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August 28, 2006
Sturgeon Knocks Man Unconscious
IT HAPPENED AGAIN! A man riding a personal watercraft on the Suwannee River in Florida was injured after a 4-ft.-long Sturgeon jumped out of the water and hit him. When the 23-year-old man was hit, he was knocked unconscious and fell off the craft, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials. His girlfriend was riding another watercraft behind him and was able to get to him and hold his head above water before passengers on another boat arrived to pull him from the water and he was then airlifted to a local hospital. In April, a 31-year- old woman was hospitalized after being hit by a 3-ft.- long Sturgeon. Officials say similar accidents occur once or twice a year on the river and that the fish can jump as high as 8 ft. in the air and can weigh up to 200 pounds!
By Scott Shalaway
WHEN THE SUBJECT of migration comes up, most people imagine birds winging their way north or south.But Monarch Butterflies make an equally impressive journey to the mountains of central Mexico each year.
This is shaping up to be a great Monarch season- -I've seen more of these familiar butterflies this summer than I have in years, and I've gotten similar reports from many readers. (Monarch Butterfly by Dawson Gardens)
Western Monarchs winter along the southern California coast, while those east of the Rockies migrate to the Gulf Coast or central Mexico. Mark and recapture studies have shown that Monarchs travel as far as 1,800 miles in just four months. They move only by day at a leisurely pace of 5 to 18 mph. .
Much of what we know about Monarch migration comes from a University of Kansas citizen science program called Monarch Watch. Participants can... Read On
By Kevin Hays
WALDPORT, OR-- For 11-year-old Amber Staron of Salem, seeing wildlife "up close and personal" is something that happens frequently on her aunt and uncle’s 70-arce property just outside Waldport on the Oregon coast.What is normally a great thrill, turned to near tragedy Sunday when the 4-yr.-old deer, who has been raised since it was a fawn around adults and kids, turned from friendly to wild in the blink of an eye. (Amber with "Baby" just before the attack. Photo by Kevin Hays).
The deer, named Baby, was raised by her aunt and uncle after they found her on the side of the road east of Waldport. Baby, at the time was 4-months old, and it’s mother had been hit by a car and killed.
They took the young fawn, nursed it, cared for it, raised it as a pet, and up until Sunday, it had NEVER attacked anyone... Read On
By Sue Hammer
SACRAMENTO, CA— I’m sure many of you have said, “Why bother to save it, it’s just another bird (or animal)?”Wildlife rehabilitation can probably best be described as the undertaking of caring for injured, orphaned or displaced native wildlife with the expectation of returning them to the wild to live their lives free and wild.
Others might see it as an attitude whereby we can validate accountability for preserving an adequate ecosystem. Conceivably, it just may be a therapeutic way for ourselves to minimize our impact on nature.(Photo of baby European Starlings--not a native species)
Wildlife rehabilitation is not just a hobby because we have nothing better to do, but a worthy vocation. Take a moment and just think about it--we literally hold the welfare, health and care of these creatures in our hands. We devote our precious time and resources to this new and accepted profession and as such dedicate ourselves to do the very best we can.
These are living beings and when they come to us... Read On
By Andrea Eilenberger
POHATCONG TWP, NJ--Two weeks ago, Terry Garvey stood in his backyard just before 11 p.m. He was holding on to an ice scraper that he used to pin down the head of a long, brown and black-spotted snake.He bent down slightly, just enough to take a closer look at the wriggling reptile, but it was too far. The snake's head flicked up and its fangs sunk into Garvey's left index finger.
"It had just enough room to strike out and bite me," he said. (Copperhead)
The encounter with the venomous Copperhead landed Garvey, 63, in the hospital for three days. He spent two days in... Read On
Two-headed Elk?
Once in a while you might have an opportunity to make a humorous wildlife photograph as shown in this photo by Linda, HouseOFriends Photography. The two Roosevelt Elk were taking it easy at the Deans Creek Elk viewing area on the Oregon Coast.
For more nature photographs, see
the Gallery on WindStar's web site
and Nature's Best Photographs Album in the American Wildlife Blog.
Mad Bluebird Mugs
Set of 4 (12-oz. each)
$29.95 Order NowUsually he's the "Bluebird of Happiness" but here he appears ruffled and disgusted with the onset of colder weather in this reproduction of the photograph by Michael L. Smith. This is one of the most famous nature photographs ever created and originally was seen in a National Geographic Society birding book.
Here it has been reproduced on 12-oz. porcelain mugs that are microwave and dishwasher safe. Makes a terrific gift!
Wildlife Gets Bad Rap
Leslie Sturges takes exception with the use of the term 'varmit.' "It is a negatively loaded term that in no way represents wildlife, even if said wildlife is residing in your attic. Wildlife are merely wild animals trying to make a living in an increasingly crowded and degraded habitat. Of course, they should not share human houses or occupied buildings, but they have little choice in many instances. Every giant new house takes viable trees, and, as development moves closer and closer to parkland and takes more and more open space, the habitat these animals depend on is..." Read On(Baby Grey Squirrel)
Winter Wrens Fledged Today!
Jan McIntyre says her Winter Wrens fledged this week and she has watched with great interest. "I knew they were present because of their "chimp-chimp" call from sunrise to sunset. As the babies grew, I could see their little beaks poking out of the entrance, anxiously awaiting the next meal. I knew the time was near when they..." Read OnRecent Birding Trends Report
The bird watching population has remained very stable over the years, but there has been a recent drop in the number of Americans birding and the number of field trips taken, according to the "2005 American Bird Watcher" study conducted by the Outdoor Industry Foundation... Read OnTell Us Your Favorite Wildlife Tips
If you are registered to receive the FREE American Wildlife Blog, you can add comments to any of the articles, and if you want to pen your own article, send it to wildlife@windstar.org with the subject line "New Blog Feature."
That's it for this week. Be sure and sign up for the American Wildlife Blog for the latest commentary and please feel free to add comments of your own.
Have An EXCELLENT Day in your WILDLIFE HABITAT!
(Chipmunk adds peanut to already full cheeks by Michael Jones)
Tom Patrick
WindStar Wildlife Instituteemail: wildlife@windstar.orgphone: 301-293-3351web & blog: http://www.windstar.org
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