Comment

Comment by Stephen Glassic on May 17, 2018 at 11:24am

I wonder if a couple of platforms were erected on the island for osprey and /or eagles to nest would help. If there were more of a presence of those birds would they chase the cormorants away? are the cormorants staying away from Strawberry Island? And is it because of the eagles?

Board Member Comment by John Jarosz on May 17, 2018 at 8:34am

You got that right, John P. I was up near the Fish Market last week & every cormorant I saw swimming in the water had a fish in its mouth. A real bummer!

Board Member Comment by John Pensyl on May 16, 2018 at 11:41pm

This is just the visable damage above the waters surface. Imagine the damage that is being done below. Thier hunting grounds are the best spawning grounds we have. I bet they have no trouble finding yoy muskies when they start swimming.

Board Member Comment by John Jarosz on May 16, 2018 at 5:17pm

After we went thru the island it was almost hopeless (and useless) to try to save the trees from the beavers. Even some we wrapped were fallen over. If you look closely at the pic, you'll see the barks are off the trees.

We should be looking at the next generation of trees and an effort needs to happen to plant young ones. As far as I'm concerned, the mature trees can be considered gone. Once all the mature trees die, which I don't think will be long, the cormorants will move out to decimate someplace else. They won't be able to populate the small trees so the new trees will be safe. We can always wrap them from the beavers. The island is a sad place to visit & that's not even considering all the work we put in. We can save it from the beavers but not the cormorants.

Below is another view of the trees. Unfortunately, you're not seeing a lot of leaves on them.

Comment by Jerry Miller on May 16, 2018 at 4:08pm

I am sorry for the bird lovers out there, but the cormorants are an invasive species and need to be taken out of the system(culled)! Time to go! Also, you know what they say about saving trees and beavers haha....am I right? Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge! Maybe timne to relocate the beavers? Well, that's not what they say. haha!

Comment by Stephen Glassic on May 16, 2018 at 11:38am

Looks like the cormorants are more of a threat than the beavers. Is there still nothing being done about them?

Board Member Comment by John Jarosz on May 15, 2018 at 9:02pm

here is what the trees look like:

There used to be a grove of trees in this spot. Now all the trunks laying down:

Scott M..I have a flash drive with more pics for you of our Beaver Patrol outing. It was disheartening to see what the cormorants have done. The herons have moved to the outer perimeter because there's very little left alive in the center