Hubby bought me a new, improved 1.5 million candlepower rechargeable
spotlight for my "midnight pond checks" and I saw three different things
tonight,not sure if they're good or bad.

First, found a dead fish. I NEVER see dead fish in my pond, and this guy is
a bottom sucker or something that has been there for 3 years that I think my
kids caught in a nearby brook. It was about an inch long when they brought
it home, and it was probably 7 inches long tonight. It bothers me and
scares me that it died, since I don't know why.

Second discovery was kind of strange, I found a bird sitting on the grass
under a hosta. Since when do birds sleep on the ground???? I'm not even
sure what kind it was, it happened so fast. I was sliding my foot under the
plant to get a closer look in the pond, and then there was this flutter and
a bird flew out and away! What in heck was he doing in there? It was
right next to where the UV light is - think there's any connection?

Third thing I then spotted in the pond was a fairly large crayfish. I knew
my kids had put two in there last year, and I found one "body" when opening
this spring, just kind of assumed they both had died. Now WHERE this guy
seems to be hanging out is right where I found the dead fish. So I can't
help but wonder if the fish got attacked, but he looked perfectly intact
when I removed him.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to eat!
Sue

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to eat!

There are ground birds too, such as meadowlark, killdeer, quail.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to eat!

There are ground birds too, such as meadowlark, killdeer, quail.

Most birds dont fly at night. When I was netting birds with our ornithologist, the
last birds we caught at sunset were left in a cage overnight cause if we released
them they would flutter to the ground and be sitting ducks for predators. I suspect
this one was disturbed in the tree and fluttered down to the ground.
crayfish molt.. shed their skin when they grow. they are detritus feeders. Ingrid

"Sue Alexandre" wrote:
Second discovery was kind of strange, I found a bird sitting on the grass
under a hosta. Since when do birds sleep on the ground????
Third thing I then spotted in the pond was a fairly large crayfish. I knew
my kids had put two in there last year, and I found one "body" when opening
this spring, just kind of assumed they both had died. Now WHERE this guy
seems to be hanging out is right where I found the dead fish. So I can't
help but wonder if the fish got attacked, but he looked perfectly intact
when I removed him.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to eat!
Sue

"Sue Alexandre" wrote in message
news:xXbHa.9059$8p2.4206@lakeread04...
Hubby bought me a new, improved 1.5 million candlepower rechargeable
spotlight for my "midnight pond checks" and I saw three different things
tonight,not sure if they're good or bad.

First, found a dead fish. I NEVER see dead fish in my pond, and this guy
is
a bottom sucker or something that has been there for 3 years that I think
my
kids caught in a nearby brook. It was about an inch long when they
brought
it home, and it was probably 7 inches long tonight. It bothers me and
scares me that it died, since I don't know why.

May be the crayfish you mention gettin' hungry, or it may be that it is a
species that needs faster flowing water (you mentioned the kids getting it
from a brook).

HTH

--
Brian
"Stuck down a hole, in the fog, in the middle of the night, with an owl."

1. It may just have been the little suckers time.
2. Some birds do fly at night and do roost on the ground. ( If you
have ever been in the path of a woodcock migration on a full moon, you
might think it was raining birds.)
3. The crayfish body you found may have only been it's shell. It will
shed the shell as it outgrows it. They usually cannot catch a healthy
fish and don't care to. There is enough stuff to eat that doesn't
fight back.
Relax ........ enjoy your new toy. (spotlight)
"Sue Alexandre" wrote in message
news:xXbHa.9059$8p2.4206@lakeread04...
Hubby bought me a new, improved 1.5 million candlepower rechargeable
spotlight for my "midnight pond checks" and I saw three different
things
tonight,not sure if they're good or bad.

First, found a dead fish. I NEVER see dead fish in my pond, and this
guy is
a bottom sucker or something that has been there for 3 years that I
think my
kids caught in a nearby brook. It was about an inch long when they
brought
it home, and it was probably 7 inches long tonight. It bothers me and
scares me that it died, since I don't know why.

Second discovery was kind of strange, I found a bird sitting on the
grass
under a hosta. Since when do birds sleep on the ground???? I'm not
even
sure what kind it was, it happened so fast. I was sliding my foot
under the
plant to get a closer look in the pond, and then there was this
flutter and
a bird flew out and away! What in heck was he doing in there? It
was
right next to where the UV light is - think there's any connection?

Third thing I then spotted in the pond was a fairly large crayfish. I
knew
my kids had put two in there last year, and I found one "body" when
opening
this spring, just kind of assumed they both had died. Now WHERE
this guy
seems to be hanging out is right where I found the dead fish. So I
can't
help but wonder if the fish got attacked, but he looked perfectly
intact
when I removed him.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to
eat!
Sue

"Hank Pagel" wrote:

1. It may just have been the little suckers time.
2. Some birds do fly at night and do roost on the ground. ( If you
have ever been in the path of a woodcock migration on a full moon, you
might think it was raining birds.)

In fact, here in Chicago, at the tip of Lake Michigan, where the
migratory birds have to decide which side of the lake to fly north on,
they dim the lights in the buildings, to help keep birds from flying
into them, and dying.

Apparently birds use the stars for directions in their migration, and
the lights confuse them.

So there is like 6 week periods when they do this, spring and fall, to
help out the birds.

It was big news last spring, when a tagged whooping crane, spent a night
at some unknown location in Chicago. during its migration.

Sue Alexandre wrote:
Hubby bought me a new, improved 1.5 million candlepower rechargeable
spotlight for my "midnight pond checks" and I saw three different things
tonight,not sure if they're good or bad.

First, found a dead fish. I NEVER see dead fish in my pond, and this guy is
a bottom sucker or something that has been there for 3 years that I think my
kids caught in a nearby brook. It was about an inch long when they brought
it home, and it was probably 7 inches long tonight. It bothers me and
scares me that it died, since I don't know why.

Second discovery was kind of strange, I found a bird sitting on the grass
under a hosta. Since when do birds sleep on the ground???? I'm not even
sure what kind it was, it happened so fast. I was sliding my foot under the
plant to get a closer look in the pond, and then there was this flutter and
a bird flew out and away! What in heck was he doing in there? It was
right next to where the UV light is - think there's any connection?

Third thing I then spotted in the pond was a fairly large crayfish. I knew
my kids had put two in there last year, and I found one "body" when opening
this spring, just kind of assumed they both had died. Now WHERE this guy
seems to be hanging out is right where I found the dead fish. So I can't
help but wonder if the fish got attacked, but he looked perfectly intact
when I removed him.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to eat!
Sue






-- Quail and Doves nest on the ground I'm guessing therer are probably
others depending on where you live also there are night feeding birds





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad
judgement

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Once upon a time, the kids brought back a teeny-tiny little crayfish they
found in a stream, and plopped it into the aquarium. It looked so cute, and
took up residence in the "castle". I fed him itty-bitty meatballs made from
ground beef. One day I found his skeleton, and wondered how the fish had
picked his body so clean. Several days later, VIOLA! A larger crayfish! Ah
HA, says me: they molt! More meatballs, more molts, BIGGER crayfish.
Eventually he couldn't fit in the castle anymore, and perched on the
parapets, like King Kong on the Empire State Building. Then one day, I
noticed that my bottom layer fish were diminishing in numbers, then they
were nearly gone. It seems that at night, when the lights were off, Mr.
Crayfish went a'huntin'. I eventually gave him to a guy down the street who
kept pet bass in tanks. Mr. Crayfish was too big for them to eat, and
vice-versa.

End of storytime.

Lee
"Sue Alexandre" wrote in message
news:xXbHa.9059$8p2.4206@lakeread04...
Hubby bought me a new, improved 1.5 million candlepower rechargeable
spotlight for my "midnight pond checks" and I saw three different things
tonight,not sure if they're good or bad.

First, found a dead fish. I NEVER see dead fish in my pond, and this guy
is
a bottom sucker or something that has been there for 3 years that I think
my
kids caught in a nearby brook. It was about an inch long when they
brought
it home, and it was probably 7 inches long tonight. It bothers me and
scares me that it died, since I don't know why.

Second discovery was kind of strange, I found a bird sitting on the grass
under a hosta. Since when do birds sleep on the ground???? I'm not even
sure what kind it was, it happened so fast. I was sliding my foot under
the
plant to get a closer look in the pond, and then there was this flutter
and
a bird flew out and away! What in heck was he doing in there? It was
right next to where the UV light is - think there's any connection?

Third thing I then spotted in the pond was a fairly large crayfish. I
knew
my kids had put two in there last year, and I found one "body" when
opening
this spring, just kind of assumed they both had died. Now WHERE this
guy
seems to be hanging out is right where I found the dead fish. So I can't
help but wonder if the fish got attacked, but he looked perfectly intact
when I removed him.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to eat!
Sue

that is true. many birds do migrate at night!! I wonder why they migrate at night
but wont fly when released. Odd.

"Hank Pagel" wrote:
2. Some birds do fly at night and do roost on the ground. ( If you
have ever been in the path of a woodcock migration on a full moon, you
might think it was raining birds.)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

our mourning doves up here nest in trees.
"Cedars and pines provide good nest trees in Mississippi. Doves often choose a tree
that is adjacent to an opening and has an open understory. On rare occasions, nests
can be found on the ground, a stump, or other flat surface."
http://msucares.com/wildfish/wildlife/dove_nest.html

killdeer and maybe other pipers nest on the ground. Ingrid

-- Quail and Doves nest on the ground I'm guessing therer are probably
others depending on where you live also there are night feeding birds


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

OK - I get the hint . . . so the moral of the story is . . . never feed your
pet crayfish meatballs! (LOL)
Sue

"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
Once upon a time, the kids brought back a teeny-tiny little crayfish they
found in a stream, and plopped it into the aquarium. It looked so cute,
and
took up residence in the "castle". I fed him itty-bitty meatballs made
from
ground beef. One day I found his skeleton, and wondered how the fish had
picked his body so clean. Several days later, VIOLA! A larger crayfish! Ah
HA, says me: they molt! More meatballs, more molts, BIGGER crayfish.
Eventually he couldn't fit in the castle anymore, and perched on the
parapets, like King Kong on the Empire State Building. Then one day, I
noticed that my bottom layer fish were diminishing in numbers, then they
were nearly gone. It seems that at night, when the lights were off, Mr.
Crayfish went a'huntin'. I eventually gave him to a guy down the street
who
kept pet bass in tanks. Mr. Crayfish was too big for them to eat, and
vice-versa.

End of storytime.

Lee
"Sue Alexandre" wrote in message
news:xXbHa.9059$8p2.4206@lakeread04...
Hubby bought me a new, improved 1.5 million candlepower rechargeable
spotlight for my "midnight pond checks" and I saw three different things
tonight,not sure if they're good or bad.

First, found a dead fish. I NEVER see dead fish in my pond, and this
guy
is
a bottom sucker or something that has been there for 3 years that I
think
my
kids caught in a nearby brook. It was about an inch long when they
brought
it home, and it was probably 7 inches long tonight. It bothers me and
scares me that it died, since I don't know why.

Second discovery was kind of strange, I found a bird sitting on the
grass
under a hosta. Since when do birds sleep on the ground???? I'm not
even
sure what kind it was, it happened so fast. I was sliding my foot under
the
plant to get a closer look in the pond, and then there was this flutter
and
a bird flew out and away! What in heck was he doing in there? It was
right next to where the UV light is - think there's any connection?

Third thing I then spotted in the pond was a fairly large crayfish. I
knew
my kids had put two in there last year, and I found one "body" when
opening
this spring, just kind of assumed they both had died. Now WHERE this
guy
seems to be hanging out is right where I found the dead fish. So I
can't
help but wonder if the fish got attacked, but he looked perfectly intact
when I removed him.

Any ideas why birds sleep on the ground, why fish die, or why crayfish
attack fish? OK, skip the last one. I guess even crayfish have to
eat!
Sue

wrote:

that is true. many birds do migrate at night!! I wonder why they migrate at night
but wont fly when released. Odd.

My un-educated guess: By flying at night they may be less susceptible
to predators. I assume they depart at dusk and fly until dawn. If
disturbed at night on the ground, there are probably obstacles around
that would be hard to see and thus they're reluctant to fly.

Roger Grady
To reply by email, remove "qlfit." from address

If they have been flying (daylight hours) into twilight, they have dark
adapted as the lighting change has been gradual... they are using a sense of
direction that does not need light so while in the air they can safely
travel and not be lost..... the higher up you are the more of the last rays
of sun you get so it is lighter for them than it appears to us.....

Those are the thoughts I have on the subject... Now someone tell me how they
land????

DK

P.S. We had the most beautiful white heron land in our oak tree above the
pond yesterday. I rushed madly about trying to find a working camera.
Couldn't find one so the three of us just gapped at this huge beautiful bird
hanging over the pond (with me hoping he wasn't going to have lunch at my
expense...). He apparently didn't like the audience he must have sensed and
flew off after about 5 minutes.

"Roger Grady" wrote in message
...
wrote:

that is true. many birds do migrate at night!! I wonder why they
migrate at night
but wont fly when released. Odd.

My un-educated guess: By flying at night they may be less susceptible
to predators. I assume they depart at dusk and fly until dawn. If
disturbed at night on the ground, there are probably obstacles around
that would be hard to see and thus they're reluctant to fly.

Roger Grady
To reply by email, remove "qlfit." from address

some site said by flying at night they avoid updrafts that might push them off
course. Ingrid

(Roger Grady) wrote:

wrote:

that is true. many birds do migrate at night!! I wonder why they migrate at night
but wont fly when released. Odd.

My un-educated guess: By flying at night they may be less susceptible
to predators. I assume they depart at dusk and fly until dawn. If
disturbed at night on the ground, there are probably obstacles around
that would be hard to see and thus they're reluctant to fly.

Roger Grady
To reply by email, remove "qlfit." from address



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.