Wildlife in Minerva Park

While the wildlife is sometimes an asset in our village, many of you may already be aware of the predatory wildlife also calling this place home.

For years, there have been reports of Coyotes in the Hawthorne wildlife area. It is always a possibility.

Now, there are reports of foxes in Minerva Park. There was a sighting of a mother and baby fox on Wildwood within the last month. There are also the remains of something wildlife-like at the end of Wildwood, by the Cleveland Ave. intersection.

Two nights ago, there was a skunk about the area as well. I didn't see it; it had other ways of making itself known.

Although I have a 50 pound dog that is happy to chase off these critters, he's not always out and apparently he was in long enough for a fox and skunk to disregard his scent.

It's advisable to keep small pets in at night (cats, small dogs, etc.) if possible. If you have a rabbit, (or chickens....perhaps?...don't know what happened with that issue, myself) it is probably wise to keep their living quarters raised off the ground enough that a fox won't torment them too much. And obviously, keep their enclosures secure.

Word on the block is the Mayor has contacted ODNR for advise on how to handle the predatory wildlife we have living here. In the meantime, keep your pets-and small children-safe and watched.

The following link may provide useful information (ODNR Division of Wildlife Nuissance Species information):
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wild_resourcessubhomepage/dealing_with_wildlifeplaceholder/NuisanceSpecieslandingpage/terrestrialnuisancewildlife/tabid/5674/Default.aspx

Unfortunately, we can't tax the wildlife too. Though someone around here may try.

Cardinal in Minerva Park

I happened to catch this cardinal in my lens the other day, and I wanted to share with everyone.

These photos were taken in my backyard, here in Minerva Park.

I'm sorry I couldn't get more photos of him or a better angle, he was running from me while I tried to get a shot so I let him go.

Cardinals are fairly common here in winter, as they are our state bird and all.

Nuissance Geese

Resident concern has been raised about the goose population in Minerva Park.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has some helpful information online about dealing with nuissance geese.

Nuisance Species

Harassment Techniques & Timeline

One primary message from ODNR related to goose populations is not to feed the geese. When geese become accustomed to being fed by humans not only do they lose their fear of humans and become more of a threat to us, they lack proper nutrition by supplementing their natural food source for carbohydrates.

If you personally have had a conflict with the Canadian Geese in Ohio you can make a conflict report online with ODNR.

The telephone number for ODNR Division of Wildlife in our district is 614-644-3925.

The following is a video showcasing Minerva Park, uploaded by "TheBrandtGroup", found on YouTube.

This was shot in May 2011. For the most part it features the lakes, while there are other attributes residents may enjoy, it gives a good view of the lakes, which are a large asset for the Village.

Don't Feed the Geese

The Canadian Goose is a beautiful bird. Because they were once endangered, they were placed under the protection of the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In 2001 they were delisted due to recovery. More information about the Canadian Goose can be found at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In Minerva Park, our lakes serve as home to many Canadian Geese. If you have been to the lakes recently you likely noticed the inundation of geese coming to find a morsel or two from any passerby.
The geese have grown comfortable with humans, and often can be intimidating and aggressive.

Feeding the ducks is a wonderful experience for children and adults alike, but with a population of geese such as the one in Minerva Park, it becomes a challenge. The geese are not only aggressive in search for food, they are destructive to the land surrounding the lakes. Their "tracks" are messy and unhealthy and a nuisance to be cleaned up.

Concern has been expressed by residents in the park over the population of geese we foster. Those who live near the lake have to contend with erosion of their yards, goose waste, and noise created by the geese.

While harassing the geese is not recommended, abstaining from feeding them is. They come back to our village to nest and find food and have been able to successfully do so. Each year more baby geese are born here and they return in following years to breed themselves.

Dogs provide a good goose deterrent, just by walking them along the lake, residents can help the geese decide to find another place to nest.

The number of ducks in our lakes have been reduced  in recent years, presumably due to competition from the geese. Perhaps as we make attempts to reduce the goose population we can bring back some of the less destructive species like the Mallards, Pekins, and American Black Ducks.