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andydp
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Joined: 23 Sep 2003
Posts: 8122
Location: Upstate NY near Albany
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 Posted: 04/16/05 - 19:29 Post subject: Latest on Washington's Duckgate (Feel good story)
US officials heighten duck security at summit
15 April 2005
WASHINGTON: US officials bolstered security today for a duck nursing eggs near the White House to protect her from demonstrators at a global economic summit beginning tomorrow.
Officials are concerned protesters could disturb the mallard hen, who is incubating what officials say are nine eggs at the foot of a tree on the sidewalk in front of the Treasury Department and next door to the presidential residence.
"We are widening the perimeter around the duck as a precautionary measure," Treasury spokesman Rob Nichols said.
The waterfowl, who may now be one of the best-protected birds on the planet, laid her eggs on top if a mound of mulch at the foot of a freshly planted sapling over the weekend of April 2-3. Her ducklings are expected to hatch the week of April 25-29.
Workers today erected a second line of metal crowd-control barriers about 3 metres outside stanchions already in place to keep people at arm's length from the duck.
The bird spends her days nibbling mulch around her, dozing in the spring sunshine, or feathering her nest. Every evening at dusk, she covers her eggs and leaves for about 15 minutes to feed, a Treasury official said.
Decision-making about the duck's safety was closely guarded.
"We don't comment on security matters," Nichols said.
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