[[img=http://thumb10.webshots.net/t/50/50/0/61/59/2417061590049732290XbWDBy_th.jpg]](http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2417061590049732290XbWDBy)
The coffee grounds post got me thinking about how we need to educate our wild creatures about the damage they are doing to our environment.
In the outer Florida Keys, this is a common sight.
The small Mangroves that are trying their darndest to grow are the only place where the Comorants can land to dry their feathers, and from their constant roosting on them the trees cannot grow upwards, and can only make a half hearted attempt to grow stunted and off to the side.
The outer Mangrove Islands are one of the main protectors and wind breaks of the advancing hurricane storm surges for the Florida Keys and south Florida coast.
With all that said, we should probably go around and shoot all the Cormorants since they are leaving more than a trace and the direct cause of all those high rise condos getting their windows blown out, and all those yachts getting trashed by the storm surges.
Just a thought to dwell on this Friday morning while I was day dreaming about paddling the Keys!
cheers,
JackL
Oh well
If you don’t like the affect of the weather patterns which are inadvertantly affected by the Cormorants, you may determine that it’s best not to be in Florida during one of these specific weather events
I’m sure the cormorants don’t give a rats ass as to the affects they have on your happyness.
What about strainers in the river?
Isn’t clearing them out against the “Leave No Trace” idea?
When the cormorant population
skyrockets after their industrial revolution those mangroves will be in real trouble.
Are the cormorants claiming a LNT ethic?
B and B
Honestly, the Lake Erie islands…
are facing a huge problem from cormorants also. Thier poop is so acidic that they’ve killed off all the vegitation an a couple islands…damned federal protection…
So - - how do we get rid of the - -
Naturally. What other creature likes cormorant for dinner. What ticks off the birds and makes them leave.
I got it - - lets take all the stray cats from downtown and put them on the island, They ought to catch a few and scare the rest away.
Import gators for the summer, up north
their. Coromant nesting areas have advantages, catfish like to hang around the rookeries.
Doing my part…
Every time I get close enough to a Cormorant I throw my coffee grounds at it.
The Mangroves did save my home from wind damage last year(Wilma and Katrina) but not the surge(Rita)…
fish pee
A counselor at the local “ranch” for juvenile delinquents tells a great story about one of his “city” kid interns.
On a hot summer day hike in the mountains the hikers came to a high mountain stream. Everyone fell face first into the creek sucking in the cool richness of the ice cold mountain spring water.
The new kid from the city was thirstiest of all until one of the local boys said: “I wouldn’t drink that water, if I was you.”
“Why not?” asked the city kid.
“Did you see those fish that were jumping before we got into the water?”
“Yeah,” said the city kid, warily.
“Where do you think those fish poop and pee?” asked the local kid.
The city kid stopped drinking and went thirsty the rest of the day.
We Need Some New Traditions
Cormorant for Thanksgiving dinner.
Maybe Canada Goose for Christmas with zebra mussel stuffing.
And a nice kudzu salad.
Good morning Jack. It's finally quit raining here in the Piedmont. I'm getting caffeinated for the Sat AM bike ride with my 'friends'. It's going to be windy as hell. I'll be finding the tall guys and keeping my head low. I WILL get on the water this weekend.
Hope you all are doing well.
Hi Rex
Me too on the coffee, but somehow or other some grounds snuck through the filter and into my cup.
It is making for a nice stong brew though.
I could start a whole new thing here about the coffee grounds. Just eat them !!!
They are talkin about gusts here in the high country of sixty mph today.
That should put a few whitecaps on Lake James!
Hey why don’t you join Mark and us a week from Sunday on that “Bear Island paddle” down at the beach?
We are heading down with the travel trailer for seven days,(retirement with your health must be what heaven is like!)
Hope you break the norm today and have the wind at your back both ways.
Cheers,
JackL
On that "fish pee"
We have our own water supply which is gravity, (comes out of the ground up above us).
I then pipe it into a 250 gallon tank, and have a pipe coming from that down to the house.
I know that there is snail shit, crayfish crap and salamander slim in it since I always see them.
Deer, bobcats, racoons and all kinds of other forest critters cross it or drink from it.
Twenty yeas ago one of my many daughters, took two samples, (one from our water, and one from her city water) and sent them off to have them tested.
Her city water came back with the fact that she should put several various types of filters on it.
Our mountain stream water came back with it being pure and needs no filtration, and “unusually soft”.
I have to laugh every time someone says don’t drink from a mountain stream. “You might get Giardia”
Cheers,
JackL
hunting seasons…
more like target practice seasons.
Hey Jack
Good luck in the race and coffee grounds leave no trace, they look like dirt.
Off the Bike and…
Headed to the water. My buddy and I are going to play on the water in an hour. It is WINDY.
I might take you up on the coastal paddling next weekend. I don’t think I have any commitments.
(I want to go to heaven before I die)