Bill, I have to throw out a few thoughts on this topic. I won't get too in-depth but the DCC is different from many native birds in that it nests in colonies and the result of that nesting is destruction of habitat for other birds and animals. One of the problems that we have as animals living in an area of other animals is how we affect them and they affect us. When the deer population gets too high in a populated area we have to step in and return it to normal. No one is pushing for the elimination of deer, just the ability for us to live the way we want with them. As for the DCC I'm all for eliminating them from the small island ecosystems on Lake Erie because that is a valuable study area for a specific rare community. In other less unique areas they should be left alone including your aforementioned island in the sand and gravel pit. One thing we have to be careful of is spending our time and energy fighting a battle that is really not that important when other issues such as habitat loss, pollution and development are much more worthy and far reaching. DCCs area hardy species and aren't going to be eliminated from the state. Steve Hughes Stow -----Original Message----- From: Bill Whan Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:10 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] More on cormorant removal: Columbus included? As many readers know, government agencies--primarily Ohio DNR, APHIS, and Ottawa NWR--have since 2006 cooperated in various sites around Ohio to control damage said to be caused by double-crested cormorants. Even though support of sport and commercial fishermen for lethal controls of cormorants is actively encouraged by several of these agencies, these agencies cannot prove cormorants are damaging the fishery, so alleged fish problems are mentioned in the controls, but are not targeted. The same goes for vague allegations that cormorants constitute a threat to airplanes, etc. The damage-control agencies have issued new documents to renew and continue their project, and today have announced a supplement to their project "Reducing Double-crested Cormorant Damage in Ohio." and the paperwork (and original documents) are available free by mail from USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, 6929 Americana Parkway, Reynoldsburg OH 43068 (ph. (614) 861-6087, or online at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0062 . See Public Notices in today's Cols Dispatch. The deadline for comments is 2 August. I have only skimmed the lengthy documents, but gather that a renewal of authority to continue damage control is requested, with some minor changes anticipated in the manner in which corpses of cormorants shot are composted and in methods of assessing vegetational changes. The most significant data are summaries of data reflecting on the efficacy of the depredation project 2006-present. I object to this whole lethal-control strategy, but won't rehearse that matter here. One new thing bothers me. Apparently the agencies involved in 2011 became aware of a small cormorant/great egret/great blue heron colony on an island in an inactive Columbus limestone quarry (local birders had known about it for five years by the time), and this area has been routinely added to lists of sites targeted for controls, which I presume include shooting as an alternative. For years now, it has been easy enough to ignore shooting cormorants at remote island sites in Lake Erie by wildlife personnel, but "control" of cormorants in a major city is less likely to go unnoticed or unquestioned. Lots of readers of this list will prefer to watch their feeders and work on their lists, but the actions of our government to justifiy killing native birds--you'd be surprised to learn how many species involved--are little-known and worth knowing at least a little about. Bill Whan Columbus ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]