Stan, my memory about the bird is iron clad. However, iron rusts in the coastal salt air. I find no reference to St. Catherine's Island having the bird. However, I found references for Blackbeard and Sapelo. Sapelo has 400 acres of private holdings with the rest being owned by the State. Blackbeard is Federal. Blackbeard and Sapelo are separated by a tidal creek, Blackbeard Creek. One wing pump or glide clears the creek. From Blackbeard to St. Catherine's is about 2 miles across Sapelo Sound. More useless info: Blackbeard Island was owned by the infant US Govt. for the harvesting of Live Oaks for shipbuilding sailing vessels. Nearby St. Simon's Island supplied the ribs and stem for Old Ironsides (USS Constitution) one of the 6 frigates (all had Ga. live oak) that fought the Royal Navy during the War of 1812. As a former member of the navy, you might find Ian Toll's Six Frigates interesting. It's the story of the formation of the US Navy and the infighting it took to build the navy's first purpose made ships, the six frigates. Gil
That is fascinating, Gil. Thanks!
George, with that being true, that they are "inedible", I've lost all interest in them. And, indeed, I would wonder why, that being the case, they are legal to be hunted anywhere.
Then again ........ are rails edible?
or, mergansers?
