Posted by Juan on April 01, 2004 at 23:00:59:
This past Monday while looking for tarpon I made a quick stop on the extremely small key North of Sandy Key, Carl Ross Key, and found three dead Great White Herons. There were two live Great White Herons working the shoreline. Two of the dead herons were heaped upon one another underneath a bush. None were dismembered. At least two had been disembowled, the work of a Turkey Vulture I suppose. Judging by the relatively good condition of the dead birds they seemed to have died recently. I should have examined them a bit closer for gunshot wounds; two years ago in the Lower Keys backcountry I heard dozens of shotgun blasts coming from Sawyer Key and watched hundreds of cormorants take flight. I reported it to a ranger. Carl Ross Key doesn't hold any bobcats, perhaps the birds died of natural causes but it was still strange. Any ideas? I never find dead Great Whites.
A quick look in Lake Ingrahm found decent numbers of peeps and one Whimbrel.
There's a nice tight flock of 90+ Roseates that's been wintering in a Cape Sable backcountry lagoon.
Juan
Miami, Fl