Wildlife Watching Once Again!

     You may have noticed that I've been away for a bit - between being so desparately ill from falling in the creek and the end of the school year, I've been spending much of my time doing turtle talks, responding to turtle rescue calls and watching the wildlife out along the creek. 
     The turtles and I have been spreading the word about how everyone can make a difference when it comes to taking care of the environment - we spent a day with the Delaware Avenue pre-schoolers and Anne Higgins' high school science classes in Palmyra (Many thanks to her 8th period class for loading up the truck at the end of the day!) We were even on WXTU this past Saturday - they were broadcasting live from Petco's Pet Adoption event. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to see the turtles and asked about turtle adoptions.
     As predicted, the turtles took advantage of the high tides associated with the new moon in May and the full moon at the beginning of June to leave the waterways to lay their eggs.  I've had calls about turtles at Teaberry Run, on Carriage Way, at Palmyra Harbor, Woodside Lane and at least a half dozen other spots. So far, I haven't received any reports of fatalities due to turtles being hit by cars, but there have been reports of nests that were ripped apart by predators at Palmyra Cove, and a couple of nests on my property were destroyed by ants.
     In case you've forgotten, we are working to save the snapping turtles in the Pompeston for a reason. Just as turkey vultures eat "road kill", preventing us from being up to our knees in squashed raccoons and possums and skunks, the snapping turtles eat the half-eaten fish and rotten plants that other creatures leave behind in the water. Turtles work harder and are more effective at helping to keep the water clean than most humans ever do!
     There are perks that come with keeping track of the turtles - I get to see all kinds of critters that share the watershed with the snappers. While the numbers and species vary from day to day, here's what I saw yesterday: gold finch, bald eagle, great blue heron, mallard ducks, stupid geese and their stupid goslings (sorry- I'm really tired of goose poo!), Duck Duck the Muscovy duck, mockingbirds, red wing blackbirds, titmice and chickadees, blue jays, woodpeckers, red tailed hawk, 6 - 8 large carp & about 6 baby carp, sunfish, perch, banded killifish, shiners, top minnows, green frogs, a northern leopard frog,  6 channel catfish (sometimes there are between 8 and 12, all at least a foot long), 2 muskrats, 5 beavers, raccoons, an opossum, a skunk, squirrels, moles, 6-10 eastern painted turtles, several red belly turtles, a couple of large snappers - that's a pretty typical day!
     If you decide to do a little wildlife watching for yourself, I've got a couple of helpful hints to make the experience a happy one. Insect repellent is a must! You should also wear a hat - keeps ticks out of your hair. Take a water bottle, and something to sit on - be prepared to sit quietly for a while in order to see the most critters. During the day, a pair of polarized sunglasses allow you to see the different kinds of fish in the water, without them you just see shadows. A pair of binoculars and a camera will add to the day. If you go at night, take a good flashlight, but try letting your eyes get used to the dark and you'll be amazed at what you'll see. After a while, you'll begin to know what kind of ripples in the water mean what kind of creature. You'll get to know what time certain animals come out, you'll learn to watch the tides and get to know how they affect the wildlife.
     The most important thing is to be patient! Younger kids have a hard time with this - they want to see the animals now. If you have small children, trying taking them for a walk along the creek, perhaps behind Rush School - you can get them to be quiet whild still moving - making it more enjoyable for them and you.
     You are welcome to stop by the Turtle Lady dock and scenic overlook on S. Pompess Ave. - If I'm there, I'll be happy to point out some of our featured creatures, and maybe even give you a ripple lesson! I can be reached at 609-760-3223 or through the Patch. See you out on the creek!