[NatureNS] Florida

From: Hubcove@aol.com
Full-name: Hubcove
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2014 08:45:06 -0400 (EDT)
To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=mx.aol.com;
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects
--part1_f9a54.6e5219cf.407154d2_boundary
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Just back from three months in the sunshine and hoping Spring  may arrive 
soon. In Vero Beach we had unusually hot temperatures with several  record 
breaking days in the Mid 80s, also astonishing periods of rain, Boynton  beach 
had 21 inches in one day and we had a spell in which 6 inches fell in 4  
hours. The heaviest rain I have ever seen. Some boats in out little Marina 
sank  as a result.
While Disney, the beach and sun are the big attractions for  most people, 
for me the wildlife is a big attraction. From rescuing Gopher  tortoises 
crossing the A1A to watching the Manatees mate behind our unit there  is always 
something interesting. We have a population of beautiful bobcats in  the 
adjoining wildlife area, lots of raccoons and marsh rabbits as well as  Otters 
that are expert in opening bait buckets and stealing the  shrimp.
Our most common birds are woodpeckers. mocking birds and doves  with 
visiting flocks of grackles. Unfortunately we have few small warbler size  birds, 
I suspect because of a very aggressive State mosquito control  program.
During trips out to the Savannahs we see lots of Sandhill  Cranes and their 
chicks. They can become very tame particularly if people set  food out for 
them.
There are a variety of gulls and terns on the beach as well as  visiting 
frigate birds that ride the thermals over the nearby condo developments  and 
migrating Northern Gannets.
In March, large numbers of sharks come inshore and the Spinner  (Mackerel)  
Sharks put on a great display just outside the surf  line.
I fish the surf and the Indian River lagoon which stretches  from Cape 
Canaveral to Stuart and generally do well but the Lagoon has serious  problems 
due to run off from all the canals and Lake Okechobee. The sea  grass is 
dying and there have been record numbers of dead dolphins and Manatees.  Florida 
is well aware of the problem but the solutions are not  easy.
It's good to back, but a little more sun and less snow would  be nice.
Peter Stow
Hubbards  
--part1_f9a54.6e5219cf.407154d2_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3DUS-ASCII" http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 10.00.9200.16843"></HEAD>
<BODY id=3Drole_body style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #=
000000"=20
bottomMargin=3D7 leftMargin=3D7 rightMargin=3D7 topMargin=3D7><FONT id=3Dro=
le_document=20
color=3D#000000 size=3D2 face=3DArial>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>Just back from three months in the sunshine and hoping =
Spring=20
may arrive soon. In Vero Beach we had unusually hot temperatures with sever=
al=20
record breaking days in the Mid 80s, also astonishing periods of rain, Boyn=
ton=20
beach had 21 inches in one day and we had a spell in which 6 inches fell in=
 4=20
hours. The heaviest rain I have ever seen. Some boats in out little Marina =
sank=20
as a result.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>While Disney, the beach and sun are the big attractions=
 for=20
most people, for me the wildlife is a big attraction. From rescuing Gopher=
=20
tortoises crossing the A1A to watching the Manatees mate behind our unit th=
ere=20
is always something interesting. We have a population of beautiful bobcats =
in=20
the adjoining wildlife area, lots of raccoons and marsh rabbits as well as=
=20
Otters that are expert in opening bait buckets and stealing the=20
shrimp.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>Our most common birds are woodpeckers. mocking birds an=
d doves=20
with visiting flocks of grackles. Unfortunately we have few small warbler s=
ize=20
birds, I suspect because of a very aggressive State mosquito control=20
program.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>During trips out to the Savannahs we see lots of Sandhi=
ll=20
Cranes and their chicks. They can become very tame particularly if people s=
et=20
food out for them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>There are a variety of gulls and terns on the beach as =
well as=20
visiting frigate birds that ride the thermals over the nearby condo develop=
ments=20
and migrating Northern Gannets.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>In March, large numbers of sharks come inshore and the =
Spinner=20
(Mackerel) &nbsp;Sharks put on a great display just outside the surf=20
line.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>I fish the surf and the Indian River lagoon which stret=
ches=20
from Cape Canaveral to Stuart and generally do well but the Lagoon has seri=
ous=20
problems due to run off from all the canals and&nbsp;Lake Okechobee. The se=
a=20
grass is dying and there have been record numbers of dead dolphins and Mana=
tees.=20
Florida is well aware of the problem but the solutions are not=20
easy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>It's good to back, but a little more sun and less snow =
would=20
be nice.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>Peter Stow</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>Hubbards&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
--part1_f9a54.6e5219cf.407154d2_boundary--

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects