Page 12 - Abacoa Community News - August '20

Page 12, Abacoa
Northern Notes

Outstanding Ospreys These birds are the one out of four dives for fish! Because of this appetite, these birds
second most widely can be found near ponds, rivers, lakes and coastal waterways
By Katie Roundtree, distributed raptor species, around the world. It is the only raptor that plunges or dives into
Finance Director, Northern after the peregrine falcon, the water feet first to catch fish with its talons.
Palm Beach County and can be found on Ospreys construct their nests at the tops of dead trees, atop
Improvement District every continent except power poles, on man-made nesting platforms and sometimes on
Ospreys are beautiful birds Antarctica. What is even buoys, chimneys, or other structures. The nests are most often
that are often mistaken for more interesting is that all used year after year and can become up to 10 feet high as more
other kinds of hawks or eagles. of the ospreys around the Source: Birdsoftheworld.org nesting material is added each breeding season. Ospreys usually
White undersides and a crook world are part of a single mate for life.
in its narrow wings, distinguish species, with the exception of the eastern osprey which is native An osprey can live 15 to 20 years. The oldest known was
this bird as it soars above the to Australia. The osprey species is at least 11 million years old just over 25 years old. During that long lifetime, the migratory
water. Adults are dark brown and is so well adapted to fishing that it has evolved unique birds can travel over 160,000 miles. In fact, in 2008, an osprey
above with brownish-black characteristics that set it apart from other raptor species. They being tracked by researchers flew an amazing 2,700 miles in just
marks on the wings and brown have nostrils that can be closed during dives as well as an oily 13 days, traveling from Massachusetts to French Guiana, South
speckling on the breast. The head is white with a dark brown waterproof coating on their wings. An osprey’s outer toe is America!
crown and a brown streak down the cheek. It is a very distinctive reversible, which means they can carry prey (slippery fish) with These birds are unique raptors, built for hunting and can be
fish-hawk, formerly classified with other hawks but now placed two toes in front and two toes behind. spotted around our waterways. Keep a lookout for these beautiful
in a separate family of its own. This species is also known as The osprey is the only hawk species in North America that birds next time you’re outside.
the river hawk, fish hawk or sea hawk. It is considered a raptor, eats live fish almost exclusively, with approximately 80 fish Sources: mnn.com, fws.gov, nationalgeographic.com
or bird of prey, since it is carnivorous. Ospreys are sometimes species making up nearly 100 percent of its diet. The raptor can NPDES tip: Planting a rain garden with native plants around
confused with bald eagles, but can be identified by their white dive as deep as three feet into the water for fish, but prefers to your home helps lock rain water in the ground, reducing the flow
underparts. Eagles and ospreys frequent similar habitats and hunt in shallower areas. When carrying their prey back to the nest, of pollutants and poisons into the drains. Using organic fertilizers
sometimes compete for food. Eagles often force ospreys to drop ospreys will arrange the fish so that it is upright, head forward to and pesticides in your garden further protects and brings health
fish that they have caught and then steal them in midair. ease wind resistance. Ospreys are great anglers—successful in to your yard and all the species living there.
Tax Talk

Dear Friends, completing their in-person appointment last week. I was in and out in less than 10
As I write this message, transaction in 10 minutes. minutes!! Great service. Thank you!”
Palm Beach County continues No more crowded offices, A reminder, appointments are required for all in-
to add new COVID-19 cases no more lines! person service. Schedule your appointment today at www.
daily. I urge you to not let I’d like to share some pbctax.com!
your guard down. Continue recent comments with you.
to protect your health and the A Facebook user wrote: Tax Collector Provides Virtual Update To Boca Raton
health of others by wearing “My appointment was at Chamber Of Commerce
a face mask or cloth face 9:45 a.m., got there at 9:35 Tax Collector Gannon delivered remarks via Zoom
covering, washing your hands a.m., was back in my car to the Government Affairs Committee of the Boca
frequently and maintain a leaving at 9:45 a.m. This Raton Chamber of Commerce July 9. The group acts as
social distance of six-feet or new system is awesome!” a liaison between government representatives and the
more from those around you. Another Facebook
Closing our lobbies to the public is just one action we have user said this: “I made an Tax Talk on page 13
taken to reduce the spread of illness in our community. This
change has eliminated overcrowding and allowed for proper
social distancing in our offices. The feedback I have received
from staff and our clients is overwhelmingly supportive.
Primary Day is Aug. 18 and I encourage everyone to get No One Does Summer Love
involved with the democratic process and vote. Election Day
comes one week before Women’s Equality Day, a day in which Like Revolution Dating!
we celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women
the right to vote. This amendment took over 70 years to pass. I
can’t think of better way to honor the suffragists who fought for
this right than by voting in the 2020 Primary Election!
Sincerely,
Anne M. Gannon,
Constitutional Tax Collector, Serving Palm Beach County

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Now more than ever it is critically important for the
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online. Our new website was designed with the user
experience in mind. We included the most popular links
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Ask Anne: Appointment Scheduling System Update 561.630.XOXO (9696 ) Appointment
Question: Hi, Anne. Your agency recently began TODAY!
requiring appointments for in-person service. How is this
new system working out?
Ed, Wellington REVOLUTIONDATING.COM
Anne: Hi, Ed. I’m pleased to report we have received
very positive feedback from clients about the operational
change we implemented in June. Many clients are