So today is the 28th day and we've been watching her for a month. She laid 13 eggs total. Checked on her this afternoon and she was still sitting there. Went food shopping and 2 hours later the nest was scattered, mom was dead, and only 9 eggs remained. One of the remaining had a peck hole in the side that didn't go all the way through, so I'm thinking she was attacked by a flock of seagulls. She had been spreading the eggs out so they weren't all under her at once (previously they were piled in a mound and she sat on top). I am guessing the gulls saw the eggs and attacked her. There were no cat tracks in the sand, but many webbed bird tracks. As soon as we realized what happened, we grabbed them all (most were hot still, especially underneath where they were on the nest, but a few were warm and one was a foot or so away from the nest and was cool) and we warmed them back up with a hairdryer (we were desperate to raise the temp quickly!) and now have them in a foam/fleece cuddle cup from my old guinea pig with a heat lamp over them. The temp got to 100 and I had to pull it back. I have a thermometer you use when you get sick in there to monitor the temperature. I candled them and see the air pocket and laid the eggs with the pocket up, but don't know what else to look for. There's no movement and no peeping. Praying these babies make it with a clueless unprepared human!

She's got character! I'm more of a fan of the more "rustic" looking than some of the "perfect pieces." What also might be kind of cool, and add more character: In the spring, brush it with yoghurt and then just find some moss and plop, rub it on. Just let it sit and find its own patina. Or...you could just send it to me! Nancy

Ducks and Geese are very different in there habits. Geese will eat a lot of green plants. Ducks don't graze on land plants like geese do. Never seen any animal eat a plant that is toxic. Most have instinct that tell them not to eat that! Cats are most commonly poisoned by plants than any other animal. Plant them in the boat and enjoy them. I think you will be ok.

Datura stramonium is poisonous to people, and Merck's Veterinary Manual says it's dangerous to "All" animals: It is listed here in the last section ("Dangerous season: All seasons"): http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/toxicology/plants_poisonous_to_animals/range_plants_of_temperate_north_america.html Datura stramonium is widespread in much of the the U.S., and there are also some native Daturas.