Hi Stim and Mjb
Thanks for being here.
I am still sad in my heart about what I witnessed at the Hastings nest.
I have to make myself not think about it.

Yesterday I lost 2 more birds that I was watching.
It was the Audubon Osprey babies.
They were taken by an eagle.
I don't think eagles usually eat baby Ospreys or do they?
There are not as many fish in the sea anymore.
I think that was the problem at the Audubon nest.
I read about 2 Osprey babies that starved to death not long ago, even though they had their nest by the Ocean.
I forgot though which nest that was.
Last year we lost a chick at Harrison because the parents could not bring in enough fish to feed both chicks sufficiently.

Humans are at fault many of times in the death of animals, as we can also see that here at the PNE grounds.
As one of the workers told me:" We have to sacrifice some ducks, so that the children can fish here and learn about nature"
What a hypocrite.
Children learn that it is o.k. to throw fishing lines out even though the baby ducks and goslings are swimming right there where the lines are thrown.
So the children learn that that is o.k.

Anyway,
I really like the Hastings eagles to find a good strong tree and build a stable nest as well.
To bad that there are no wood found on the grounds anywhere.
I am worried about that.
How will the Hastings eagles deal with that?
I have never thought that watching wildlife can be so sad.

It sounds from what I read here that you are burdened by aspects here out of your control. I believe parents should teach children respect of wildlife and the environment.
One day here in my town I kindly told a little girl who was going with a net to take a baby duck that it would not survive if she took it. The duck needed its parents and its pond.
She listened and I made sure when I left that others were watching her just in case. She did ask me if she could take a baby turtle and since there are hundreds I said yes.

As for fishing line, no excuse there...should be signs saying to clean up the line to protect the wildlife which is precious. I am sorry about the Audubon osprey chicks. That destroyed me also.
Yes eagles are opportunistic and will take what they can. It seemed activity there was at a lull so they did just that. I heard last year at another osprey nest a GHO took the chicks, which truly upset me.
So...this year I watch it but cautiously as I just don't know.

If our intentions could make things better they would be just that. All of you have good hearts, keep being so and you can pass it on.
carolyn

The problem Carolyn here at the Sanctuary Pond at Hastings Park on the PNE grounds is not that there's no signs to cover rules regard fishing line and such. The problem is there are signs up but a lot of folks don't respect them and nobody enforces the rules or the fines stated on them. The biggest problem now besides the fishing line is dogs off leash scaring the hell out of our large double family of Canada Geese traveling as a unit for protection on the trails or grass areas around the pond area. Again there's rules in place for that too on the signs....just that nobody bothers to follow them, enforce them or hands out the stated fines.

If you contact the PNE their media/neighborhood public relations person will happily state that they are doing a absolutely wonderful job on all counts to protect the animals ..... problem is on the ground those who know better is they clearly understand, witness and experience life at the Sanctuary on a daily basis things are much different than their happy spin on it for the wildlife that call it home.

Can some folks lobby them to do their job? I know the "happy spin" people won't like it, but.....it's only fair to all. Dogs should not be off leash imho. Mine never is...in the past I have questioned people about theirs, especially when my dog was attacked. Another person I said something to, said their dog was well behaved and did not need to be on leash - well......it got hit by a car and killed.

I don't know a solution for you...sounds tricky.
carolyn

Quote by: Woodlands Bleu

Can some folks lobby them to do their job? I know the "happy spin" people won't like it, but.....it's only fair to all. Dogs should not be off leash imho. Mine never is...in the past I have questioned people about theirs, especially when my dog was attacked. Another person I said something to, said their dog was well behaved and did not need to be on leash - well......it got hit by a car and killed.

I don't know a solution for you...sounds tricky.
carolyn

The solution is very simple Carolyn...the people in place to do their job simply need to get out of the office once and a while into the field to have the right folks do what they are paid to do and regularly stay on top of it. If even a few $500 fines were handed out it would wake up those on the receiving end to the posted park rules

Right now its the concerned public during their visits trying to enforce the park rules as stated to protect the wildlife. Myself I don't like confrontations with abusive off leash dog owners or drunk fishermen... been there done that in the past...no more of that

I think Wildlife Rescue has more lobby at present due to the latest nonsense with the fishing line gosling they discovered to shake up the "happy folks" Carolyn

Quote by: Woodlands Bleu

It sounds from what I read here that you are burdened by aspects here out of your control. I believe parents should teach children respect of wildlife and the environment.
One day here in my town I kindly told a little girl who was going with a net to take a baby duck that it would not survive if she took it. The duck needed its parents and its pond.
She listened and I made sure when I left that others were watching her just in case. She did ask me if she could take a baby turtle and since there are hundreds I said yes.

As for fishing line, no excuse there...should be signs saying to clean up the line to protect the wildlife which is precious. I am sorry about the Audubon osprey chicks. That destroyed me also.
Yes eagles are opportunistic and will take what they can. It seemed activity there was at a lull so they did just that. I heard last year at another osprey nest a GHO took the chicks, which truly upset me.
So...this year I watch it but cautiously as I just don't know.

If our intentions could make things better they would be just that. All of you have good hearts, keep being so and you can pass it on.
carolyn

Hi Carolyn

Thanks for your posts.

Last year Stan and I saw kids chasing the new born ducklings.
The poor ducklings were running like mad and Stan and I were afraid that they might break their little legs.
We kindly explained that to the kids and the next thing that happened was that the father started chasing Stan to beat him up and the mother stood up and came to me and said:" I am taller and stronger than you and I can beat you up". Their kids heard what their mother said and saw what their father did and started to chase the ducklings all over again.
I phoned the police and then told the parents about it.
That sent them packing but the police never got there in time.

By the way Carolyn, did you watch the Audubon ospreys as well?

As far as dog off the leash, the geese are forced to eat the grass close to the lake where they can escape dogs quickly.
The problem is that grass is all eaten.
There are lusher grounds a bit further out, but then they have to deal with the dogs.
People don't understand that even though their nice dogs might not kill them, but the geese don't know that, so they can never relax.
It does not matter how much I explain that to people, they still will not put their dogs on the leash.

You ask if some folks could lobby for the ground patrols to do their job?
People have tried to no avail.
The ground patrol explained to me that is was to dangerous for them to take control as they don't want to be
beaten up by people that do as they please.

As far as clean up is concerned, they started to do a bit better in cleaning up, but they are still pretty
lazy or whatever the problem is.

Wow, Steamer and Annemie.....It sounds like the authorities are "afraid" of the people. I also cannot believe the parents would treat you like that. I am sorry the police did not come in time to give them a ticket, which would have been great. I know in your shoes I also would not confront, just try to do a bit to help and hope. Can you call Wildlife Management to step in and take over?
It seems you have done all you can....bless you for that. I hope somebody wakes up soon in how they are raising their children.
carolyn

I actually did not watch the Audubon osprey nest, but heard about what happened. At Blackwater Refuge on Maryland last year a GHO took two chicks. There are two chicks on the nest now and I watch each day hoping it does not happen again. My favorite osprey nest Hellgate the eggs were destroyed by hail. Nature is cruel and difficult at times, but you must take the good with the bad, hoping that you see some joy therein.

It would appear Carolyn they got wind of what was said on this forum thread or Wildlife Rescue woke them up because last night I saw the PNE security make a few rounds at the spot that Annemie and I were hanging out with the double family of geese...haven't seen this in quite a while. As far as park/fishing dock clean up goes that still remains to be seen

By the way Ma Hastings was across the street last night preening in the Cottonwood tree that the old original nest was on. They're sticking around to decide the next move {tree to pick for new nest} so it seems