FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] bky:"creek kill"

[Sid Easley <Sid.Easley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have always been curious about road kills, but this is my first 
experience with creek kills other than maybe a bloated cow or deer.  This 
morning armed with my pocket knife and one of my son's old blunt school 
scissors I set out in my kayak for Blood River to do preemptive strikes 
against old fishing lines that are left along the creek banks.  Having read 
Ben Yandell's true account of saving a Great Blue from an entangled line, I 
have been making a concerted  effort to rid the world of their dangers. You 
can always bird and cut lines at the same time.

After taking out no less than 15 heavy lines with a hook on the end and 
tied to a branch over the water, I rounded a bend and picked up a putrid 
smell.  Five Black Vultures flushed in front of me.  There floating in the 
water was a huge snapping turtle.  Using string and my paddle and later a 
yardstick  it measured approximately 48" from tail to snout.  The carapace 
was approximately 28 " in width.  I brought  home a scale off its carapace 
that measures 4 1/2 " by 6 1/2 " .  I believe it to be a Common Snapper as 
opposed to an Alligator due to the flat scale rather than the more pointed 
one of the Alligator.  However, the size of it was overwhelming.

It had not died by natural causes.  I looked for the telltale  fishing 
line,  and there was one tied to a branch.  When I pulled on it, the turtle 
bobbed too.  This line was a long one with several hooks attached and 
weighted with railroad spikes.  The line was wrapped around the turtle's 
foot.

Makes you mad.  At least I have the satisfaction of knowing that next year 
this fisherman is going to have to start all over because his/her lines are 
down.  So keep your pocket knives or scissors handy when you are floating 
down a creek. And maybe you need to keep your toes out of the water!!

Melissa Easley
Murray, Ky.



================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS==============

The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign 
your messages with first & last name, city, & 
state abbreviation.
--------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to:
birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send e-mail to:
birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY
E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx