Writing 101: Indian RIver Lagoon Birds

#writing101

#wordpress

#indianriverlagoon

Indian RIver Lagoon Birds

The assignment was to write something based on an image. We were given a place to get images. I went there and I donated 8 images and then decided to use my own.

Lagoon Birds

When we had the toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee in 2013 all the birds went away. There were no birds.

Gone.

I used to wake up to 100’s of birds tweeting in my back yard.

I have seen a few interesting red birds and of course mourning doves and I did see the wood stork last week. It’s fall so hopefully they will be back soon. There are some birds but not in the great amounts there were when I moved here.

Here is an interesting article by the Audubon Society.

“A new analysis by the National Audubon Society reveals that populations of some of America’s most familiar and beloved birds have taken a nosedive over the past forty years, with some down as much as 80 percent. The dramatic declines are attributed to the loss of grasslands, healthy forests and wetlands, and other critical habitats from multiple environmental threats such as sprawl, energy development, and the spread of industrialized agriculture. The study notes that these threats are now compounded by new and broader problems including the escalating effects of global warming. In concert, they paint a challenging picture for the future of many common species and send a serious warning about our increasing toll on local habitats and the environment itself.

Common Terns, which nest on islands and forage for fish near ocean coasts, lakes and rivers, are vulnerable to development, pollution and sea level rise from global warming. Populations in unmanaged colonies have dropped as much as 70 percent, making the species’ outlook increasingly dependent on targeted conservation efforts.

Little Blue Herons now number 150,000 in the U.S. and 110,000 in Mexico, down 54 percent in the U.S. Their decline is driven by wetland loss from development and degradation of water quality, which limits their food supply.”

Here is an excellent article I found in BioScience starring out friend Dr Edie Widder.

“Just as fishes in the IRL depend on mangroves and seagrasses, wading birds depend on fishes as prey. Herons, egrets, and their relatives are a barometer of how the lagoon’s mosaic of life is faring, according to ornithologist Hilary Swain, executive director of the Archbold Biological Station in Lake Placid. In her research, Swain found that wading birds are one of the most widely recognized elements of biodiversity in the IRL, with 16 species recorded. Among them are the great egret, reddish egret, little blue heron, tricolored heron, wood stork, white ibis, and roseate spoonbill.

birds at bird island Jan 2011

Swain discovered that drawdowns—the periodic lowering of water levels in mosquito control impoundments—result in higher numbers of wading birds in those areas, and that many of the lagoon’s wading birds frequent such impoundments, especially when water levels there are shallow (the easier for the birds to catch fish). Wading birds in the IRL are also found only in locations where, in fact, the fishing is good, making information on herons and their kin useful in determining the overall health of the lagoon.

Birds on bird island Jan 2011

Birds on Bird Island Jan 2011

Mangroves, seagrasses, fishes, birds: How do scientists know how many species there are in the Indian River Lagoon? “We don’t know the exact number,” Tuck Hines says, “but we have a pretty good idea of the IRL’s flora and fauna, thanks to years of research that led to a project called the Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory.”

Birds on Bird Island Jan 2011

Developed by the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, the species inventory is an ever-expanding listing of the species of animals and plants that make their home in the lagoon. Users can access photographic images and taxonomic information via a Web site (www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/index.htm). “The IRL Species Inventory has become the place to go to get information on the lagoon’s biodiversity, whether you’re a scientist, student, government official, or citizen,” Hines says. With some 68 federal, state, local, and other government agencies involved in managing the IRL, Hines adds, “it’s imperative that there be one central place in which this information can be found.”

I think we all need to help inventory the Indian River Lagoon and be on the lookout for all the wonderful birds we use to have to see if they come back.

You all come back now you hear?

Writing 101: Funny

Sep10

#writing101

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Retrospectively Funny.”

I had a hard time picking a word.

The first word I thought I’d write about was synchronicity.

“the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.” Like picking the word and seeing the prompt from yesterday was the same thing I picked. That’s amore!

Also, my assignment was to write a list and I had been meaning to write this reading list for our legislators.

Well that worked out great.

The second word that came to mind was the word “grounded.” Something I aspire to be every day and when I’m not you’ll find me out there seeking assistance. Boring.

Funny.

I like.

So a funny thing happened this week.

Mostly everything I post on Facebook is important information about the environment. I do try to find funny memes. Funny memes and photos of my cat, dog and my grandson get the most likes. I could work on a piece for two days but everyone loves MeMe, Barney and Ethan.

MeMe my cat

Barney my almost 18 year old golden

So sometime over the weekend I posted this funny meme.

Everyone could relate and I got some hysterical comments. If you know my circle of friends the conversation turned political and we were all cracking up.

Then later on I was watching “Flow: For the love of water” documentary and I went to google some about the fish in the Seine River changing sex.

I came across this article:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/testicleeating-fish-the-pacu-found-in-paris-with-fears-it-could-be-coming-to-the-uk-8798118.html

Go look at the photo. This fish with these freakish human teeth.

So I tweet the article to my self. I also remember my fellow blogger and future Martin County Commissioner Jacqui wrote an article about these guys being in Lake Okeechobee!

http://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/tag/pacu/

Then this happened

https://twitter.com/Squidbass7/status/641236312566157312

There was some back and forth. It came at a very cranky moment because I felt like this person didn’t understand the context and I’m still having fantasies of inviting our legislators to Lake O for a swim.

Don’t take away my happy fantasy!

Out of my entire week of seriousness how can anyone take my laughter away.

Sadly it’s true. They are vegetarians. Which reminds me of what my mother always said “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

This poor guy has seen this post so many time and he is in the business of fish. Now I feel terrible.

Apparently you eat these little guys with the big teeth. ( why would mother nature give them such big teeth. What vegetation grows that they need choppers like this to eat? Do I even want to know this.)

Apparently this guys sells them for food along with a bunch of other things that we all love like lobsta’s. Yes I know I spelled that wrong.

He did finally get the joke and I as usual learned something new.

and I thought heard it all when I read about Dove AU Vin last week. But here’s how you cook the little guys.

https://twitter.com/Squidbass7/status/641572965545570304

https://twitter.com/Squidbass7/status/642034070587883520

So here is my gift to Squidbass-takes like chicken hahahahah

Here you go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeU8GKNsrzU

hahahha

Funny

Florida Back Roads: Yesterday’s Woad Twip , The Peace River and oh ya pollution.

Sep7

Yesterday, I drove over to Sarasota to see my family and go to a party. It was a pretty special day. Two birthdays and we would find out a baby gender. I decided to take Barney because there would be a fenced in back yard and it’s cool enough if you leave early in the morning for him to be in the car.

Even though there is so much to talk about, think about and write about we have to remember why we are here in the first place.

It’s a great ride.

We started off in Jensen Beach from our little house on the hill and this glorious sunrise.

Here is Barney my almost 18 year old golden. There’s nothing he loves more than a “Woad Twip.”

Here’s the fog out at fog at Alapattah Flats Management Area. I’m still in Martin County.

Here is our Martin Grade Scenic Hwy. It’s fabulous and worth the ride. The best ride would be coming from the west early in the morning because the light is amazing. Make sure you have a driver because there is no place to stop. I looked behind me as I drove and it was like the light was following me down the road.

The end of this road is the end of Martin County.

Through Okeechobee, Highland County and onto Desoto County which has a grand sign about tranquility and prosperity and something else I can’t remember.

I had to stop. The main reason was I really needed a bathroom and it’s very hard when you travel alone with a dog to find a place you can just run into and safely leave your dog in the car with the windows down. Barney barks not when you come towards him but when you leave. I’m sure if we were ever robbed he would bark as the robber’s were leaving abandoning him. “Come back. Don’t leave me!”

Just an interesting note. In Arcadia, FL the streets are names for the Florida Counties. I’ve stopped there a few times and I really need to go back and I think it would a fun place to meet the kids in the future.

Check it out.

“Arcadia is famous throughout Florida for its historic downtown antique district. Additionally, on the fourth Saturday of each month, vendors from surrounding locations take over our streets with even more wares and precious finds. Tucked between the shops, you’ll have the chance to enjoy cafés, home cooking, a tea room and even an old fashion ice cream parlor, complete with homemade delicious flavors, sundaes and shakes.”

The second reason was I wized past this place so many times I just wanted to see what it was and take Barney for a little walk and shoot some photos.

Across the road there were guns going off. Hundreds of cars and people shooting guns and a big no trespassing sign.

This is where we went.

http://www.desotobocc.com/department/parks_recreation/desoto-veterans-memorial-park

DeSoto Veterans Memorial Park

2195 NW American Legion Dr Arcadia, FL 34266

“With boat ramp and picnic areas, this park is used frequently by groups and large gatherings such as Pioneer Days and Relay for Life. With the shade provided by the large oak trees, this is the perfect place to park and enjoy your lunch hour. This park also features restroom facilities.”

When traveling in Florida you always to leave a little early because there’s always someplace to stop with your dog and take a moment to breath and use the rest room.

Here is the Peace RIver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_River_%28Florida%29

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (photos are mine)

The Peace River is a river in the southwestern part of the Florida peninsula, in the U.S.A. It originates at the juncture of Saddle Creek and Peace Creek northeast of Bartow in Polk County and flows south through Hardee County to Arcadia in DeSoto County

and then southwest into the Charlotte Harbor estuary at Port Charlotte in Charlotte County. It is 106 miles (171 km) long and has a drainage basin of 1,367 square miles (3,540 km²). U.S. Highway 17 runs near and somewhat parallel to the river for much of its course. The river was called Rio de la Paz (River of Peace) on 16th century Spanish charts. It appeared as Peas Creek or Pease Creek on later maps. The Creek (and later, Seminole) Indians call it Talakchopcohatchee, River of Long Peas.^[3] Other cities along the Peace River include Fort Meade, Wauchula and Zolfo Springs.

Fresh water from the Peace River is vital to maintain the delicate salinity of Charlotte Harbor that hosts several endangered species, as well as commercial and recreational harvests of shrimp, crabs, and fish. The river has always been a vital resource to the people in its watershed. Historically, the abundant fishery and wildlife of Charlotte Harbor supported large populations of people of the Caloosahatchee culture (in early historic times, the Calusa). Today, the Peace River supplies over six million gallons per day of drinking water to the people in the region. The river is also popular for canoeing.^[5]

There were many Pleistocene and Miocene fossils found throughout the Peace River area, eventually leading to the discovery of phosphate deposits. Most of the northern watershed of the Peace River comprises an area known as the Bone Valley.

The Peace River is a popular destination for fossil hunters who dig and sift the river gravel for fossilized shark teeth and prehistoric mammal bones. Several campgrounds and canoe rental operations cater to fossil hunters, with Wauchula, Zolfo Springs, and Arcadia being the main points of entry.

http://www.protectingourwater.org/watersheds/map/sarasota_bay_peace_myakka/peace/

A number of major restoration activities are under way in the watershed, particularly in the Peace River region. The objectives of the SWFWMD’s Upper Peace River Watershed Restoration Initiative include the restoration of surface water storage and flows and aquifer recharge, as well as improvement to water quality and ecosystems that have been lost, degraded, or significantly altered. The initiative will provide a critical link to a major greenway that extends from Florida’s lower west coast up through the Peace River watershed and Green Swamp, and north to the Ocala National Forest. Projects undertaken through the initiative involve Lake Hancock, the upper Peace River, and the Peace Creek Canal.

Why can’t I just write a blog about the great things in Florida.

THREAT: PHOSPHATE MINING
HUGE PHOSPHATE MINES ARE DEVOURING THE PEACE RIVER WATERSHED, LEAVING BEHIND UNSTABLE CLAY POOLS THAT PREVENT WATER FROM REACHING THE RIVER — UNTIL THEY COLLAPSE.

Peace River Makes the 2004 Most Endangered Rivers List

Lorelei Jackson
04.14.04

Florida – America’s rivers and streams are becoming more polluted — and the White House and Congress are making a bad situation worse by cutting clean water law enforcement and spending on pollution prevention, charged American Rivers with the release of its 2004 Most Endangered Rivers report.

* On President Bush’s watch, EPA is issuing less than half as many “violation notices” to polluters who break the law, and is levying smaller fines, as well

* One-fourth of America’s largest industrial and sewage treatment plants are in “significant noncompliance” with water pollution standards at any one time

* The White House and Congress have declined to reauthorize the Superfund tax to ensure that polluters pay to cleanup toxic waste instead of the taxpayers

* On his first day in office, President Bush scrapped a proposal to require wastewater treatment plants to notify the public when the spill sewage into streams and rivers.

* In November 2003, the EPA proposed to sanction dumping fully and partially treated sewage into rivers when it rains.

* The federal government used to pay 20% of water infrastructure costs. Now it pays 5% and President Bush has asked the Congress to cut this by another third for 2005.

* Removed restrictions that protect streams from mountaintop removal coal mining

* Issued new nationwide permits for building shopping centers, tract housing, and corporate campuses on top of wetlands and flood-prone areas

* Discouraged federal field staff from protecting many wetlands and streams under the Clean Water Act.

* 51% of the mouths of America’s rivers were designated “impaired” in 2000, up from 37% in 1994

* EPA estimates that sanitary sewers overflow directly into streams, lakes, and estuaries 40,000 times and that as many as 3.5 million American get sick from swimming in water laced with sewage each year.

* Forty-three states have issued fish-consumption advisories along 500,000 miles of river

* The United States loses 60,000 acres of wetlands each year – increasing the frequency and severity of floods

Summary
Phosphate mining in the Peace River watershed has been the source of serious environmental problems for many years, and large new mines are planned. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) must take measures to safeguard the river and communities in the watershed from mining impacts, including protecting drinking water, and important tourism and commercial fishing industries.

I have to do more research. If any of you guys have any more info email me at clenz@mac.com.

Must watch Video on Bear Hunt. Then funny bear video.

Sep5

The national news (Newsweek) are painting us as ok with this bear hunt.

http://www.newsweek.com/florida-totally-cool-black-bear-hunting-season-347367

Asked whether bears are the biggest threat to bears, Wraithmell responds: “I don’t believe that’s supported by science right now…. In addition to habitat loss, major causes of mortality for bears in Florida are roadkill and euthanasia for nuisance bears.”

This is the video from the hearing in Ft Lauderdale.

http://thefloridachannel.org/videos/9215-florida-fish-wildlife-conservation-commission-part-4/

Here are some comments I jotted down as I listened.

“Letters after Letters and we are being ignored.” (Sound familiar?)
Vivian Handy : 28 biologists redefinition was not due to the population number but when it was delisted as threatened. This will effect the success of dening. The hunt will introduce noise and fears, pregnant mothers could be short and the cubs could be shot.
People talk about Florida’s reputation. (Just kick us in the head.)

http://www.newsweek.com/florida-totally-cool-black-bear-hunting-season-347367

Persons with masters wetlands biologists says this ignorance greed trumping science

the humane society of the united states was there.

Chuck O’Neal: Your hunt is based on cherry picked data

We don’t even know how many bears we have!

You are appointed and not elected and you don’t have to listen to the people
we’ll see you court. We’ll see you in the media

Jon Ullman the sierra club: ” Its about development. ”

Your not going to get rid of the nuisance problem by opening up the hunt

If your going to kill something you should eat not stuff it.

I can’t believe these are the people making decisions for our animals.

There’s no explanation. This is rigged.

Ronald Bergeron, one of the commissioners, said he can’t vote for any quota is against the hunt because he doesn’t see the science. He believes that bears are an icon of Florida. He think the train has moved very rapidly.
(at about 2:00) He lays out the scenario about when hunting is appropriate.

2:08 water in the WMAS blamed sfwmd
position paper on water level (Have to go look for that)

Just so people know we have plenty of hunting in Florida but here on the FWC has proudly put a hunter with a dead bear on their website.

http://myfwc.com/hunting/

We NEED people to go hunting the Everglades for pythons and we need divers to go after Lionfish. We have alligator hunting, hog hunting, deer hunting, dove hunting, duck/waterfoul hunting, Raccoon, opossum, skunk, nutria, beaver, coyote, bobcat, and river otter, Quail, turkey and wild hogs.

Dove hunting really?

apparently so. If you google dove recipes there are plenty. Like this one.

Continue reading →

Stop the bear hunt, save the panthers. manatee’s you’re next. SOS SOS Please help us! save our Florida!

Sep4

It’s never too early to start thinking about who we need for Governor and we need to start doing this right now. We simply will not survive any of Rick Scott’s cronies and I’m sure he’s got his own people up his nasty evil sleeves to pass on this murderous deregulation.

I’ve been told the end game is total deregulation so polluters can pollute and builders can build where ever they want. I see it going on here even in Martin County where this guy wants to build these really ugly places where you have your business downstairs and you live upstairs. The location is right near our beautiful greenway and Haney Creek.

This is not the Martin County I moved to. The one I moved too had a clean lagoon, lots and lots and lots of green. The old road near my house was upgraded to a pretty road with little circles just ripe for a developer to build what ever he wants and the sewage lines are not moved up near the lagoon where we could all hook up but close enough for developers to develop.

I read on twitter last week that the most protected animal in Florida was the developer.

But right now I want to talk about black bears.

We used to have black bears here on Hutchinson Island. My friend, fellow wordpress blogger and future Martin County Commissioner wrote a blog about it.

http://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2014/02/25/black-bears-of-hutchinson-island-our-wild-past/

“According to historian Alice Luckhart, the black bear population on Hutchinson Island was completely wiped out by about 1930. (http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/feb/03/historical-vignettes-when-bears-roamed-hutchinson-/)

Before modern man came and planted bean fields and produced honey, the bears ate turtle eggs, palmetto berries and the riches of the Indian River Lagoon and St Lucie River. But they they became a problem, so we “wiped them out.”

We wiped them out.

We must stop wiping things out.

must.

We must live in the sunshine. We live in the sunshine state but do not have sunshine. Only evil darkness that lurks like the boogeymen under our beds. Koch roaches.

I spent the last few years documenting our water issues. We didn’t get what we needed and there is lots to do but I really believe in my heart that we were meant to go through what we did together to make us better, smarter, well educated advocates who have a really clear vision of what the big picture is. We literally saw people following the orders of rick scott. It’s our job to educate others. Asking for things will not work. The will of the people does not work. We are seeing this with amendment 1. The people of Florida voted for amendment one and the legislators stole it.

We need a Governor who will remember that he represents us and not his evil cronies.

You watch this trailer and then you tell me if you want to go out and kill a bear. For what? Bear doesn’t taste good. No one wears fur.

Who is the enemy of the bear? Humans.

This week there was a big meeting in Fort Lauderdale. This is what happened.

http://www.wptv.com/news/state/harvest-numbers-set-for-revived-florida-bear-hunt

“The bear hunt, approved by the commission in June and set to start Oct. 24, will last from two to seven days. While the hunt is supposed to end in each region once the preset quotas are reached, hunters are guaranteed a minimum of two days of pursuing bears.

The state has sold 1,948 bear hunting permits SO FAR.

I’m go to throw something else out here. The purpose of government is to protect us. I never really thought about this until I went for training to be a weather spotter. The mission of our weather service is not to entertain us or drive us crazy when storm are approaching. Life and Limb. That’s it!

Florida fish and wildlife have the nerve to have this on their website.

https://license.myfwc.com/Customer/InternetCustomerLookup

“Whether fishing or hunting, we hope you enjoy your time and we appreciate your thoughtful participation in the preservation and conservation of the natural resources in the great State of Florida. Thank you.”

Hypocrites.

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/fwc-officials-to-set-bear-hunt-limit/35058086

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. –

“Despite throngs of protesters, bear advocates were dealt a crushing defeat Wednesday when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the killing of 320 bears next month during the state’s first bear hunting season in more than 20 years.

“When this many people are speaking out and advocating for the bears, how would it have hurt them to put it off for a year and get better science behind it?” Terri Miller asked.

The decision by FWC comes after a series of bear attacks on people and pets.”

Except those bears are not the one’s getting killed. The hunters are going into the forest and chasing the bears out of their habitat into the populated areas.

Only in Florida.

Of course there is no science because the government of Florida doesn’t believe in science. They only believe in cronies.

Here is the video from Ft Lauderdale yesterday.

http://thefloridachannel.org/videos/9215-florida-fish-wildlife-conservation-commission-part-4/

We need your help.

What can you do?

Go here and stay connected with whats going on.

https://www.facebook.com/stopbearhunt?fref=nf

This is an online bear hunt protest on Facebook. It will take place every Friday and you can send a message to the people who are in charge. Tell them you won’t come to Florida if this hunt goes through.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1064535313556616/

and you can sign this petition.

http://www.care2.com/causes/how-you-can-help-stop-the-upcoming-florida-black-bear-hunt.html

Thank you so much everyone! It’s very important that people from outside Florida speak out and condemn this.The majority of the people of Florida do not want this bear hunt. We need to take our Florida back.

The Wood Stork is Back!

Sep1

This morning my friend Bev from San Francisco put this on her Facebook Page.

“I`ve decided to have a most excellent week. ”

I saw that and thought “YA me too! I’m going to have an excellent week.” and I shared her post.

It really changed my usual very bummed out Monday morning mood.

When I go out on one of my adventure trips with my friend Jules I am amazed. She knows the names of all the birds and the plants. To my own defense I can name all the bones in the body and I can recite the cranial nerves.

On old Olympus towering tops a fin and german spied some hops.

Olfactory

Optic

Oculomotor

Trigeminal

Abducens

Facial

Auditory

Glossopharyngeal

Vagus

Spinal Accessory

Hypogiossal

So there!

I know and love vultures, pelicans. I get a lot of mourning birds in my yard and also these really pretty red woodpeckers. I know these are woodpeckers because they hang on the telephone pole and peck away.

Last year I was driving down my favorite back road and I saw this guy and I had no idea what it was but he looked so cool that I stopped and took a photo.

This gorgeous one was hanging out in Stuart, FL as of August 28, 2013. It is classified as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Stork aids in new beginnings as there is a spiritual and/or physical birthing taking place. He will aid in carrying the new birthing of ideas, thoughts and new ventures to where they need to be for Spirit’s plan. It is time for actions in areas in your life as Stork teaches to move in air (mind) and land (body) with a balance of relaxation. He instills a sense of calm and peace through the process. Stork helps in solidifying and strengthening the domestic fronts as well. Take notice of communication abilities and the attitudes and emotions that your words hold. Stork will show how to carry your new peace into all areas of your life.

http://fl.audubon.org/wood-stork

The Wood Stork is one of Florida’s signature wading birds, a long-legged, awkward-looking bird on land that soars like a raptor in the air. Like many Florida birds associated with wetlands, the Wood Stork has suffered from the destruction and degradation of our state’s wetlands. Today, the Wood Stork is classed “Endangered” by the State of Florida and the federal government.

That’s another story for another day. Today we celebrate that he’s back and he’s safe.

They usually go back to the same place year after year. I usually drive down this road a few times a week. I’ve been looking for him.

I did get out of the car and welcome him back. He moved his beak and said said some in woodstorkeez.

He gave me hope that I really will have an excellent week.

cyndi lenz

psych nurse, documentary filmmaker, photographer, crazed river warrior of the Indian River Lagoon.

Category Archives: environment