It was fortunate for the birds that the power plants along Lake Erie were unable to execute their planned shutdowns on schedule. In a few years though, with similar winter weather, there will be only frozen lake at Avon Lake, the 72nd marina and Eastlake. Thermal pollution of the Cuyahoga River should keep some open water at Wendy Park. Other river mouths will be about the last open water. In a message dated 3/25/2014 10:08:52 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Dear All, I find it very distressing and heart-rending to see the birds perish in the unusually nasty winter weather. Shaker Green lake/Duck pond has 2 pairs of hooded mergansers, and a male with 2 females of ring-necked ducks, in addition to several ( at least 5-6) wood ducks and several mallards. I know that the woodducks and the mallards generally are good at taking care of themselves, and the former can roost in the trees. However, I am concerned for the mergansers and the ring necked ducks. I was wondering if you would have any information on their behavior or if there's anything we can do to give these poor birds a slightly better chance at life. I know that we are not supposed to intervene with the natural causes, however, I also found the Wendy park area being frozen with lots of dead birds, after a nice weather day earlier a couple of weeks ago. I am wondering if one should create some methods that will allow the water remain open in such areas with higher migrant bird populations. For example, creating a windmill at the corner pier that will generate some heat to keep the water open on such days. The power may be used for other purposes on regular days. I am not sure if there would be some other idea around this forum to protect these birds. I appreciate your response, and thank you for reading my post. sincerely, Pow (Pow Joshi, Shaker Heights/Cleveland area) On 25 March 2014 21:48, Pow Joshi <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Dear All, > > I find it very distressing and heart-rending to see the birds perish in > the unusually nasty winter weather. Shaker Green lake/Duck pond has 2 pairs > of hooded mergansers, and a male with 2 females of ring-necked ducks, in > addition to several ( at least 5-6) wood ducks and several mallards. > I know that the woodducks and the mallards generally are good at taking > care of themselves, and the former can roost in the trees. However, I am > concerned for the mergansers and the ring necked ducks. I was wondering if > you would have any information on their behavior or if there's anything we > can do to give these poor birds a slightly better chance at life. > > I know that we are not supposed to intervene with the natural causes, > however, I also found the Wendy park area being frozen with lots of dead > birds, after a nice weather day earlier a couple of weeks ago. I am > wondering if one should create some methods that will allow the water > remain open in such areas with higher migrant bird populations. For > example, creating a windmill at the corner pier that will generate some > heat to keep the water open on such days. The power may be used for other > purposes on regular days. I am not sure if there would be some other idea > around this forum to protect these birds. > > I appreciate your response, and thank you for reading my post. > sincerely, > Pow > ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]