Beach Clean Up 2012

Chepiwanoxet Beach Clean Up

Almost every year in September when I participate in a beach clean up, I veer off to the left of Chepiwanoxet Point in Warwick and through the bushes I see a snowy egret or some other predator lurking in the tall grasses. I would hate to be a fish going up against the long neck and spear like beak of this bird. Minutes later the egret lifted off in slow motion, as they always do, and soared off over my head as it looked for a quieter place to eat breakfast. Little did it know, that many beaches this morning were hosting the International Coastal Clean Up, organized by the Ocean Conservancy and the Audobon Society of Rhode Island.

When I first organized a beach clean up at Cole, I thought only a few kids would be interested in cleaning up beach litter on a free Saturday morning. I could have not been more wrong. Almost every year we have around 40 students and chaperones show up to don the gloves, pick up the litter and record it on a data sheet. That's what makes this beach clean up special. The kids can actually see their impact of their action by looking at the amount of trash that was picked up.

As you can see here on the right, the squarish rock like "garbage" happens to be rusted old staples that Stanley Bostich dumped here many
years ago. Old machinery and rusted odd looking objects are a common find during our annual beach clean up.

Look at all of the garbage bags of litter that were collected by our students. Every year at this place it looks the same. But I have to be honest, I think we picked up the huge pieces of waste in all of the year prior to this year. So things are looking up for the creatures and people that use this little hideaway of an island.

From the parking area, you can see Goddard Park. Maybe next year, we will change our spot and clean up that beach. The clean up was cancelled for Goddard this year, so maybe they will need a little more help next year. I am always so uplifted by the community spirit that surrounds this event year after year! Thank you to all of the Cole Middle School students who participate and to all of the chaperones for their time, patience and positive outlooks!

Have a great school year! It's off to a great and cleaner start!

Salt Marsh Greenhead

Salt Marsh Greenhead, Long Beach Island, NJ

This bug bit me! While swimming in a pool, this female Salt Marsh Greenhead bit my head. I was so upset, I swatted it into the pool and collected it in a recycled water bottle. I found out that this sucker can lay 100-200 eggs per blood meal and can live for 3 to 4 weeks.

I despise and hate this fly but as I walk out onto the top of the roof I can see it has a reason to despise me. Summer homes surround the salt marsh. This makes me appreciate the Cape Cod National Seashore. There are rows of houses between a sand dune and the beach. That doesn't seem right. If Hurricane Andrew hit lower Long Beach Island, every house would be destroyed similar to Watch Hill during the Hurricane of '38. When that happened, people never rebuilt their homes and now Rhode Island has Napatree point, a beautiful walking beach. I have a feeling that this area would be built up again. Too many people use this area for anyone to declare this "Long Beach Island National Seashore."

I

The Higgs Boson. Not Explained at All.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the Higgs Boson particle which imparts mass to other particles. I truly respect this pivotal finding and after reading many different articles about the Higgs Boson, I find it demoralizing to try to simplify it and explain it in "kitchen table" language. The fact is that there is no easy way to describe the Higgs Boson without fearing a glassy eyed, ten mile away stare emanating from the face of your listener. For example, I was looking for something simple like this:

Important Discovery         Result of the Discovery
Fire                                     Cooked Food

Automobiles                        Fast Cars

Flight                                   Fast Airplanes

Higgs Boson                       What the heck?

You see, I'm trying to fill in the "what the heck" part, and I am stone cold out of luck. I could throw in a possible discovery of dark matter but that would lead to more confusion because dark matter would require more explaining as well.

There are unknown applications that can come from the discovery of the Higgs Boson, so I will focus on a list of possible future applications for the Higgs-Boson. These results are not science based but just pure fantasy and fiction, which could turn out to be true anyway.

Important Discovery          Result of Discovery

Higgs Boson                        Deep fried oreo cookies..
                                           (oh wait these already exist)

Higgs Boson                       Think a thought and think of a friend and that friend has your thought.
                                           (This would make texting look as relevant as 8 track tapes)

Higgs Boson                      Wiggle your nose and poof! You just traveled to China in less than a second!
                                         (No more salty peanuts for me!)

Higgs Boson                     Hover Cars that run on "special water."
                                        (But Saudi Arabia would have all the world's "special water.")

Higgs Boson                     Friendly people, no lines and a pleasant atmosphere at the DMV. 
                                        (Not even a "God Particle" can accomplish that!)


Only time will tell what practical applications can come from the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle. Until then, our imagination will have to mollify our need for instant gratification. 

Arcturus

Mountain Lion Track in Rhode Island

Possible mountain lion track in Rhode Island

There is an area off of 95 South (exit 6) called the Dunes. A huge expanse of sand. Basically a huge litter box. This track was seen there, I'm going back with an animal camera and hopefully will capture a cougar!

Barred Owl Sighting

This one can be crossed off the bucket list. For the longest time I wanted to see a real, wild owl. Not an owl that comes with a wildlife rehabilitator. Not an owl stuck in a zoo. An owl that can silently swoop in, gaze at me and silently melt away into the forbidden darkness. It finally happened a few nights ago.

Of course I was in my car. But it still counts! I was the only one on our street and I had my two youngest daughters with me. Nine times out of ten, that unusual figure sticking up from a branch is a broken limb or maybe even a piece of garbage caught by a snag. But this time, the large round head and two unmistakable black front-facing eyes told me that this was my first wild owl. I would have been ecstatic if it had looked at me for five seconds and flew off, but we were treated to some predatory action as well! 

I know you really can't see the Barred Owl. But if you can zoom in on those points of light, you will see two eerie owl eyes staring at you. I did not know owls had reflective eyes.

I pulled safely to the side of the street and we all observed the owl looking a bit uncomfortable. Why didn't this predator fly off into the forest? It was spying its dinner. After a minute it swiftly landed on a mouse at the base of the tree and landed on a different branch a little deeper in the forest. After it swallowed its meal, it swooped down on the ground again, snatched something and blended into the dark. 

A much better picture but I know... you really can't see the Barred Owl. But you can barely make out its eyes. Unless it's a Squatch.  Now that would be spooky.

This was a Barred Owl, probably 15-18 inches tall. A huge predator. The cold, black, marble-like eyes were a feature that I would never forget. Hearing Barred Owls is always a treat as well. I have heard them numerous times, even at 3:30 in the afternoon. And just like coyote howls, the Barred Owl's call always sends a shiver down my spine. Click here to see if it does the same for you.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/sounds

Not my picture but at least my bucket list does not have, "Take a great photo of a wild Barred Owl".



Click the above video to hear and see a Barred Owl making its distinctive call.

$200 for each fish caught! Sounds too Good to Be True!