NATURE / OUTDOORS
Here are some
nature stories, outdoors tips and
photos. National and
local coverage...
Patapsco
State Park Daniel's Recreation
Area Howard County, MD 6/8/07
Mark Burchick
I have a job
site immediately
upstream of the
Daniel's dam and
fish ladder.
While evaluating
our project
approach I saw
this flock of
geese and
goslings feeding
on the rich
algae of the dam
face. The
few of the
Canada geese
look as if they
have interbred
with Toulouse
geese (upper
left). My
boys have had a
Toulouse as a
pet and 4-H
project, and
they are loud
and rowdy.
The drop-off
of the dam
is about
20-feet high
and violent.
This gosling
wanted the
long strands
of rich
algae and
paid for it.
With paddle
spurs dug
into the
concrete,
this goose
says
"who the
hell is that
going over
the dam
face? and at
least I can
fly, being
an adult"
Note the
hybrid
markings of
this
Canada/Toulouse
cross.
This gosling
has no way
to get back
above the
dam, other
than to hoof
it thru the
woods.
The wings of
this bird
are not
developed
enough to
fly.
The Toulouse
goose was
cranking out
calls to the
stranded
waterfowl.
After a few
intense
showers and
churning
waters, the
bird no
longer would
swim into
the
waterfall.
The geese
said
"lets get
out of
here,"
and the
parent birds
swam away
from the dam
face while
the
youngsters
continued to
graze on the
algae-coated
concrete.
I took this
photo at the
upstream
exit of the
fish ladder
at the
flotsam
curtain of
the Daniel's
dam. I
can't tell
what species
it is, but
it was a big
fish, about
2-feet long.
