Richard Alley, Jr., of Isleford, Maine, a lobsterman by trade and artist by hobby, took first prize in the 1999 Maine Migratory Waterfowl Stamp Contest. This year’s subject was the black duck, and Alley’s rendition of a solitary black duck taking flight in a sunlit marsh garnered the most points from the five judges. "The black duck is a dark bird, so I wanted to use a light background," said Alley, who worked on the oil painting over a period of weeks this winter in his workshop. Alley’s workshop, on Little Cranberry Island, splits time as a studio. This is the third time that Alley’s work has been honored as the Maine Migratory Waterfowl Stamp. His white-winged scoter in 1995 and green-winged teal in 1988 took first place. Alley will receive a cash award of $1,000 and a sheet of 10 stamps with his design on them.