Wildlife Corner Photo & Article By Barbara Ann Comer The ubiquitous Palm Warbler is familiar to many Lake Ashton residents. It is the little bird that lands on the lanai screen and wags its tail up and down. They forage for bugs even in the middle of busy roads like Ashton Club Drive. The plumage on this diminutive bird can vary greatly depending on age and from whence the bird hails. Eastern ones sport a yellowish breast while the ones from farther west are mainly drab. The constant tail bobbing is one of the best clues as to their identity. This snow bird derives its name from its wintering grounds being closely associated with Palm Trees. A better name for it on its nesting grounds would be the Bog Warbler since it nests in brush at the edge of spruce bogs quite far north. Keep your eyes open for this little winter resident before it departs for the boreal bogs by late March. AQUATIC EDUCATION CORNER We have dead fish in our pond. Is there something wrong? A few dead fish floating on the surface is not necessarily cause for alarm. The majority of fish kills that occur are due to a variety of natural causes. Fish can die of starvation, injury, stress, disease, parasites, lack of dissolved oxygen in the water, changes in pH, and even rapid fluctuations in temperature. Low dissolved oxygen levels are the most common cause of fish kills. The amount of oxygen in a body of water will vary with water temperature, aquatic plant densities and amount of sunlight. During the rainy season heavy runoff from rain water which does not contain dissolved oxygen can deplete the dissolved oxygen levels in a pond and cause a fish kill. Heavy rains also wash organic material, nutrients and fertilizers into the ponds, accelerating plant growth which can lead to depleted oxygen levels. These same rain events also carry herbicides, pesticides and pet waste into stormwater ponds. Ammonia, which comes from animal waste, is highly toxic to fish. LOW-HANGING BRANCHES By Ralph Marino Please be aware that there is a fourteen-foot height restriction for branches reaching over the road. This is a City of Lake Wales Ordinance. If the code officer receives a complaint, the code officer will investigate. If a violation exists, a letter is then sent. If it is not corrected within fifteen days, the complaint then goes to the Code Enforcement Board.
20 Publizr Home