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Keep Fergus Falls close to God and nature
Published 07:42 a.m., April 21, 2009
In regard to Margo Connell’s letter to the editor in the Daily Journal, I cannot agree more and I have to say, Amen. Her letter was honest, truthful and straightforward. And if I may, I would like to express my own views on the waterfowl situation here in our city of Fergus Falls.
There are those elements in the city who feel that the Canadian Honkers are too many in numbers and pose a threat to mankind. There is nothing that could be further from the truth.
The truth of the matter is that these waterfowl have brought both love and joy to many people. The extensive hunting has more than controlled their numbers.
The geese have attracted many visitors to this city. The Canadian Honker is a beautiful creature of God’s family. It never cheats on its mate, never does drugs, is very truthful and honest, treats his neighbors with respect and helps raise the young.
I have never seen a drunken goose. Yet, can man say this? The whole truth is that these creatures are closer to God than many so-called Christians. They are very honest, beautiful and truthful creatures that hurt no one. I believe that man needs to clean up his act, first.
There are those who complain about how dirty the geese are. In my many trips around Lake Alice, I have never noticed a big problem. I never heard of a human being dying because of the waterfowl. I have never heard of a Canadian Honker attacking or injuring a person. If one should step on a goose dropping, all you have to do is bend over and wipe it off.
One would have something to complain about if he or she would step on a rattle snake or a land mine.
If the honker should walk across your lawn, and you dislike it, all you have to do is erect a small fence for a few dollars to keep them out. Some Lake Alice and river residents have done just that.
We all are a little spoiled. But some of us are spoiled rotten.
There are those who even complain if their coffee is too hot. What we need to do is count our blessings. You don’t have to look far to see that.
If you wonder why the earth’s surface is all screwed up with filth, all you have to do is look in your bathroom mirror to find out.
The Minnesota River is the second worst polluted river in North America, the Gulf of Mexico is slowly dying, many lakes along with Lake Alice are dirty and polluted. I don’t think I would care to drink out of the Otter Tail River, either.
Air pollution is very bad in many parts of the U.S.A. It’s all because of man’s selfish and dirty habits.
I too grew up in Fergus Falls and never did see anybody swim, fish or drink in Lake Alice. This lake was dirty, long before the geese showed up. You can’t keep draining chemicals and filth into Lake Alice and expect it to be nature’s wonder.
I have heard negative comments about the white egrets that are nesting on the islands on Lake Alice and that they are killing the trees. There is no proof to that. It could be the result of the high water or many other reasons.
Even if the egrets were responsible for the death of a few trees, man should not complain as they are responsible for destruction of thousands of trees. The truth of it all is that the egrets nest in these trees to raise their young which bring forth joy, beauty and love to us all.
It is such a welcome site, that in May the Dept. of Natural Resources will conduct a tour of Lake Alice to observe the nesting of cormorants, Great Egrets and Black-Crowned Herons. This event will attract people from throughout Minnesota. An event like this brings forth more joy and pleasure than Elmer’s Bar, the TV set or the casino.
The City of Fergus Falls is strapped for funds, but they should get their priorities in order. With the jewel we have in our back yard — Pebble Lake — it would be good to spend money in improving the Pebble Lake campgrounds, beach, roads, playgrounds etc.
Yes, I too was born and raised in Fergus Falls but I have seen much of the world. Every time I return to Fergus Falls and Otter Tail County it makes one realize what beautiful country we live in with its trees, hills, lakes and nature with waterfalls. With a little effort, we can continue to keep this area as part of God’s Kingdom, with nature and its kin.
Vince Ebbighausen
Fergus Falls
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Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post. To post a comment you will need to register. Or, if you're already registered but have not included your true, verifiable identity with your registration, you will need to update your account to include your identity. Effective Dec. 1, 2009, all posts appear with the commenter's true identity, which must be verified by site staff. Those who registered prior to Dec. 1, 2009, should be aware that once you update your information with your true identity, all prior posts under your user name will also indicate your true identity. If you do not wish to link yourself to prior comments, you should register again with a different user name.Posted by imjustagirl (anonymous) on April 21, 2009 at 3:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh yah? When I was sixteen a goose stole my car and ran off with my lover. I died a little inside that day... It was also pretty cool to see a goose driving a car, pretty amazing!
Posted by waxwing069 (anonymous) on April 21, 2009 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree totally with this letter and reasoning. The Egrets build thier nests with sticks and twigs, but they also use the same nests year after year, the little bit of damage to trees from the Egrets are nothing compared to the wholesale destruction caused by mankind. How many trees have been cut down and cut up to build our houses? How many more hundreds of acres have been destroyed to plant fields? Or clear land for building more houses, many people build a house, get tired of it, then go build something bigger and better instead of using the same house? In my opinion, man is the biggest destroyer of everything nature created for us to enjoy.
The rainforests are being destroyed by the thousands of acres each day, and it's not birds that are destroying them, its people. We are such hypocrites in condemning birds and other wildlife for killing trees and grasses, when instead it is us people. Geese will hiss and drive you away if you get too close to thier nests or babies, but that is about it. I love going to the lakes and watching waterfowl and other wildlife, as many others do as well. Last year when the bike riders came through town and camped at Grotto park, they were fascinated by the Egrets nesting in the trees. I heard several comments about that. and all of them positive. They can be used as a tourist attraction if the city would take the time to market them and find ways to draw more visitors to Fergus Falls.
Posted by notsocommonsense (anonymous) on April 21, 2009 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Waxwing069, how about you put up your own money to try and get people to come and look at Egrets sitting in dead trees? Let us all know how it works out for you.
Posted by tippy98c (Aaron Schultz) on April 21, 2009 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh yeah,
that letter is SupercalifragilisticEBBIGHAUSENialidocious
Posted by k8 (anonymous) on April 22, 2009 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's not about the egrets (white bird) killing trees. The cormorants (black birds) on Lake Alice have acidic feces which kills off the trees and surrounding vegetation. Do a little research before you preach.
Posted by GeorgeBWright (anonymous) on April 22, 2009 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The pollution in Lake Alice is caused by nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers from lawns which completely surrounds it and the run-off from other streets and neighborhoods. Quit blaming birds for the problems local residents have caused for God's sake.
Posted by edrule3 (Ed Rule III) on April 23, 2009 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Egrets definitely do kill trees. When I lived in Texas I saw the devastation they cause on a huge scale. They whitewash everything. And, when their numbers are huge (like the population I saw), the powerful ammonia smell from their feces hangs in the air and will wet your eyes and nauseate you.
Posted by GeorgeBWright (anonymous) on April 23, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
edrule, do people in Texas destroy 300 year old oak trees to make way for land developers and for people to poop? Yes. Why aren't you complaining about that? The birds lived there for thousands of years before people showed up to complain about a poop smell! If you can't take the smell get out of the kitchen edrule.
Posted by edrule3 (Ed Rule III) on April 24, 2009 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
GBW, if it was happening in your backyard, literally, you'd want them gone once the novelty of it wore off.
Where I lived there was a valley behind my home. It was thick with trees, mostly mesquit, and had a creek running through it. It was a typical idyllic Texas setting. Then the egrets came.
If you like the barren look of winter year 'round then that probably wouldn't be much problem for you, but you'd never get right with the smell.
The trees were killed by them - all of them, and no other plant life survived in that valley either. You could never open a window for long in that environment. Thank God for air-conditioning.
I don't advocate anything inhumane. They could be sent on their way to some other place where they wouldn't affect anyone's health and pursuit of happiness. That's what the Texas city I lived in did. No harm . . . no fowl!
What I see on those islands of Lake Alice is exactly what I saw in Texas. And now they're back on those islands, already. They often try and encroach on the trees along the shoreline too, but I try and scare them off every chance I get. Can you imagine the whole lake shorline looking like those islands?
So how do you live, GBW? Is your home a haven for all of nature's wild kingdom? Do you spare the spider, the fly and the mouse. I doubt it. You'd be just as eager to get rid of those birds as anyone if you ever experienced what I did - guaranteed!
Posted by BeaverFan (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. Fruitcake.
I agree with imjustagirl. I saw two atheist Canadian Honkers trading crystal meth with the Egrets outside of Friberg Dam. I couldn't believe it. Then they peeled away in imjustagirl's 2002 Mustang.
waxwing069 - You totally agree with the reasoning of that letter? What part? The part where Canadian Geese are God's soldiers? Doesn't anyone screen these letters for "coo-coo-ness"?
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