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Posted by Paul-the-other on 15:37:12 08/11/11
With the removal of a 6 foot 80 pound alligator from the waterway next to Hoechoka Hammock the ducks are returning. This morning we saw several female mottled ducks with 3 week old ducklings in tow, the fulvous whistliners trio is back again and now the waterway sports 10 black bellied whistling ducks. The wood duck ducklings are almost self sufficient. The male wood duck never did appear. Also the red-shouldered hawk has a more obvious presence and is enjoying the wood rats.In Florida, hispid cotton rats are common in sabal palm (Sabal palmetto)-coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) savanna. In the Southeast, hispid cotton rats prefer grassy understories of fire-maintained loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)-shortleaf pine (P. echinata) and longleaf pine (P. palustris)-slash pine (P. elliottii) stands
Of concern: We have buried three possums in the last two months. All three were next to water or in water and showed bloated bellies. Is that a sign of poisoning? Rat poison? The church and school use a commercial pesticide company but they say their bait has no effect on larger mammals. I wonder.
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