Bird Games Mystery Cache
GunnerMac: Leaving the area in the next few months.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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Parking is close to trail, place cache as found, dont discuss the
puzzle or location with other geocachers. Failure to sign log will
result in log deletion. I wont respond to emails asking for hints.
GPS coverage is on and off in the area I averaged 10 approaches to
the cache location, each with 4-5M accuracy.
1 July 2011 Added Hint for puzzle. Even if you solve the puzzle you
might have a hard time locating the cache. I have taken 3 people to
test the cache. None were successful.
25 September - Changed difficulty to 5 Stars (was 4 stars before)
only a few months before the blanket of winter will cover this
cache.
Mallard Duck
The green head and yellow bill of the mallard duck is a familiar
sight to many people living in the Northern hemisphere. In fact,
the mallard is thought to be the most abundant and wide-ranging
duck on Earth.
Mallards prefer calm, shallow sanctuaries, but can be found in
almost any body of freshwater across Asia, Europe, and North
America. They’re also found in saltwater and brackish water
and are commonly found in wetlands.
The male, or drake, is the more distinctively colored of the
mallards. Its iconic green head sits atop a white neckband that
sets off a chestnut-colored chest and gray body. Females are
mottled drab brown in color, but sport iridescent purple-blue wing
feathers that are visible as a patch on their sides. They grow to
about 26 inches (65 centimetres) in length and can weigh up to 3
pounds (1.4 kilograms).
Mallard groups can often be seen head dipping or completely
upending in the water. They rarely dive though, spending their time
near the surface and dabbling for invertebrates, fish, amphibians,
and a variety of plants. They also graze on land, feeding on grains
and plants.
Mated pairs migrate to and breed in the northern parts of their
range and build nests on the ground or in a protected cavity. They
normally lay about a dozen eggs, and the incubation period lasts
just under a month. Mallards are territorial during much of this
period, but once incubation is well underway, males abandon the
nest and join a flock of other males.
Canadian Geese
The ubiquitous Canada goose is one of the best known birds in North
America. It is found in every contiguous U.S. state and Canadian
province at one time of the year or another.
Canada geese are adaptable to many habitats and may thrive wherever
grasses, grains, or berries are available. Because of changing
weather, settlement, and farming patterns, many Canada (not
"Canadian") geese have begun to alter their migrations. Typically,
the birds summered in northern North America and flew south when
cold weather arrived. This cycle endures, but some northern
populations have shortened their flight to traditional wintering
grounds in the southern U.S. and Mexico. Other Canada geese have
become permanent residents of parks, golf courses, suburban
sub-developments, and other human habitats across much of North
America. In some areas, such as airports, they are so numerous that
they are considered a nuisance. Just 50 geese can produce two and a
half tons of excrement in a year.
When the birds do migrate, they form impressive and aerodynamic
"V-formations." They can cover 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) in
just 24 hours with a favourable wind, but typically travel at a
much more leisurely rate. These noisy groups honk their way along
established paths that include designated "rest stops." These
social birds remain in flocks year-round, except while
nesting.
Canada goose populations represent a successful wildlife protection
program that revived dwindling numbers in the beginning of the 20th
century. The birds were guarded by law and even reintroduced in
some areas where their numbers had become low. Today the geese are
a popular game bird, and some management concerns center on keeping
populations in check because of their detrimental effect on
crops.
Trumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan is the tallest of the world's eight swan
species. They range in size from 138 to 158 cm (54 to 61 in.).
Males are slightly larger than females. With a wingspan of up to
2.5 m (8 ft.), they are powerful fliers and capable of speeds up to
80 km/h (50 MPH)
in flight.
Once mated, Trumpeters usually remain together for life. They often
build their nests on the tops of muskrat lodges.
Trumpeter Swans are found only in North America. They were once
common in their breeding range, but by the early 1900s the species
was nearly extinct. The cause can be traced to human activities:
Trumpeter Swans were hunted extensively for food and feathers. The
decline in their numbers sharpened when a market developed in
European settlements for its skin, feathers and down. The trend
continued with the gradual loss of nesting, feeding and wintering
habitats, especially in the United States, to expanded land
use.
Trumpeter Swans are now legally protected in Canada and the United
States, and provided with sanctuaries. Also, their survival is
assisted by habitat restoration and controlled relocation of
populations. As a result, the number of Trumpeter Swans has slowly
increased, and it now relatively common again. In 2005, the global
population was estimated at 35 000 individuals.
Their breeding range is found in pockets of north, west and central
North America. They winter in coastal lakes and rivers from
southern Alaska and western British Columbia southward into the
United States, to Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming, but also as far east
as the state of New York.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Chmmyr - Puvyqf tnzr....FJNA vf n qrpbl.
Treasures
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