While watching the surge pond at North Seattle Community College, I
witnessed some clever gadwalls.

The pond is approx. 40 yds wide and 150-200 yards long. Two fuzzy
medium sized dogs entered the pond about 3/4 of the way up
and swam toward the gadwalls: 8 adults, 6 or so babies.

Two of the female gadwalls paddled just in front of the dogs who
dutifully dog-paddled after them in a fruitless effort to catch
them.

Every time the dogs started to head toward the baby group, the two
females would wait and let them get close to them and lead them
away, first heading north up the pond, then the gadwalls swam around them
and head south.

The dogs followed, paddling at first ferociously, then as time passed
doggedly after the two females while mom and the kids went of on their
own.

When they reached the south end where I was standing, the two females
were boxed in. Of course, they took off and landed just on the other
side of the dogs. The dogs paddeled around and started to follow
them back up the pond!

Fortunately for the dogs the two gadwalls now paddled deliberately
away from them quickly, so the dogs finally had enough sense to
turn around and head for the closest shore.

I wonder how long they would have kept following the gads if the gads
had let them.

Once out of the water, the two dogs "trotted" exhaustedly away.

Good swimmers, but not real bright.

Douglas F. Daily
ddaily at u.washington.edu
University of Washington
Nursing Payroll, Box 356153
Seattle WA 98195