Best of 2000: Best Duck Feeding

Lake Murray,
San Carlos

Though wild, the ducks at this lake just north of I-8 in San Carlos are well cared for. One middle-aged man comes every day with a duffel bag full of chicken feed, and he can tell you most of the ducks' names, including several former pets dropped off by owners who became horrified when their cuddly peeper turned into a hungry, crap-squirting quacker. Several varieties are here: teal, canvasbacks, mallard, and the beautiful crested wood duck. The turkey-looking Muscovy ducks, with swollen red growths on their face, are bold and friendly and will eat cracked corn out of your hand. Never feed bread to ducks, as this swells in their stomachs and can kill them. Watch out for the huge, honking geese with the bulging beaks. They can be territorial.