Goose "Maria". Grenada Dove. Wind Power. Shopping for Pet Food.

"Winged Wednesday" again.

A Goose named Maria

 

Part 2 of The Goose Named Maria. The story continues as Maria goes to the zoo

and Dominic struggles to help our goose adapt to the new surroundings.

 

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Grenada Dove:

"Endemic to the Caribbean island nation of Grenada, the Grenada Dove is the country’s national bird, and one of the most critically endangered in all the Caribbean. It is restricted to patches of seasonal dry woodlands in the west and southwest of the island, with a population as low as 136 individuals.

The primary threat to the dove is loss of habitat as a result of tourism, housing developments, quarrying activities, and fire. Additional tourism development is planned for the Mt. Hartman Estate, one of the bird’s last stronghold locations.

Access to water, especially during the dry season, could also be a limiting factor for the species. ABC is funding a research project with the Grenada Dove Conservation Programme to identify key sites that can then be protected."

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Make Wind Power Bird-Smart

Wind power can be an important energy source, but it needs to be done right.  Wind farms kill birds including Golden Eagles, songbirds, and endangered species such as the Whooping Crane through collisions, and also harm the habitat of other birds such as sage-grouse.

 

By 2030, there will be more than 100,000 wind turbines in the U.S., and these are expected to kill at least one million birds each year—probably significantly more.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Wind power can be bird-smart if developed appropriately, but industry will not do this unless mandated.

You can send a message as part of an official public comment that asks for the Draft Fish and Wildlife Wind Guidelines to be strengthened and made mandatory. Just use the button below. It's easy!

 

 

Golden Eagle,BLM

 

 

And don't forget to personalize the letter with your own thoughts and comments. It will greatly increase our impact if each letter is different.

 

 

 

 

 

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Six More California Condors Suffer Lead Poisoning From Ammo, Three Die

"Three more California Condors, among the most endangered birds in the world, have died from lead poisoning from ammunition, while three others were treated for lead poisoning.  This brings the total number of condors killed by lead in the last 11 years to 19.

Up to 10 million birds and other animals die each year from lead poisoning in the United States, including Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Loons, Trumpeter Swans, and doves. This occurs when animals scavenge on carcasses shot and contaminated with lead bullet fragments, or pick up and eat spent lead shot pellets or lost fishing weights, mistaking them for food or grit. Some animals die within days, while others suffer for years from lead’s debilitating effects. "

Read the full story here

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Yesterday:

Jay and I went shopping in Conroe.  My dog and cats like Taste of The Wild dry food, species appropriate, of course.  The local feed store was out of the small bags, so we went to another branch in Conroe, but all they had was the dog variety, so that was all I could get there. The cats also do well on Exclusive Cat Food, but they were out of the small bags of that, too.

Misty usually eats Taste of The Wild "High Prairie Canine Formula with Roasted Bison and Roasted Venison".  This new bag is "Wetlands Canine Formula with Roasted Fowl", first ingredient is duck.   Sounds all very healthy, they are both grain-free of course.    I don't need much dog food, with just Misty to feed now, but as she has only four back teeth, I soak a little dry food in Salt-Free Chicken Broth, and mix that with her Organix canned food.

 

We stopped at a three thrift shops, nothing really yanked our chains. We took another look at a free enormous oak slatted free-standing shelf thing, but decided it wasn't worth the time to try to take it apart to move it.  But we did pick up another free long wooden double shelf thing with some good lumber in it, which did fit in the van, and a baby gate.

 

After finding a few bargains, like some salmon and Greek yogurt at Krogers, we went to Petsmart, and bought Avoderm dry cat food there. Never bought that before, and not really what I wanted.   The kittens aren't diving into it like they do the Taste of The Wild grain-free "Rocky Mountain Feline Formula with Roasted Venison and Salmon".  Probably because it has some cornmeal in it, they are not used to junk filler grain ingredients like that.   Cats are carnivores, and should be treated as such. 

Bobcat and Prime's main meals are Wellness grain-free canned food, but they both like to scrunch on some dry food.   The kittens are still getting 3-4 canned meals a day as their main source of food, as a dry food only diet is bad for cats and can/will cause urinary problems.  But as they are growing, I like to keep some dry available in case they get hungry, and it helps with cutting their teeth.  Sometimes, it just gets batted around the floor.

 

The power company had left a recorded message saying that they were sorry for the power outages the other day, saying it was a tree on the lines that had caused it. 

 

It's going to be really busy about 7.30 AM as the power company is going to cut down 5 very tall dead pine trees, which are on the lot line between my Lot 3 and the neighbor's Lot 4.  If a storm should topple them, they would go right on the power lines. I have to move both my utility trailers, the motor home, and the cargo trailer, so that they can get their big bucket truck in that driveway.  Seems they are trying to remove all dangerous trees, which is a good thing.

 

Thank goodness they are doing it early in the day.