An unapologetic plant geek shares advice and opinions on gardening, the contrived and the natural landscape, as well as occasional topics from the other side of the gate.

September 28, 2013

Another Day in the Park

     This morning I joined the Tidewater Master Naturalist at First Landing State Park for monthly trail maintenance. We trimmed overhanging branches and trip-hazard vines, plus we also installed signs designating our adopted trails. Other than cleaning up after the clueless and careless, it was a fairly easy day, and I always enjoy a visit to this unique ecosystem.

First Landing (3)

First Landing (2)

First Landing (1)

     During the middle of our duties we paused and headed to the beach to witness something special. A rehabilitated loggerhead turtle was released back into the sea. This particular loggerhead goes by the name of St. Louis, and he was found further west in Ocean View, underweight and with two fishhooks stuck in his flesh. Though the crowd was considerable, it did not seem to deter St. Louis from making his reentry a quick one.

St. Louis Returns (3)

St. Louis Returns (1)

St. Louis Returns (4)

St. Louis Returns (5)

St. Louis Returns (6)

St. Louis Returns (12)

St. Louis Returns (7)

St. Louis Returns (8)

     While we are still on the subject of sea turtles, I want to encourage all of you to tell your friends and family never to release balloons into the air. Even if you live hundreds of miles inland, in one of the landlocked states, balloons can still find their way to the sea. Deflated and floating on the surface of the water, they can look a lot like something a turtle might want to eat, only to have it get stuck in the turtle's digestive tract. That concludes this station's public service announcement.

22 comments:

  1. Trimming trails is something I am so very familiar with. It is a neverending job for me on the new land. I am sure the folks at the State Park really appreciate all of the help from your group.

    The loggerhead is waaaaay cool! I wish him a safe and happy trip. Can folks track him online by chance?

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    1. Tina, he is being tracked by the Va. Aquarium, but as far as I know he's not on-line.

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  2. Good luck to St. Louis! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Kudos for being a master naturalist. St. Louis is one impressive critter! I wish him well. Thanks for the warning about balloons.

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    1. Jason, I try not to miss an opportunity to tell people about the balloon threat.

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  4. St. Louis is a beautiful creature and I am so glad he is on his way back to freedom. I hope he has a safe journey. It is great places like this exist that can help animals like him. I see balloons set to air quite a bit and cringe every time. It really is not an occasion to tell the parents about their kids though. It needs to driven home with a PBS special, or on blogs such as yours.

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    1. This summer there was an article in the local paper about the balloon and sea turtle issue. A few days later a woman writes in accusing environmentalist overreacting, and that soon she will not be able to experience the simple joy of her grandchildren letting balloons fly away at birthday parties. I felt like responding to her with a suggestion to let her grandchildren attend a sea turtle necropsy at the aquarium.

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  5. Thanks, Les, for sharing this beautiful moment with us! Thanks also for the warning about balloons. I see that done way too often!

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  6. What a magnificent creature! I feel so sorry for him knowing that he had fish hooks caught in his flesh and am glad that he has recovered. Like other commenters, I have often seen balloons drifting on the breeze. It is good to be reminded what a hazard it poses.

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    1. He was a magnificent creature, and I was surprised by his colors.

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  7. A magnificent place to work in. Hope St Louis has a long and happy future free of further fish hooks, and those disastrous balloons. I understand why tracking him is important, but such a shame to mar the beauty of his shell with an ugly bit of tech!

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    1. I only hope the tracking device will at some point fall off.

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  8. Yay for the turtle! Balloons are bad but plastic waste in general can be problematic to marine mammals.

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    1. You are absolutely right about plastic waste, and I was remiss in not mentioning it.

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  9. les, good for you!!! as usual you cought the action wonderfully.les thanks for the comments on my blog they were very comforting....and how can you be so young AND wise?

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    1. You are indeed flattering, as I am only young in my head.

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  10. Love the "clueless or careless" description. Folks here still sometimes release helium balloons to celebrate birthdays. Happy Birthday, kill a turtle !

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    1. I don't know which is worse, the people who are just plain ignorant, or the ones who know but don't care.

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  11. A happy event for St Louis, it looks like he made a snow turtle/angel in the sand before he left.

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  12. He did not spend much time on the beach and bolted right for the water, so any effort at making angels was purely coincidental.

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