[NatureNS] Back on line

From: Hubcove@aol.com
Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2007 07:55:51 EDT
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Just returned after some time in the sun. We spent about two months in  
Florida and one month in the Abaco Cays. Where we stay near the Indian River  
Lagoon there has been a noticeable decline in small birds over the last few  years, 
probably because of the enormous increase in housing  development,  mosquito 
spraying and the like. St Lucie County is one of the fastest growing  
communities in the USA. Shore birds don't seem to have suffered so much and  there 
seems to have been a significant increase in scavenger species,  particularly 
Buzzards and Vultures. We did not notice any decline in Manatees  and dolphins in 
the lagoon but I have to think that the huge developments and  resulting 
runoffs will effect them sooner or later. 
Man O War Cay in the Abacos, only about 150 miles East of Florida, was  a 
huge contrast. It is a small Cay with no natural predators other than the  
occasional hawk and a few domestic cats. We stay on a heavily wooded lot which  is 
alive with birds, many of which are very tame. We had a tame Yellow Crowned  
Night Heron at the dock which came for scraps every time I cleaned a fish.  
Various warblers came to the door for scraps and there were Bananaquits and  Cuban 
Emerald humming birds around constantly. A down side were the three  species 
of doves which are abundant and which were breeding in  February.  
Consequently it was impossible to sleep after sunrise because of the noise.  Other 
species were Mocking Birds, Cuckoos, Anis, Frigate Birds for which the Cay  is 
named, and of course the  usual assortment of herons and other  wading birds. The 
Islanders were still talking about a parrot invasion the  previous fall. 
Apparently about a dozen parrots had been blown over from the  parrot preserve on 
Great Abaco. They stayed for a few weeks until they had  decimated all the fruit 
trees. Apparently they could strip a small citrus tree  in a day. From the 
photographs they appeared to be Red Crowned. 
Peter Stow
Hubbards



   

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<DIV>Just returned after some time in the sun. We spent about two months in=20
Florida and one month in the Abaco Cays. Where we stay near the Indian River=
=20
Lagoon there has been a noticeable decline in small birds over the last few=20
years, probably because of the enormous increase in housing &nbsp;developmen=
t,=20
mosquito spraying and the like. St Lucie County is one of the fastest growin=
g=20
communities in the USA. Shore birds don't seem to have suffered so much and=20
there&nbsp;seems to have been&nbsp;a significant increase in scavenger speci=
es,=20
particularly Buzzards and Vultures. We did not notice any decline in Manatee=
s=20
and dolphins in the lagoon but I have to think that the huge developments an=
d=20
resulting runoffs will effect them sooner or later. </DIV>
<DIV>Man O War Cay in the Abacos, only about 150 miles East of Florida,&nbsp=
;was=20
a huge contrast. It is a small Cay with no natural predators other than the=20
occasional hawk and a few domestic cats. We stay on a heavily wooded lot whi=
ch=20
is alive with birds, many of which are very tame. We had a tame Yellow Crown=
ed=20
Night Heron at the dock which came for scraps every time I cleaned a fish.=20
Various warblers came to the door for scraps and there were Bananaquits and=20
Cuban Emerald humming birds around constantly. A down side were the three=20
species of doves which are abundant and which were breeding in&nbsp; Februar=
y.=20
Consequently it was impossible to sleep after sunrise because of the noise.=20
Other species were Mocking Birds, Cuckoos, Anis, Frigate Birds for which the=
 Cay=20
is named, and&nbsp;of course the &nbsp;usual assortment of herons and other=20
wading birds.&nbsp;The Islanders were still talking about a parrot invasion=20=
the=20
previous fall. Apparently about a dozen parrots had been blown over from the=
=20
parrot preserve on Great Abaco. They stayed for a few weeks until they had=20
decimated all the fruit trees. Apparently they could strip a small citrus tr=
ee=20
in a day. From the photographs they appeared to be Red Crowned.&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Peter Stow</DIV>
<DIV>Hubbards</DIV></FONT>   </BODY></HTML>

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