Carpet The Lake

Trick or Treat Time

2006-10-30T16:07:00.000-05:00

Well there was a lot of noise and fanfare as we had the costume march around the lake Sunday. A nice turnout and only a few gremlins to be seen! Firetrucks, happy police and lots of little folks all dressed up. A regular parade about the pond. That ended the evening on a great note.

Then, sadly, this morning we found a killed muscovy and our near pet Pekin named Daisy is in pretty bad shape. Feathers everywhere, so it could have been a dog or car I suppose. Neither was found in the street, so it likely wasn't a car and little white feathers were all over the bank. We grabbed up Daisy and have her in our little duck hospital and are hoping for the best. She's alert and can drink, but seems unable to move. Off to the feed store we go to try and help our pretty quacking friend.

The joys and sadness of the lake, losing the animals is hard on us.

As an update 11/1 - this morning we bathed Daisy with the garden hose and have tried pedialite, bread and corn since she was attacked. She seems to drink but not eat. We pet her, told her how lovely she is and tried to make her comfortable. She actually was up on one leg a bit this morning so we got hopeful. Our plan was to take her to the vet tonight as we feared a spinal injury or red tide type bacterial infection. Our eyes are now full of tears as Daisy died sometime early this afternoon. We will miss her terribly as she was one of the sweetest creatures we had ever seen around the lake. Daisy filled in for the mother mallard when she was attacked. I don't really have any proof, but I'm pretty sure it's loose dogs or people encouraging their dogs to attack the birds. That both my wife and I have witnessed. When Daisy was dropped off with her mate, her mate was gone the very next morning. We are so sad about Daisy. We know we aren't responsible for these animals health, but we can't help but care for the lovely creatures living in a lake surrounded by so many dangerous, ugly things.

A Long Summer Part 1

2006-10-19T10:34:00.000-04:00

As posted on Hampton Terrace ... I guess I'm on break because I'm still mourning. Imagine that!

I agree gators are not terribly social, but a male can, or will, wander at times looking for a mate, hopefully not in a local pool or spa. Happy hour if you will and if he hits Nebraska, he will probably get run over. Thus, I am guessing we had a female. Had a nice smooth tummy and a sexy smile, but the corpse gave no obvious clues. While I don’t have a long history watching the goings on at the lake, so far, I don’t think the gator ate many, if any, ducks or ducklings. It probably got a few moorhens, but he ducklings very seldom go, or went, into the middle. Turtles, toads and frogs must make a good buffet.

Bigger problems for the lake are weeds, runoff and poop. Dog and duck poop, yard fertilizer and things like that. Some of the turtles are scary big. The Mallards tend to leave on their own, the Muscovies tend to stay. I suspect many of the ducks get their feet (flippers, paddles ????) chomped by hungry turtles, thus, almost always, limping ducks hobble around. Could be loose dogs chasing them too.

Two other duck predators are cars and (I’m guessing) humans. I suspect there is a lake vigilante at work here. Pairs of Muscovies, a Pekin, the gator and several other critters have up and mysteriously disappeared. Here one day, gone the next. Maybe it’s a well meaning person, or maybe a hungry person, I don’t know. I do know the pair of male Muscovies, which dominated here for years, vanished one night. I do think somebody intentionally killed the gator, likely with poison. I do know somebody mutilated the gator. “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?” Plenty I don’t know about that too. Seems a terrible way to go for a relatively peaceful creature. I liked watching him cruise the bank or work on that suntan.

Most of the duck types that stay and die get hit by cars or simply vanish (see above). So I don’t think the gator controls them much. The herons tend to go after some of the ducklings. The hawks eat the toads (with great effort, toads must be made of rubber). If the community would watch for Muscovy nests and shake eggs then we can keep the population small. Check your yard if you live on the lake. They are nesting NOW, so go look. That’s not so difficult to do is it? I like the Pekins and frankly want a few more. Sadly, I am told that after somebody turned loose a couple large colorful koi, one was toted off at the end of a fishing pole.

This is an unusual lake because it’s in a fairly hostile area. By hostile, I mean street runoff, car traffic, invasive weeds, and lots of people. Think of the many retention ponds that support only turtles then look at the range of creatures calling lake Roberta home. I like them all. I only wish the City of Tampa was more interested.

My vote is we are best off trying to undo the stupid human tricks (hydrilla, dog poop, killing things) and let the lake sort things out. Objectively, to me, this is not a good place for a gator because somebody will get afraid, hungry or mean and take action. So, while my vote is indifference, I will always be concerned some well meaning idiot will kill the next one. I liked em there otherwise, especially after coming to believe the gator was a very minor threat to the lakes other inhabitants. Loose dogs and apathetic dog owners are a much bigger problem than that gator ever was. Loose cats kill birds, I guess cats are cats. All that said, nobody has any real control because all it takes is one drop-off and we have a new cat, duck, dog, gator, etc. in the hood. And, if it winds up in your yard, you can probably deal with it any way you choose, as only the Shadow knows.

Hot Bun in the Summertime

2006-08-31T08:44:00.000-04:00

Well it was early morning and as Wifey walked out front to hunt for the newspaper she was suprised to see a soft redish bunny helping to weed the flowerbed with those bucky teeth. More to come soon ...

Darn It All

2006-08-16T11:30:00.000-04:00

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck it must be a duck. Kinda the Long Tall Sally of the duckdom world. Started out pretty aggressive, but seems to be fitting in now. Guess these are most recent refuges. The older brown one is quite easy going. Ole string bean has a lot of energy.
Nothing like a good bite on the butt to get everyone away from the food pile. Guess this is a literal pecking order.

Ever seen a tree full of muscovies? It's in their nature and they crash about the limbs as they get back to their roots. They make us laugh a lot.
Spotted this red shouldered hawk. Some kid with a skateboard was harassing it so after a bit of intervention the hawk gave up on eating a flattened stringy toad and settled on this branch. Been spotted for a couple days.

Now for the darn it all ... appears somebody vandalized the new grate so the hydrilla eating carp are on hold. Sheesh ... Evidently somebody thinks a lake full of life choking weeds is a good thing, or maybe they just don't think.

Granted Permitsion

2006-08-01T11:18:00.000-04:00

Well ding-a-dong, we now have a permit for 10 munchers.

Welcome Newcomers

2006-07-25T10:51:00.000-04:00

7/22/06
Six newborn Moorehens
Hear we have some large Koi donated by anonymous
7/25/06
Six, I mean nine, I mean sixteen baby turtles got flying lessons over the granite curb and their first scuba lesson.
7/29/06
A BIG brown duck and it's skinny, longnecked brown and white pal arrived.
We hear there is a new rooster on the southside of the lake.
8/15/06
Red shouldered hawk been visiting for a couple days
8/30/06
Somebody dumped off 2 cute red young bunnys.

Farewell to Good Creatures – RIP

2006-07-25T10:47:00.000-04:00

7/22/06
Lost the two large muscovy drakes.
8/15/06
Lost 2 of the baby moorehens somewhere, 4 left.
8/30/06
Two of the young mallards are gone. One of the dark muscovies was killed. Found a home for 2 bunnies!
9/??/2006
The alligator was killed and mutilated.
10/30/2006
Female muscovy killed along bank and Daisy's hurt. Both attacked together I think. All but 4 mallards have flown away.
11/1/06 Our lovely Pekin Daisy died today and we are so very sad and full of tears.

Quite The Weekend

2006-07-25T09:41:00.000-04:00

Well, lessee here. Where might one start to catch up on all the crazy things going on at the Lake?
First, Tampa Stormwater installed the overflow grate. I've signed the permit application for the mutant alien grass munching carp so the permit ought to be available soon. While the grate makes me nervous about plugging up with debris, it might actually help retain a bit more water in the Lake. Either way we are on track to soon introduce some carp.

Happy Additions - somebody released some large Koi in the lake, we hear one orange and one white. Hopefully they like to eat tadpoles because the toads are getting out of control again! New baby moorehens were born last weekend. This morning we found six baby turtles in our driveway. We think they were born under a bush and were walking toward the lake. They can never get over the granite curb without being eaten or smashed, so we gave them a toss to get them out in deep enough water where they wouldn't be immediate Ibis breakfast.

RIP - The two older, large Muscovy males have disappeared. Not sure what happened, but I'd guess we had some human meddling. They never bothered anyone and were the top of the duck chain. It's always sad to see birds disappear with no resolution to their fate.

Lowry Park came by Sunday and cleared an area of hydrilla. They must have some manatees again since we haven't seen them for a few weeks. I think standing in a metal boat with a rake during a rainstorm takes a lot of courage lol.

Mallard Maladies

Ruh row, when we came back from a trip on Saturday we found Mama mallard in the water with an injured leg and foot. The upper part of her leg was without skin and bleeding which must have hurt like heck. One toe was missing and one web was torn in half and bleeding. She was unable to get out of the water and climb the bank to eat with the babies. Daisy the Pekin duck was fiercely protecting her and her babies. Their friendship is truly remarkable and with the (now) 11 baby mallards, we have a true gaggle. How to help Mama was now the issue.

Our phone calls started with Lowry Park Zoo, who lost their funding for rescue and rehab with the exception of manatees. They did however, provide a few other suggestions.

Wildlife Haven Rehab is a non-profit (501c3) organization devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured, or orphaned Florida wildlife. Their 24-hour messaging directed us to Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service who mentioned a place called Zoonique.

Zoonique is a group of wildlife management specialists offering a variety of integrated wildlife management solutions including preventative maintenance, humanely ethical rescue, rehabilitation and relocation.

Ron Doyle explained the process to us; he would come extract Mama from the lake, take her to the TB Emergency Vet at Bearss and Florida Ave., they would treat her there and then she would be taken to the Wildlife Haven for rehab. This would cost us $100. We thought the babies should stay and that Daisy would care for them, but we didn't like the idea of removing the Mama since she has to teach all those little squiddlers how to fly.

Ron and Jim arrived and after several attempts at cast netting her failed, Mama, Daisy, and the babies retreated (ran like tarnation actually walking on water) to the middle of the lake. This was gonna require patience, patience, and more patience. We waited and called. After a time they returned close to shore and Ron was able to throw a cast net to get her and a few of her wigglers.

She was put into a nice crate and taken to the vet's office.

We were called by Ron after about an hour with great news, they were bringing her back after treatment! The vet cleaned up her leg which appeared to be a dog bite, cauterized her bleeding web and missing toe, gave her some antibiotics and said that she would be fine when healed. Guess she will swim a little crooked since she's now missing one web.

Her return and release prompted a very speedy gaggle exodus to the other side of the lake where Mama huddled for hours and the rest huddled around her. They were really nervous and disturbed for hours. Today (24 hours later) they seem to have forgotten the trauma and made their way back to this side. It was really neat to watch Daisy guarding the Mama mallard. They get along so well.

Wildlife Haven Rehab
Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Services

Hanging out on the South side after a traumatic day.

Upset, but still hungry! A ducks gotta eat ya know.

The crazy Moorehens are so territorial. They usually don't put up with much from any other birds. We got lucky and spotted a new batch of recently hatched chicks. They are barely as big as a ping pong ball. Talk about a big mouth! Bald heads and no wing feathers. This one to the left wasn't thrilled I was around as she had a few teenbirds nearby. she, or he was struttin! Man they have crazy big feet.

Young ones are brown and often bobbing around the middle of the lake. They stand on the lilys and can walk on water.

When I backed off they reunited.

I think it's Mom in the nest and you can see the little fuzzball in the water.

The Ibis, while rather nice looking are getting really aggressive and poking the other fowl with those long beaks. I chase them off a lot so other birds can get some peace or eat. I guess they were born with an inherent spear attached to their faces.

Trying To Be Patient

2006-06-28T12:45:00.000-04:00

Well I finally sent a note of mild despair to the City of Tampa. We shall see if it accomplishes anything other than being viewed as a mild rant. And so it went like -

I've been somewhat perplexed by the lack of interest in our neighborhood lake, known as Lake Roberta. Many people congregate and exercise daily around what is actually a small pond that feeds into the Hillsborough River. I have talked to Swiftmud, Hillsborough County EPC, Temple Terrace EPA, Tampa Parks and Recreation, Tampa Stormwater, Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control, Lowry Park, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the DEP trying to get an organization interested in helping us restore and maintain this wonderful resource. It saddens me that TampaGov has so little interest in helping interested residents protect natural resources. It really is almost comical, the lack of interest combined with the “call this department runaround mentality”. So, I am coming to you directly.

Please take time to read a bit about this lake at http://carpetthelake.blogspot.com/

It is in the Hampton Terrace area of Seminole Heights. I would be most appreciative if the City would get interested in helping us maintain and improve the conditions of the lake. How many places do you think there are in the city where water fowl can actually breed and survive. Our lake is plagued by invasive hydrilla, spatterdock is out of control and we are trying to do the right thing. Lowry Park harvests hydrilla here to feed their recovering manatees. All right under the City’s nose! Please inform the mayor this lake exists and ask if her administration can help. The county offers an adopt-a-pond program, does Tampa offer anything?

Thanks and regards,

Days Gone By Lake Pics

2006-06-28T12:39:00.000-04:00

Here's a link to some technical information about the lake.

Comings And Goings

2006-06-28T11:22:00.000-04:00

Well, we had two peking ducks dropped off. Very tame and quite friendly. Guess somebody decided they didn't want their ducks after all. Too bad. They really clung to each other, wrapping their necks. So beautiful with their lovely nervous quacks. Sadly one was gone by the next morning. Vanished. Sad fate, raising a duck only to dump it into strange territory. These two were so neat.

Happily the remaining one has become best pals with the last of the mallards. Two odd ducklings. We call the white one Daisy and the brown one Dori.

Another female has 12 duckettes. These newborn ducks actually get to enjoy some water now that the lake has filled.

Note the level of the water in relation to the overflow in this pic of baby ducklings getting YMCA swim lessons. You can still see the top of the overflow exposed.

In this pic we had another rain and the lake is now pretty full. Overflow is underwater now. Probably time to check out the contents of the storm sceptre thing. C'mon Tampa Stormwater - where's the grate? Oh, I checked into the adopt a pond program and the county offers some nice help with lakes under their authority, but since we are City, no help.

Water In A Bowl

2006-06-15T10:43:00.000-04:00

Well sadly 2 of the mallards were killed by a car. That left 10. We watched them learn to fly over about 4 days and then poof, 8 were gone. Off to greener pastures I think. That left two. One evening a grouchy older female showed up and one more young-un left. Looks like we have 1 little female hanging around.
Rain filled the lake a good bit which really has the frogs and toads excited. There is a dull roar at night now.

We were visited by three Canadian Geese for a few days. They would eat out of your hand. Very tame. Two very black adult muscovies showed up for 2 days and then disappeared again.

This little guy is hard to see but he has a lovely white crest he can flip around. Kind of looks like a snowy egret on top of it's head, but not entirely white. I'm not sure about what it is but it often visits.

The young muscovies aren't really flying yet, but they sure look a lot better with some water to bathe in!

Home Alone

2006-06-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

Sadly the female mallard has been gone for a couple weeks now. Seems odd since we think she's supposed to stick around until the little ones learn to fly. The male was here until last night. We think he's gone this morning. Before he left (if he did) we got to watch him fly laps around the lake again and buzz the newbie pilots. We could hear them quack each time he got close. That same night we watched 10 of the 12 fly across part of the lake. Two walked. A couple cruised above the palm trees. Hopefully, they are figuring out what wings are used for. Guess they will be leaving and we sure will miss them. All 12 seem to be doing fine.
Nothing like a grouchy Moorehen to disturb a nice breakfast - RUN AWAY!!!!!

These guys are probably going to be a problem down the road, but they sure are funny and friendly. Been 12 for weeks and they actually are starting to get along a bit with the mallards.

Hrrrmmmm

2006-06-01T15:45:00.000-04:00

Guess not everyone can read? Makes one wonder. C'mon people now, smile on your brother, etc, etc. Let's work together. A leash! Now there's an idea. Oh, another yellow lil duck gone. Twelve left now and 12 mallards, one with a limpy sore flipper.

Shiny Happy ... Concrete

2006-06-01T15:23:00.000-04:00

Stormwater spend a couple days working for us. They sandbagged the wall and poured a new concrete base at the overflow. The grate should be here anytime which is the final piece for the carp permit. Other than paying for the buggers. Probably need a bit more water first so the gator doesn't catch them too easily.

Concrete rubble was installed to slow the waterflow down the south side of the lake. Guess the pits were getting too deep.

The old concrete from the overflow was combined with new chunks to improve the effectiveness of the rip rap.

Keep On Truckin

2006-05-30T15:33:00.000-04:00

All day job filling bags on site. Plus it was dang hot out. They kept an eye on the gator and he did them likewise. Men at work!

A Quiet Weekend

2006-05-17T10:07:00.000-04:00

We had a Roseate Spoonbill visit. Guess they come and go, but this is the first one we've seen.
Little pigs concealed in duck bodies. These guys are getting big!
Not shy at all these plump little quackers are hanging in there just fine so far.

No news on the grates. Appears the City has come by twice and sprinkled something around the edge of the lake, but we didn't catch them to find out what it was. The Lowry Park ladies continue to show up and harvest bits of hydrilla. They have actually made a small dent in their harvest area!

More Duck Tails

2006-05-10T08:30:00.000-04:00

Boy those baby mallards are getting big. Guess they are almost as large as Mom and soon we expect to see them racing laps around the lake. That's her in the forefront. I don't think they know they can fly quite yet. Twelve of them still quacking.
We had some excitement over the weekend as a loose dog decided to go chase birds in the lake. The owners got him out after a lot of hollering. Hard to see him in the water, but the gator and ducks all knew he was there. The moorehens buzzed him a few times. You can see his head sticking up at the edge of the spatterdock. Glad he didn't drown in the muck. I bet swimming in hydrilla is ruff. He emerged with a nice fresh coat of muck!

It was pretty neat to watch the mallards during the commotion. They all grouped real tight and decided the water was safer than land. They easily could outdistance the wayward pup. The baby moorehens are even funnier. They are so tiny they just run across the top of the water by standing on the hydrilla. Moorehen chicks really scoot. They are in the water more than the ducks.
The muscovy herd is now at thirteen down from the original seventeen. They are a bit behind the mallards in size and a hoot to watch. They really scurry around. Sometimes mom duck looses half of them. After about five or ten minutes it, her head stretches up and she gets concerned. After it dawns on her, she goes hunting to round them up. When she gets close to the lost half they come racing out of the weeds. Now where did I leave seven quacking baby ducks ..... Hmmmm.....

No Tax Dollars At Work

2006-05-04T13:31:00.000-04:00

Spoke to DEP today and they can't help ($$$) us with the lake's hydrilla. Appears it is too far removed from the main river. They did say we should treat it once before introducing carp and offered advice in the event we have questions.
RATZ.

Sad Day for Lake Roberta

2006-05-01T15:00:00.000-04:00

It is with much sadness that I post that Rodney the Rooster aka Chickie aka doodle has passed on. Yesterday he was attacked by what we believe was a stray black cat on our neighbor's porch railing (from which our neighbor has fed him from for a year and a half). His injuries were ultimately fatal as of a few hours ago, though it is my understanding that he survived another near-fatal attack in the past. I will miss his voice greatly! And so fitting is a poem that I have heard of but not read until today....called the Rainbow Bridge. And so it goes ...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... Author unknown...

DEP Is Trying

2006-04-28T15:18:00.000-04:00

Regarding the contact with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in hopes of them treating some of they hydrilla, I had to get Tampa Stormwater Dept. in communication with DEP to confirm we outflow to the River. Both organizations are quite helpful and I got this from Stormwater:

I as well as our construction crew did meet with your wife last week. The grate that we will be installing will have a max of 1 1/2 inches between each bar. I will sketch a drawing and send it to you soon. The outfall from Lake Roberta flows to the south to Henry and discharges directly into the Hillsborough River at Rio Vista. Actually the [my pizza hunting] dog probably couldn't get past the wall inside the outfall structure but since he is crafty maybe so.

I am going to say it will be approx. the end of May or start of June before the grate will be installed. The lake is pretty low at this time and I would definitely recommend waiting at least till the rain starts (hopefully soon as my yard needs it badly).

I will keep you informed. Thanks.

That also went to DEP and I got this response shortly thereafter from DEP:

In 2 weeks, there is a funding meeting then and that would be time to discuss new work, the program works on a budget fixed from July 1 to June 30, new areas to be funded has to come from other lakes that are already funded if within the same fiscal year. I will let you know ASAP.

So ……… keep your fingers crossed. We might get some help!

Rodney's Tail

2006-04-26T16:54:00.000-04:00

Happy to report that there are still 17 muscovy ducklings .... not sure if this really is a good thing for the betterment of the Lake but I am a tree-hugger nonetheless by birth. Rooster Rodney is another issue. We were very concerned Sunday as we did not wake up to the normal "urr urr urr urr rooooohhhh", nor did we hear it all day, so I fretted all afternoon. Well Rodney showed up bright and early Monday morning ... albeit less a few more tail feathers. Seems this is the second time that "something" (as in dog/cat/possessed turtle ???) has managed to give Rodney another grooming. But I am happy to see him at the neighbor's porch railing waiting for his turkey balogna and singing his daily song. I actually find myself [fortunate ???] to have experienced our last home worrying about the dolphins / sting-rays / snook and such and now on Lake Roberta with the mallards / moorhens / muscovies / turtles ... etc.

M&M's

2006-04-25T15:47:00.000-04:00

These are happy ducks that probably should migrate, but sometimes stick around due to the kindness of strangers. (i.e., bread handouts). The Dad's have the green heads and the Mom's are the pretty brown color.

Mallards are kind of easy to confuse with the their cousin which only lives in Florida, primarily in the Panhandle area called the Florida Mottled Duck (Okay a few renegades have cruised the edge of the Gulf to Mexico. Probably crossed the border looking for a good time and tequilla shots). You can read about the Mottled quacker by clicking here .

I think you can tell the Mallards apart from the Mottled Ducks generally by the two white stripes crossing the upper part of their wings. The Mallards have white NASCAR style racing stripes. The Mottled's just have nice brown feather patterns. Not all is perfect for the Mottled quackers. The Mottled Duck, like its close relative the American Black Duck, has been negatively impacted by the loss of wetlands and hybridization with introduced populations of Mallard. That means people let Mallards go and they breed with the Mottleds creating .... well duck problems.

Love Hate Relationships Part Two

2006-04-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

Considered to be a pest along with rock doves, European starlings, house sparrows, and monk parakeets many people are quite fond of the Muscovy ducks.Opps - The Muscovy is NOT a duck! It is a unique ducklike species of tree-perching waterfowl. It originated in the South American rainforest where its wild ancestors still reside. For lack of a better classification, it is generally referred to as a duck, although it is as genetically different from ducks as donkeys are to horses. In fact, as with donkeys and horses, when you breed Muscovy to domestic, mallard-derived ducks, their offspring are always sterile and are referred to as “mules.”These quackers are non-native dabblers common in suburban ponds and lakes. Dabbling Ducks float on shallow water and then pivot headfirst with tails skyward to feed underwater. They inhabit fresh and brackish ponds, marshes, and streams. Gadwalls are more common in central and north Florida and during fall and winter. They are more likely to dive while foraging and feed farther from water than most dabblers. Muscovy Ducks are native to Central and South America. The population in Florida is thought to be the result of released and escaped domestic ducks that have hybridized with native ducks. They are the most common waterfowl found in suburban areas. They usually nest on the ground but may nest on balconies and ledges. In contrast, wild Muscovies are wary of humans and nest in tree cavities. Muscovy Ducks are loved and hated by the public. While always eager for a hand-out, they often become persistent. They can transmit parasites and diseases, including duck plague, fowl cholera, paratyphoid, avian tuberculosis, and chlamydiosis, to native ducks and, in large numbers, foul small ponds. [http://www.nsis.org/gallery/brd-muscovy.html]

According to Bob Pedrin of Ridgefield, Washington, “Muscovy are the only domestic ducks that do not come from Mallard stock. They are a South American species, originating from Brazil. The original (wild type) coloration is black and white, but domestication has produced many more colors. These colors include; blue, blue and white, chocolate, chocolate and white, white, black, black and white, lavender, and calical. Day old duckling colors range from a solid pale yellow to yellow and black, the feet are yellow and black. Muscovy hiss rather than quack. The males can grow to be quite large, weighing 10-15 lbs. Most of the females are 5-7 pounds but can reach up to 9 and sometimes 10 lbs. Their feet have strong sharp claws and are built to grasp, so that they can perch on branches. Muscovy are unique because of their bright red crest around their eyes and above the beak. Although, often considered ugly because of these large red warty caruncles. They are, however, very personable, interesting birds. They are quite intelligent and entertaining.Unlike most domestic waterfowl, Muscovy will often fly up and roost. They are very good flyers, especially the smaller females, but are known more for flying around than flying away. We have a hen that tours the neighborhood. Never landing anywhere but home. They do not swim much because their oil glands are under developed compared to most ducks. Muscovy hens can set three times a year, and the egg clutches can vary from 8 to 21 eggs. The eggs are incubated for 35 days.

Muscovy when crossed with other breeds, produce sterile offspring. For instance, if you cross a Muscovy male with a Pekin female (the large white domestic duck like Donald the Duck type pictured) you will hatch mules; if you cross a Pekin male with a Muscovy female the progeny are called hinnies. Whereas a Pekin takes 28 days to hatch and a Muscovy takes 35 days, a mule or hinny takes 32 days to hatch. Approximately 60% of mule ducks are males. Some of their characteristics are like the Muscovy as they are large, quiet, slow moving and have long claws but are also like Pekin as they swim well, the males and females are much the same size and they do not fly. Hinnies are not grown commercially. Male hinnies are much larger than female hinnies, like the Muscovy, yet the females look Pekin but fly quite well. Mules and hinnies cannot reproduce. Both males are sterile and only the hinny females lay eggs (though they cannot hatch). If you have Muscovy and Pekin together, the chances are poor that they will cross but if they do, a hinny will probably be the result as Pekin males can catch Muscovy females easier than Muscovy males can catch Pekin females. By the age of about three months, the males are nearly twice as large as the females. I don't know if this is always the case. But, I've found that in younger Muscovies, the feet of the males are often larger. It is quiet, a good forager and is naturally broody. Muscovy are good mothers and hatch and brood their ducklings efficiently.”

Many people consider the Muscovy to be the best duck for …… yup, eating. Originating in the warm climates of South America, the Muscovy duck is a breed apart from the rest. It needs no fat for protection against cold weather and therefore is by far the leanest domesticated duck breed. Long the favorite of Europeans, Muscovy is now becoming the duck of choice here in the United States. Muscovy duck has a unique taste: it is lean, meaty, tender and flavorful. A 4 lb. Muscovy has the highest yield of any duck available and 50 percent more breast meat than other ducks. Muscovy breast meat is 99 percent lean and the skin of our duck has 50% less fat than the Moulard or Pekin varieties! Did you know that Muscovy ducks have less fat and less calories per pound than turkey?

Tastes like chicken you say? I dunno myself.

The Muscovy duck (Carina moschata) is one of the most loved exotic pest in South Florida. People like them as pets, thus both children and adult feed them a lot. This friendly environment has contributed to the excessive increase in duck population. When there are too many ducks, the nutrient level in the lakes increases dramatically. This can cause excessive algae growth, as well as cattail growth, which in turn hampers the growth of other important native organisms such as duck-potatoes, alligator-flags, and many others. Furthermore, the Muscovy also competes with other birds, such as Coots and Moorhens, which are much more environmental friendly species (i.e. their excrement contains less nutrients and therefore causes less disturbance in the ecosystem).

Florida International University who continues to work to restore the Everglades area says, “If you are environmental friendly, then DO NOT FEED THE [Muscovy] DUCKS!!The wild Muscovy Duck is native to Central and South America (Hilty and Brown 1986). The feral form found in Florida is a heavier-bodied, domesticated duck. They have lived and flourished in Florida for many years, in close association with humans. The Atlas map shows them to be widespread and abundant in cities and towns, but none have been found living and breeding in a truly free, nonhuman-dependent state. Check out any updated information available at FWC's exotic species web site. In many places, these large, ungainly birds are considered pests due to aggressive panhandling and because they defecate in swimming pools and on patios and docks. They feed on aquatic plants, grasses, seeds, insects (Johnsgard 1978), and on human handouts, such as bread.Per Charles L. Geanangel, “The Muscovy Duck breeds in urban and suburban lakes and on farms throughout the state. Click for more info. Apparently, no pair bond is established, at least among domesticated Muscovy Ducks. Matings are promiscuous and a form of rape, where the male overpowers the female. They nest in tree cavities or on the ground. In suburban and urban areas, they nest under shrubs in yards or on condominium balconies. Clutch size is usually 8 to 15 eggs. The incubation period is about 30 to 35 days (Johnsgard 1975a, 1978).

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shares the flowing information: Muscovy ducks are a non-native duck that may be a nuisance by reducing water quality, or digging nesting burrows in shrubbery. The Commission does not come and remove these. The best approach to them is to stop feeding them. Flock size may partially controlled by removing some eggs from the nest, shaking them vigorously, and then returning them to the nest. Relocating and releasing non-native species like the muscovy is illegal. From the Wildlife Resources Handbook a fact sheet, is available, as well as a urban duck guide. Laws Protect Domestic and Non-domestic AnimalsLaws have been enacted to safeguard our native wildlife heritage from problems caused by domestic animals. Florida Statute 372.265 prohibits the release of animals into the wild that are not native to Florida. The purpose of this statute is to protect Florida's native wildlife from disease, destruction, and competition by the release of non-native animals.Strictly interpreted, this statute requires all domestic animals to be kept in some type of confinement where they cannot wander from the owner's immediate property into wild habitats or public waters. Local laws may prohibit keeping barnyard animals and may require removal if improperly confined or if causing damage or nuisance complaints. Handling domestic duck problems also must follow certain laws. Non-native, non-migratory ducks such as Muscovies are not protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. However, all animals--including pets and barnyard animals must be treated in a humane manner (FS 828.12).

Methods of Control

Ceasing all feeding programs.
Repelling birds from the problem area by barking dogs, frequent loud noises, chasing and other harassment methods.
Locate nests, vigorously shake eggs to render them unhatchable then return the shaken eggs to the nest so that the hen will continue to attempt to incubate them instead of re-nesting.
Removing viable eggs from nests and replacing with plastic eggs used by the poultry industry to induce laying by young hens. The Muscovy hen may continue to sit on the plastic eggs and consequently will not produce any young.
Removing all except one or two viable eggs. This will keep the hen occupied with incubating, and hatching these instead of re-nesting and laying another full complement of eggs.
Humane lethal techniques should be used only as a last resort. Intravenous injection with pentobarbital sodium is a fast-acting, highly effective, and humane lethal technique recommended for small animals by the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia. This drug may be administered by a veterinarian. Local laws may prohibit specific methods or the killing of any birds.

Relocating and releasing non-native species into the wild is a violation of FS 372.265 and Florida Administrative Code 39-4.005. These control techniques are legal ONLY for Muscovy ducks and MAY NOT be used for mallards or other native species.

All said, they are not really the best thing to have around the lake as they tend to prevent other natural species from having a better chance at thriving. A couple are no big deal, too many and they get sick and it gets ugly.

But, if you DO like ducks, here’s a great site for some duck stories.

Welcome to the pond. We tried to count them but they cluster and are fast little critters. Looks like about 15 of them hatched this past weekend. Two are black and the rest are yellow. We got over there and tried to give the babies some nutritional feed before they get hooked on the bread diet. Generally the feed scares them but this crew did manage to eat a bit of it. They are so tiny! You can see the bread chucks we used to try to lure Mom into bringing the hatchlings to the good food. Well, good as in healthy, I guess to them bread is the good food.

Guess we got to watch Mom pulling guard duty. She's a little more aggressive than the Mom Mallard, but both of them get the job done and watch over the little ones. I think she was screaming something like, "Buzz off Henny!"

Love Hate Relationships Part One

2006-04-23T14:43:00.000-04:00

Spatterdock, also known as cow lilies is the other predominant plant in the lake. According to our friends in Texas, “Spatterdock is a perennial plant with leaves that arise from a large spongy rhizome. The leaves have a slit that makes them roughly heart-shaped, 8 to 16 inches long by 10 inches wide, and can float on the surface or stand above the surface on thick round (in cross section) stalks. Flowers are spiracle with 6 to 9 green sepals and yellow petals. Flowers can float on the water or stand above it. Fruits are oval with a flat top and greenish or yellowish in color. Spatterdock can spread from seeds or the rhizomes. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called "detritus") for many aquatic invertebrates. Spatterdock is grazed by deer while the rhizomes are consumed by beavers, muskrats, and nutria. Seeds are consumed by ducks and other waterfowl.”While this isn’t considered invasive, it’s a very aggressive plant that many consider to be a nuisance. Since it’s a Florida native it belongs, but it requires management to prevent it from totally taking over the lake. Spatterdock in moderation is good, as it allows room for other plants that provide other benefits to the lake. It really can’t be easily stopped so the best one can hope for is some control via periodic spraying, cutting when dry or manual harvest. Water levels and dredging would have an effect as well.

I guess next I’m going to try to locate some beavers, deer and muskrats to help control the spatterdock. I heard somebody used to bring reindeer to the lake at Christmas; maybe we could help fatten them up with our cow lily crop.

Who Needs Hydrilla

2006-04-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

Just in case you don't know what hydrilla really is here's a link. It's basically seaweed you can buy in the pet store gone wild. This stuff is not good for our lake. While there are beautiful aquatic plants we might choose to cultivate to attract wildlife or for blooms, etc, hydrilla has no redeming value for us (other than feeding manatees I suppose). Click here for more info:.

The following [definition] is from the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, "Exotic plants are introduced accidentally through shipping materials or deliberately for ornamental or commercial purposes. Invasive exotics or exotic pest plants don't have the natural enemies here that controlled their growth in their home range. This can free them to spread easily into our native plant communities. Not all exotic plants become pest plants in Florida's natural areas, but those that do can cause a reduction in biodiversity, loss of habitat and food sources for native insects, birds, and other wildlife, and changes to natural ecological systems." To read about Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council click here..

Hydrilla is listed as a noxious weed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has spread to north, central and southern Florida. It's listed as a category 1 invader. Category I means, "Invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused."

If you want more links about invasive species in Florida, including plants, wildlife and insects you can peek at this University of Florida link here.

Jack And Hammer Arrive

2006-04-21T10:32:00.000-04:00

City of Tampa Storm Gang to the rescue. A group came out and looked at the inflow rip rap problems, the outflow fireplace thing and provided us with a nice engineer that is going to make a grate. Shortly after the gang left these guys showed up and began to deal with the base, or lack thereof of the overflow. Go Tampa Stormwater JackHammer Team. I try to not often name names, but Steve Seacrest and his folks, to me, have been great to deal with. Hope to have this area shaped up and grated within a month or two.

Well after a couple of hours they made some nice rubble that might wind up as rip rap on the inflow side. Not sure what the base will wind up looking like, but it"s always nice to see progress.

The Truth Comes Out

2006-04-19T14:11:00.000-04:00

I sent out:
Swiftmud says they have no jurisdiction over hydrilla in our lake. In fact we don’t really have a lake! Anyway ….. The State of Florida only treats on the taxpayers’ budget hydrilla (by Senate mandate) in public waters where there is a boat ramp. Appears our Lake is technically owned by the Port Authority (near as I can tell) and they don’t do much of anything. I’ve been trying to leverage that our lake overflows into the Hills river but nobody seems to care. Sounds like DEP might be the best resource as to how to deal with [hydrilla]. I am told they should be willing to come out and help us develop a plan. You might already have all that? Do you know them and if so, can they do anything to help us with funding or treatment for a portion of the hydrilla?

And then I learned this:
The Lake is owned by the city's Stormwater Department (although they could not find record of when it switched from a residential trust to them). It is part of their stormwater system and is catalogued as a retention pond. The water from the lake does flow into the Hillsborough River but DEP and the State would view it as part of the City of Tampa's stormwater system. I know what their view will be: why treat something we're going to dig up in a year. Perhaps if they thought of it as an experiment for a future run or for other similar lakes? Is there a danger to the fish if we release them without treatment or is it that the effect won't be as good?

(My answer was they should survive even with heavy weeds as long as they get enough oxygen)

It's From Siberia

2006-04-18T13:51:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder what the black bird with the red beak is? Moorhens are medium-sized water birds which are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Gallinula. I think they are nesting in the spatterdock. They are fun to watch as they drag sticks and twigs, etc. back into the weeds. If I am right, there are a lot of nests out there right now. The Common Moorhen feeds in reeds and along the edges of marshes. It pecks like a chicken or swims and dives like a duck in search of food. Often, it is seen walking on top of marsh plants searching for seeds, grasses, small snails, and insects. It is often heard making loud chicken-like sounds while feeding. These rails are all brown and black with some white markings in plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, feeding in open water margins rather than skulking in reedbeds. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers, although nevertheless capable of covering long distances; the Common Moorhen in particular migrates up to 2,000 km from some of its breeding areas in the colder parts of Siberia. Those that migrate do so at night. Moorhens can walk very well on strong legs, and have long toes that are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. These birds are omnivorous, taking plant material, small animals and eggs.

They are aggressively territorial during the breeding season, but are otherwise often found in sizeable flocks on the shallow vegetated lakes they prefer. Typically a medium-sized, ground-dwelling bird found near water. From a distance it looks black with a ragged white line along its body. Up close it is olive-brown on the back and the head and underneath are blue-grey. It has a red bill with a yellow tip. It breeds in the UK in lowland areas, especially in central and eastern England. It is scarce in northern Scotland and the uplands of Wales and northern England. UK breeding birds are residents and seldom travel far. It also breeds in Hampton Terrace!

They are pretty fun to watch and hear squabbling in the lake. Guess they all have to fight over the one perfect cow lily which produces the perfect nest.

Softshell Not Crab

2006-04-17T11:46:00.000-04:00

Saw this big boy sunning on the curb. The man says, "This aquatic freshwater turtle which likes lakes and slow moving rivers hunts crayfish, fish, frogs, tadpoles, some vegetation and usually lies in ambush for prey under the mud or sand on bottoms of quiet shallow water, extending tubular nostrils to surface periodically to breathe. A strong swimmer able to pursue and catch fish. Adults shells get darker with age and frequently lose any patterns, soft lips with very strong jaws and a bite that can rival that of snapping turtle. Long necks enable it to reach almost to back of shell to protect itself. They can run on land with surprising speed and agility."

Yup, he can run!

Critter Update

2006-04-16T08:32:00.000-04:00

Amazingly all 12 baby quackers are still flappin their little flippers. A bread diet sure fattens up little ducks. Mrs. Mallard is a very protective mother and Mr. Mallard hangs around a lot showing off his colorful coat. They really are great duck parents so far, at least for this crop. If you like NASCAR you should see the two of them flying laps around the lake. Not sure why they do it, but they haul ass (do ducks have that anotomical attachment?) in unison flight for 5 or so laps. Guess she's working out to keep that hourglass (or is it a squash?) figure. Anyway, the babies are growing and looking great with there brown fuzz. We bought some chick feed for them, but it seems to be scary compared to floating bread or crackers. Too bad we can't get them hooked on the healthy feed. Guess it looks too much like Grape Nuts. Can't say I blame them when folks toss bread and bagels.

Did I mention Rodney? I guess after a neighbor turned a dog or dog(s) loose, so the story goes, this little fellow became a dog toy. Fortunately, he escaped and after going tailless for a winter his plumage is returning in fine rooster form. I think he is extracting revenge by trying to wake the guilty early every morning. Anyway, we call him Rodney. He also goes by Chicky and I hear he likes turkey baloney. Guess he's sort of a solar alarm clock. I've heard a few other names for him mostly associated with the alarm function.

Grate News

2006-04-13T14:08:00.000-04:00

Sent this to a few interested folks:

Stormwater called me today and said they are sending somebody out to survey the lakes overflow discharge and they will design, fabricate and install the grate. He said we should see it in 3-4 weeks. He reminded me that we will need to keep an eye on it during heavy rains to be sure it doesn’t plug up. We could flood. He again expressed interest in our carp experiment.

I think installing the grate is the only barrier I am aware of prior to introducing the carp, assuming that we don’t want to apply herbicide to kill off some of the lilies.

I don’t think the lilies will hurt the fish; it will just take longer to get a visible effect.

I guess the trick is to get enough fish to control some of the hydrilla and some of the lilies, but not remove all the vegetation. Too many fish and they eat everything and start to die, not enough and they make no progress on weed control. We probably won’t ever spend enough money to buy too many fish.

Hopefully, we are close enough to the rainy season the lake stays wet. Hate for the fish and the gator to share the same last few cubic feet of water. I think the gator would wind up with a fat belly.

I will contact Swiftmud and talk to them about treating the hydrilla. They may send me elsewhere; it’s a state program I think. Treating hydrilla, I believe, has the side effect of treating some of the lilies.

We will probably need a couple hundred bucks to buy the carp; I’ll get a quote.

So, while the herbicide applied to about 60% of the current vegetation is suggested, it’s not mandatory. If we want or need to do that, we need to get on the ball and get a permit from EPC (I think). Also we need about 1-2 grand for the chemicals and some type of spray rig to apply unless the state handles the hydrilla for us.

The Lowry Park ladies harvested a second batch this week of hydrilla. Even if we do treat it, don’t worry – it will come back and we will be able to make more for the manatees!

Where's The Water Come From

2006-04-10T09:44:00.000-04:00

The lake is technically a retention pond for run-off that originates along Clifton, Idlewild, Roberta and a few other streets as well, plus about a mile long stretch of Nebraska. Fortunately, nothing too gross seems to come off of Nebraska anymore thanks to the installation of a cylone system. This separates solid stuff... wood, most trash, bodies, car parts, etc from the flow of water arriving to float our ducks. About 10 years ago the City installed concrete ramps to minimize bank erosion associated with water flows which can really get going during a good storm. Recently the separator came online and began functioning. It is now the main discharge for flow from Nebraska into the lake. It's been turned over to Tampa Stormwater now and everyone has high hopes this thing does a great job. We might actually be getting a second one on the East side of the lake in the future. Erosion and/or water flow pertaining to residential lots is a problem Stormwater seems to be dealing with now.

Given the velocity of the water flow from Nebraska during heavy storms the City installed a barrier known as Rip Rap. This is often used with varying results to control erosion associated with water for river banks, beaches and stormwater pipes. Unfortunately, as you can see the last heavy storm blasted our rip rap apart. Basically the plan is you put down some cloth and cover it with rocks. The trick is getting the amount and size of the rocks correct. We are going to need a bit of an adjustment to our rock collection before the rains get too heavy or this is going to be demolished. You can read about rip rap and beavers here.

Once the lake fills to full the excess goes out the overflow into the Hillsborough River. Hopefully that is, otherwise we could flood. This is the outflow in the SW corner of the lake. It's pretty old and in rough shape. This is where the grate needs to be installed to keep the alien mutant carp possessed in the lake. We don't want them to escape because even though they cannot reproduce, they might scare people by trying to mow their lawns for them when they get hungry. This actually looks more like a fireplace than a stormwater overflow to me, but what do I know. This advice is worth what you paid for it.

Bit O History

2006-04-08T13:58:00.000-04:00

Heard this:
[Somebody's] grandfather had built some of the first houses in Seminole Heights. He said his grandfather told him about some of the cattle drives and that even in the 20s there were a few. The lake, he said, was dug out by the Lykes probably where a spring already existed. They used it to "fatten" up the cattle by allowing them to drink water before the last two miles before the port where they would be weighed and transported to Cuba.

And then I learned:
The plant life [in our lake] typically provides oxygen to the water. Decaying plant and other humic material (like leaves) typically absorb oxygen. From the sampling we've sent in, we were told that the lake is eutrophic, which means there are lots of nutrients. Removing the plant life is the perfect solution as it allows new plants to grow and remove more nutrients. That plant life doesn't fall to the bottom to decay. Carp are pretty hardy fish. The heat and high nutrient levels might hurt other fish.

As far as funding, the neighborhood association has funded things in the past. This is an important issue all over Seminole Heights as many residents used to play here as children. The Christmas lights and the Christmas concert are some of our biggest events. However, I'd like to get as much matching funding and grants as possible. Martin Montalvo sits on the Florida Lake Management Society board and says there are Love Your Lake grants available and that if we had a plan, we could apply for funding. It's at grants. [Names removed] , who are building next to your old house, have helped with construction before. They laid the footers for the lake entry sign. So we could have monetary and community help.

I also have access to a company who can make a grate for us out of stainless steel. So with that value, money from the association, contributions in labor (and money) from the neighbors, we should be able to cover it.

And then I asked if drought kills the floating plants or hydrilla:
The lilies live off a rhizome root system. If that dries up, they die. They can only grow in 6 feet or less depth. When the rains come, they'll be covered up and they'll die. The root system remains alive. The lily, known as cow lily or spatterdock, is native to Florida. The parks department did a spraying last time and they may do it again if asked. However, the spraying of the lilies caused an uproar last time. I don't think people would mind a controlled kill but we'd have to inform people of the reason. The lilies do provide cover for fish and keep the water temps lower. By making the lake deeper, we're hoping that will control vegetation as well.

So we now know some people hate lillies and some love them. Isn't America great? The trick seems to be balancing the plant, bird, and waterlife. Except the hydrilla. Death to hydilla!

Others Help Too

2006-04-07T13:49:00.000-04:00

The more I learn the better I like this place. Many people have been working on various projects and tasks to help the lake and general community. I now have heard about the "Save Lake Roberta" group and received this info from a neighbor:

The committee is working on formalizing the workshop results into a mission statement for the committee and a plan for the lake. The workshop was well attended. We had a biologist from the Parks department talk to us about the ecology of the lake. Stormwater explained how the ownership works and what their goals are. Below the surface it is the domain of Stormwater, above to the curb is Parks. Heard about the positive history of the lake. There used to be a yearly father/son fishing tournament in the 50s. The Christmas float goes back to the 50s. We now have a Children's Halloween Parade and a Christmas Concert. OSHNA funds the latter and also funded the restoration of the entry sign on Clifton and Nebraska.

Also I learned about this Hampton Terrace website.

I sent this to a few interested folks :
We need a barrier grate, trying to get Stormwater to build us one; if they won't do we have any funds to buy one? Is there any money to buy the fish?

Per DEP Bureau of Aquatic Plant Mgmt in Tampa, the recommended process is to herbicide 60% of the lake then introduce fish. That might cost between 800 and 2,000 bucks basis lake size. I’m not clear how big the lake really is. I’m guessing we don’t have those funds, so we will just take a slower route and try the fish alone. There is a possibility too many weeds can deplete the oxygen in the water, hurting the fish. Also, to apply herbicide probably requires a permit from EPC and they aren’t the easiest folks to deal with, so far at least. Every other organization has been quite helpful.

This is going to sound corny, but maybe we could let people name a fish for 25 bucks (or something like that) and get a little money to buy the grass munchers. Kind of a little marketing game. Maybe stick a tiny little plaque up in the entrance. A project with fish names and sponsors.

I’m also thinking about throwing a few minnows in there (if I can’t find already there) to eat mosquito and tadpoles. What do you think about that? [I've since learned there are some little minnows that will help control tadpoles. I guess the last frog uprising might have been after a drought that killed most of the fish]

Permit Tion

2006-04-06T13:42:00.000-04:00

Got this today after I prepared the carp permit for the second time. Appears the fine State of Florida's computer system lost my prior application. Hope after IRS finishes taxes they lose my filing.

Mr BungleLows,

I got your application. As determined by our discussions, a barrier(s) will need to be installed to keep the fish in the system. Attached is a barrier form (word document). Let me know if you have any problems receiving or opening the file (I can send another way if so). Please read over, sign and return this form to our office once the required barrier is installed. Feel free to call me if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Habitat and Species Conservation Section

FWC shared this info with me too:
Barrier Permits
Construction of barriers, especially those that are not maintained, may result in problems with flooding. In order to reduce the potential for flooding, please contact the agency charged (or your county if that agency is unknown) with water flow management in the site prior to installing barriers. They will be able to provide input as to acceptable barrier design criteria that will meet both your needs and theirs.

Barriers Required
If barriers are required, please sign and return the enclosed form once the barriers are installed. Some counties require approval of their storm water/ drainage department to ensure that flooding will not result from poorly constructed or maintained barriers. The enclosed form will include the county contact (if known). It is in the best interest of all parties if the agency responsible for drainage is aware of the proposed barrier installation. This will help prevent flooding problems, and ensure approval if the barrier is to be installed on public property. After inspecting the barriers to determine acceptability, we will notify you as to their approval. Once barriers are approved, your permit will be issued and you can stock triploid grass carp.

Barriers Recommended
If barriers are recommended but not required, we are not concerned with impact to other waters from fish escaping. We are suggesting that fish be prevented from migrating out of the site and possibly becoming stranded. Since grass carp are an investment, it makes sense to prevent them from escaping. We would not be required to approve barriers in this instance, but will assist you in any way possible to ensure fish containment.

Barrier Construction
Barriers should be constructed to allow a width of no more than 1½ inches in their narrowest dimension. It is not always advisable to affix barriers directly to openings in a culvert or weir, as they can restrict water movement. Where necessary to maximize flow potential, they should be installed in front of, but away from such openings. Barriers should extend to a height above the normal high water line. It is preferable to utilize a two-or-three-sided framework design (V- or box-shaped) as opposed to a single-faced configuration.

It is advisable to use a series of parallel rods or bars, instead of a grid or mesh design. These can be oriented either vertically or horizontally, and maintained by raking away debris as necessary.

Secret Handshake Secret Spy Ring

2006-04-05T13:22:00.000-04:00

I think BunglesLow and Wifealow went to the “secret lake people meeting”. Hope were not branded for life with a scarlet LRLP on our heads. There was discussion about a few things and some good cookies. The bottom line, as I perceived it, goes like this (and I freely admit I am new here and not entirely in the loop). After a lot of talk, everybody agreed that since the government, or others, are willing to fund [some] improvements to the lake, we should present a united front to those organizations. The lake and non-lake people, the save the lake committee, etc, all sharing a common voice to those providing funding. We all enjoy the lake and want it clean and healthy, at least as best possible. We all want and need the funding because we can’t afford to do it ourselves.

At least that's what I walked away with. That and a satisfied sweet tooth. And I learned there is a Save the Lake Group.

One Ton Hydrilla Killa

2006-04-05T13:18:00.000-04:00

This went out to a few folks including me:
Just to let everyone know, Lowry Park is sending people over to collect hydrilla and naiad from the lake to feed to their manatees. BunglesLow contacted the park and arrange dthis. Two young girls worked for a couple of hours and hauled away 5 garbage cans full. Manatees eat 10% of their body weight in a single meal. Some weigh in a close to one ton, so this is just to suplement their diet. They plan to return every two weeks, sometimes with a boat. This is a perfect solution as it harvests the plant material instead of spraying it where it just settles down to the bottom. The plants absorb the nutrients, grow and then are removed from the lake in harvesting. I'd like to see if we couldn't team up with Lowry Park for possibly the Love Your Lake Grant, maybe we could get the lake mower so they could have something to help with the harvesting. See mower. FYI - Hydrilla and Naiad are invasive species non-native to Florida. They are common in private aquariums. These plants are aggressive growers and are a problem everywhere in Florida.

[Update] The Lowry ladies have returned for a second load of Manatee Munchies. Seems our little Hydrilla Haven is much closer than their alternate source so let's hope they really fatten their herbivores up using our premium hydrilla. Not only is ours greener, wetter and better but it's a lot closer. Hmmm, did I mention that already?

Population Explosion

2006-04-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

Hard to see em in there but Lake Roberta gets 12 new baby mallards. They cling pretty close and look like Easter Peeps cept for being brownish. Amazing how fast baby ducks run and when Mom calls they cluster like ticks at a Vampire roast.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

2006-03-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

The hood learned from City Parks Department that someone has taken the ordinance signs requesting that people pick up after their pets. They are going to replace them and I told them that we would keep an eye out for anyone seen tampering with them. You can call TPD non-emergency 231-6130. The police have assured me that anyone caught will be arrested. One can only wonder where they pawned our signs.

Let's Fix The Lake

2006-03-29T16:47:00.000-05:00

BunglesLowWife found this one too:

Lake Roberta Cleanup Options Offered Published on January 12, 2006, Article 18 of 41 found. TAMPA - For landscape design - Myron Griffin, a plan to de-muck Lake Roberta is a longtime dream. He has lived near the Seminole Heights lake since 1985 and has watched as debris and vegetation choked the life from it. He wants to see the lake restored and a pocket park created from dredged sediment. He proposes a boardwalk, seating, a gazebo, decorative lighting, and trash and dog waste receptacles. His plan met a lukewarm response during a workshop held by the Save Lake Roberta (Tampa Tribune, The (FL), 209 words.)

To Be Or Not To Be

2006-03-28T16:45:00.000-05:00

BunglesLowWife dug this up:

$828,500 Earmarked For Lakes Roberta, Kipling, EdnaPublished on December 29, 2005, Article 21 of 41 found, By KATHY STEELE, ksteele TAMPA - The city and state will spend more than $800,000 to clean up three neighborhood lakes. Work is scheduled to begin in October 2007, with dredging likely at Lake Roberta in Seminole Heights and Lake Kipling in Sunset Park, said Steve Seachrist, Design Development Manager for the City's Stormwater Department. The goal is to improve water quality at the lakes, which also include Lake Edna in Wellswood. Seachrist said.

OooOOoOoooo - a name of somebody official who knows a lake might exist. Or at least a hole with water exisits.

Life In A Fishbowl

2006-03-28T13:05:00.000-05:00

Got a couple links from a neighbor:
Here is the website with info on grants.

The grant guidelines are listed in this document.

I was interested, so I started learning about mutant alien grass eating veggie munching carp.

Arggggg, is takes a permit from the man.

OK, the permit process isn't so bad after all when I was told:
According to IFAS, the new GFC is the Wildlife Commission and they still have a permit for grass carp. Now it's down to one page. Used to be a big package with maps and sketches, etc. They probably still have a list of authorized suppliers. The grate had to be smaller than the fish. We once got away with using chain link with the big ones though that was technically too big (means that they got away with using the wrong grate).

My next mission
Find a permit
Get a grate
Get a chair and I'm goin fishin

Weed Munching Fish

2006-03-26T16:35:00.000-05:00

Well since my dialing finger and ear have recovered the next round begins. I called Tampa Public Works who sent me to Stormwater who sent me to an engineer. I was poking around about their opinion on a grate being installed since I'd reading about Asian mutant carp. Big honking carp that think hydrilla is filet minion of the sea. Kept hunting around seeking some info on does the lake that doesn't existmwondering can anybody help with hydrilla and can we get any help slowing the lilies? The lake does overflow directly into the Hillsborough River and after all, we don't want the manatees getting imported hydrilla. They have their own to contend with. Next stop is Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control.

Mowers and Whackers

2006-03-26T16:31:00.000-05:00

OoOOoOOoO Parks and Recreation came and cut the exposed plants. Very nice job. Have I mentioned the drought? One inch of rain or less in about 45 days now. The Lake might become a mud bath. Forget the fish, soon we can use a riding mower.

The Manhole

2006-03-23T12:56:00.000-05:00

Today, I learned about a new type of storm drain. It's known as a storm sceptre downstream defender. We actually got a kind of demo and explanation from the factory representative Fitts. Looks like a manhole from the top with a underground tank hiding below. It collects debris and should be cleaned out periodically. See it here.

Mowers and Blowers

2006-03-21T16:30:00.000-05:00

Parks and Recreation came and mowed the edge of the non-lake. They had told me they would check it out and kept there word. They did a really nice job.

Not My Bag Baby

2006-03-20T16:41:00.000-05:00

I am told Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control don't control the invasive classified weed hydrilla. I guess since that's a state funded program locals can ignore it. Lilies are possibly a nuisance, but not invasive, so it's not our bag baby. Hey you know Lowry Park likes hydrilla or you could try EPC (%^&#$%$%^F_). [Note - to this day 4/21/06 EPC has not been able to answer a single question for me or return a signle phone call in spite of numerous messages.] We (Weedless Control) will call them for you.

Phone Ear Hurteth

2006-03-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

What the heck, I did so good with Swiftmud in Brooksville I decided to try my hand ringing up a few other organizations. So, I called the City of Tampa who sent me to Swiftmud Tampa who volunteered Roberta is not a Lake, probably man made hole. Then Hillsborough County Environmental Commission (EPC) volunteered while they can't fix anything we probably will need a permit. Not sure, but probably need a miscellaneous activities permit to treat hydrilla. So I called the Temple Terrace Office of the EPA followed by the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department. They said if it's there we probably mow it. Now it's time to call the big spenders at the State of Florida Capitol. Title Determination says Florida owns no Lakes and that the title was transferred most likely to the Tampa Port Authority. Well, I had talked to a lot of nice folks but so far, really only learned that not many people know Hampton Terrace even has a lake. They suspect I am nuts until I get them to yahoo the area. Then they at least admit there is a circular road that looks like the type of thing that might go around a lake. Or at least a meteor strike hole.

Swiftmud Ruleth

2006-03-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

Learned that the Weeki hydrilla isn't bad enough for them to come out and treat it yet. Guess they have me harvesting it so it looks ok to them. To treat a portion of a canal, off the river, they basically have to treat the whole canal. Won't do that till its real ugly. Glad I didn't waste bucks on the herbicide. Did learn a bit about how the state deals, or doesn't deal with hydrilla. Also learned we suffer from filamentous algae. Since it's not classified as an alien invader it remains cool beans with Swiftmud. Stated otherwise, yer on yer own. That stuff is icky.

Diving Into The Water

2006-03-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

Well, we sort of decided to help tackle some of the water issues in two places at once, Lake Roberta and a good swimming spot about 50 miles away in Weeki Wachee. A Weeki neighbor wanted us to chip in and help buy some hydrilla herbicide for the river and I thought I'd do a bit of investigation before we started sprinkling pellets on mullet and snapper. Started out by talking to Swiftmud in Brooksville, the organization that administrates best as I can tell the hydrilla control within the river. They would go check the water out and respond. They sent me to Swiftmud near Tampa for Tampa issues. DOH, I should have known that.