On July 14, Frank Whiteside hooked a fish of a lifetime, almost certainly the St MinneSomePlace state record for a muskie. Current state record is 56 inches, caught in 1957. A muskie this size could have been almost 20 years old. Congratulations, Frank!
"My friend, John Haynes, and I were pre-fishing for an upcoming bass tournament (on Lake Miltona, north of Alexandria) when I hooked this monster," Frank Whiteside said."I was using spinning gear, a jig worm and 8-pound test line.

"The battle took about 20 minutes.

"We took several photos, estimated the length at about 56 inches and released it back unharmed.

"It was not until the next day we discovered it was very close to a possible state record.

"But I have my memories, the photos and the fish is alive and kicking.

"It gets no better than that!"

Plaque located at the World of Birds stage. It is afixed to the wall to the right of the stage along the exit ramp. It was placed there in 1997, the year of the adoption of Coconut...photo below.

THE BEST SONGS JIMMY DIDN'T WRITE OR SING (Yet)
(not in any particular order)

Vahevala (K. Loggins)
Brandy (Looking Glass)
Black Diamond Bay (B. Dylan)
Mozambique (B. Dylan)
Come Sail Away (Styx)
I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home (Grand Funk RR)
In the Summertime (Mungo Jerry)
Sailing (C. Cross)
Sloop John B (Beach Boys)

Sail On Sailor (Beach Boys)
Ballad of Gilligan (Unknown)
Louie Louie (Kingsman)
Ship of Fools (Grateful Dead)
Ride, Captain, Ride (Blues Image)
Cool Change (Little River Band)
Ballad of Popeye (Unknown)
Yo! Ho! Ho! (Unknown)
Sailor's Revel (Minstrels of Mayhem)
Orinoco Flow (Enya)
Drive South (John Hiatt)

Send your suggestions to:
Songs that Jimmy thinks he might have written

COCONUT
1997 -
Coconut arrived at the St MSP Zoo in the spring of 1997 after a lengthy effort by St MSP Parrot Heads and friends to raise $5,000 for the adoption expense. .At first the objective was to raise this money for a Kea Parrot, a strange resident of New Zealand. Strange meaning it is the only parrot in the world that lives in a colder climate, including snow. Thus we concluded it would be the perfect mascot for the collection of Parrot Heads on the island of St MinneSomePlace, also residents of a seasonal snowy climate. But, alas, due to a pandemic virus spreading through the poplulation of Kea Parrots in the US, the only eligible adoptee group, the one Kea Parrot expecting to be born and available for our adoption was not.

In lieu of the Kea, the MN Zoo explained that they were also interested in adoptiong a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo for its World of Birds program. A native of Austrailia, the Zoo wanted this strange bird for its unusually loud and piecring scream. They intended to train it to call on cue in the daily performances. The adoption procedure was finalized very quickly and one day a very young Coconut arrived at the Zoo from the San Diego Zoo where it was hatched. Within the first few days of its arrival, I was allowed to visit the bird in its quarantine state. Every precaution was taken for me to enter the very quiet and low-lit room where Coconut was resting calmly in its cage. Fully feathered alreadry, Coconut appeared to be ready for the World of Birds. Measuring about 15" long, Coconut weighed a little over one poiund. At full adult size, Coconut grew to about three pounds and added a few more inches with her tail feathers. Her distinctive appearance is most notably her sulphur (yellow) crest which she would raise when alarmed or just in a playful mood. Over the next few years, it took extensive training to accomplish the goal originally set but Coconut did learn to scream and impress the spectators with her incredible vocalization. Because of Coconut's appealing personality and charming behavior, Coconut became a favorite and popular character in the World of Bird's daily performances and remains so today.

Coconut is expected to live to over 70 years of age under the excellent care and managment of the World of Birds. If you are planning to visit the Zoo, please take the time to see the World of Birds program and say "hi" to Coconut! She loves an audience!

Perhaps once again the MN Zoo will call on us for our support of another strange bird. If so, I am sure we would be very cooperative, maybe even helping adopt a Kea parrot! Throughout Coconut's stay at the Zoo to date, St MSP contributed over $10,000 for Coconut's well-being and the well-being of her friends.
--Jerry Shea

June 22, 2008