[BCNnet] crow/WVN/ BCN-ACR study/Judy Pollock mentioned in Buffalo News, other NY papers

[Alan Anderson]

While vacationing in Groton, NY this week (about 15 miles from Ithaca) I
happened to see a number of newspaper stories about the West Nile Virus that
mentioned the WNV/Crow/Birdkill situation here in Northeast Illinois.

In today's Buffalo News, on the "Science/Environment page, there was an
article by Seth Borenstein of the Knight-Ridder Newspapers, that was
entitled "Virus has killed thousands of birds in 120 species".

In the article, it quoted Judy Pollock of Audubon of the Chicago Region (and
BCN, CAS etc.!).   The pertinent local info is taken from the article.   "A
just finished four-day bird-monitoring survey in greater Chicago found a
tremendous drop-off of crows, said Judy Pollock, bird conservation project
manager for Audubon of the Chicago Region. There were a total of three crows
in 13 sites at a time when hundreds should have been found. "Crows are
virtually gone from the north suburbs," Pollock said. "Several people
reported that their feeders are just empty."

The article can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20020922/2011665.asp

There was also an AP article about WNV on Wednesday, that also mentioned the
BCN/ACR study and situation with the effect on local crow and other bird
populations, although there were no specific quotes.   This article was
found in both the Syracuse and Ithaca, NY, newspapers, as well as a very
similar article (slight changes) in USA Today.

As far as the situation with crows in upstate NY and PA (along route
90/Erie, PA areas), their populations still seem generally unaffected.

Although probably it doesn't mean too much, I just wanted to see how many
crows I could find along I-90 on my way back from NY today (besides, looking
for birds while driving or in the passenger seat certainly makes the drive
go faster!).    There were hundreds observed in northwest New York and good
numbers seen in PA along I-90.

In Ohio, from Conneaut to the Indiana border, I observed more Turkey
Vultures than crows (27 to 12), but the TV's stand out more of course.
Also, I observed 4 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Killdeer, 2 DC Cormorants and 1 Great
Blue Heron along the route.

In Indiana, along I-90, I counted 25 crows, but only one from mile 60 to the
IL/IN border, then observed 1 crow on the Chicago Skyway bridge.   Also seen
along I-90 in Indiana:  8 Sandhill Cranes in NE IN, 4 Turkey Vultures, 4
Red-tailed Hawks and 1 Kestrel.

Alan Anderson
casresearch@attbi.com
Des Plaines, Cook Co.