Strange Encounters with Endangered Species

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This morning I had to run over to another company. I didn’t have breakfast before work, so I swung through a fast food place on my way back to the office and went through the drive through. As I pulled up to the pay window, this fellow blocked my way.

Now, as background, I work in a very densely populated county. There are some wetlands around the edges, but it’s mainly filled in with homes and businesses. There are over 1 million people in our small county. This was the drive through of a burger place next to a very busy stretch of eight lane highway. But apparently Woody decided he wanted to beg scraps from the bored kids that work the drive through.

The young woman at the window shoed him away and I was able to pay for my order, although Woody was looking at me with those pleading eyes through the passenger window of my small car as I paid.

Now this link talks a bit more about Wood Storks and where to find them. I suggest the Burger King drive-thru on US 19 just south of Bryan Dairy Road. You can see one there up close and personal.

2

This nesting site isn’t too too far from where I live and I often see groupings flying around. Haven’t met any in a drive through though.

These guys, on the other hand seem to make themselves at home everywhere.

3

In 1984 my family visited south Florida and we noticed an article in a paper about manatees congregating at a nearby power plant (they liked the warm water the plant spewed.) We went to see them and sure enough they were swimming about near the plant looking like blimps with faces. Other people were feeding them and the food had attracted pelicans, sea turtles, gulls, and brightly colored tropical fish. We didn’t feed them (for the most part feeding wild animals is a bad idea) but I got several pictures.

4

Do we have to stick to endangered species here?

If not–the closest gas station to our house is right next to a small pond. Said pond has an assortment of domestic (white) ducks and occasional flocks of Canadian geese. However, the gas station is right next door to the pond, and the ducks have decided/realized that hanging out in front of the doors to the convenience store part of the gas station is a great way to meet people.

I don’t get gas there more than a couple of times a year (there are less expensive stations between me and work), but whenever I do, I have to fight my way through a flock of 5 or 6 ducks to get through the door to pay for my gas.