, you can bring your dog with you -- just not too close to the ducks!

Preston, Connecticut Foster Care Site

We have a number of gorgeous ducks about to be added to our adoptable page. They are all residing at a Preston, Connecticut foster home.

Soon to Be Available:

	2 (male/female) pairs of Khaki Campbells
	2 black and white blue swede/pekin cross drakes
	1 (male/female) pekin pair

Their photos and descriptions will be viewable on our adoption page very soon, so please keep watch!

*CURRENT  NEWS UPDATE*

WE NO LONGER HAVE WATERFOWL AT FOSTER SITES!

Preparing for Honkers the Goose

We are working hard and saving up money to begin phase II, raising the fence, of our new sanctuary. We have geese waiting to come into sanctuary and once the perimeter fencing is up, we will be able to bring them in, since they will be safe without an aviary net (they will be locked up in houses at night). The top of the perimeter fencing will be protected with razor wire, so that animals will not be able to climb over the fence.

If you or anyone you know is a chain link fencing supplier/installer in Connecticut who can add these items to their stock orders without charging us freight, we could save between $50-$100. Please contact us at director@majesticwaterfowl.org if you can be of any assistance in this regard. Any discounts would also be extremely valuable in helping our funds go further.

Maryland Swans in Need of Assistance

President of Save Maryland Swans, Patrick Hornberger, has contacted us because hundreds of Mute Swans are about to be killed on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. The group is trying to save as many of the swans as they can with the assistance of concerned waterfront residents. According to Patrick, the swans are no longer protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and can now be captured and relocated. If anyone can be of assistance in this endeavor please contact Patrick directly at: eastwind@direcway.com.

Tax Exempt Filing Update

We have filed for tax exemption and have received our acknowledgement from the IRS that it is being reviewed for processing. Tax exemption can take up to six months for approval, but once approved it will go retroactively to 5/19/05, the date of our incorporation.