[BCNnet] Great Backyard Bird Count
judymellin
judymellin@netzero.net
Wed, 11 Feb 2004 15:27:43 -0800
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This editorial appeared in the February 11, 2004, Tribune. If you are =
interested in reporting your findings during this time, here is the =
link:
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Bad news in bird land
=20
=20
Published February 11, 2004
If, just as we gather around the water cooler to talk about the news of =
the day, birds similarly chat while clinging to the feeder, the subject =
of late must be "Whatever happened to . . . "
There's bird flu in China and elsewhere, with flock upon flock put down =
in a huge, feather-muffled thump. The American crow population in 2003, =
especially in Illinois and Ohio, was far below that of the previous =
year. West Nile virus may be the culprit, though not all the evidence is =
in. What is sure is that there are "alarmingly"--to use the word the =
Audubon Society used--fewer of those swaggering, street-smart birds =
around.
=20
=20
=20
Development along the country's southern coastlines has displaced =
squadrons of pelicans sweeping by just off the beach, flying low like =
bombers coming in under the radar. And most recently, word has come down =
from Wisconsin that something is killing, in quick, confounding deaths, =
bald eagles nesting in the southeastern corner of the state along the =
Mississippi River.
Bad news in bird land should concern people, too. The bond between avian =
and human long has been as tight as the grip of a parrot on a pirate's =
shoulder or the talons encircling the falconer's glove.
"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was =
hoeing in a village garden," Henry David Thoreau noted, "and I felt that =
I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by =
any epaulet I could have worn."
>From mythology, man's self-told story, comes the idea that the dove =
means peace, the owl stands for wisdom, the eagle spells strength. The =
imperial logo for the Roman legions was an eagle, a not so subtle =
message to those who stood in their path.
In the Bible, a single sparrow's death is used as a demonstration of =
God's attention to detail.
Inspired by their seemingly effortless flight, Leonardo drew, in =
meticulous detail, the anatomy of birds, thinking to somehow transfer to =
men the ability to leap skyward, soar and circle high above the fray.
Recently endangered, cranes date back as far as 50 million years, =
symbols in some cultures of long life and happy marriage. At the =
International Crane Foundation near Baraboo, Wis., workers don =
ridiculous-looking bird suits and perform mating dances, all in the hope =
of giving these creatures a chance to continue to thrill us as they =
gracefully scull through the air.
In our speech, it's not the bluegill of happiness, nor does anyone sing =
his or her swine song.
In the Midwest, the birds' big show is just around the corner. Chirping =
their heads off, they announce spring in a multi-voiced chorus of hope =
and rebirth and a welcome to oncoming warmth and light. In some circles, =
a robin's red breast highlighted against the snow might be more exciting =
than Janet Jackson's.
>From Feb. 13th to the 16th, the Great Backyard Bird Count, sponsored by =
the Ornithology Lab at Cornell University and the Audubon Society, will =
take place. It is a way to monitor the distribution and abundance of =
birds across North America as of late winter.
Count the birds. Count your blessings.
Copyright =A9 2004, Chicago Tribune=20
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This editorial appeared in the February 11, 2004, Tribune. If =
you are=20
interested in reporting your findings during this time, here is the =
link:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/">http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/<=
/A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Bad news in bird land<BR><BR></DIV><!-- BEGIN RELATED CONTENT RAIL =
-->
<DIV>
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<TR>
<TD width=3D10><IMG height=3D1 alt=3D""=20
src=3D"http://www.chicagotribune.com/images/clear.gif" =
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<TD width=3D5 bgColor=3D#eeeeee><IMG height=3D1 alt=3D""=20
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<DIV><!-- END RELATED CONTENT RAIL --><FONT id=3Ddate>Published February =
11,=20
2004</FONT><BR><BR><FONT id=3Dtext><!-- START LEAD -->If, just as we =
gather around=20
the water cooler to talk about the news of the day, birds similarly chat =
while=20
clinging to the feeder, the subject of late must be "Whatever happened =
to . . .=20
"<BR><BR>There's bird flu in China and elsewhere, with flock upon flock =
put down=20
in a huge, feather-muffled thump. The American crow population in 2003,=20
especially in Illinois and Ohio, was far below that of the previous =
year. West=20
Nile virus may be the culprit, though not all the evidence is in. What =
is sure=20
is that there are "alarmingly"--to use the word the Audubon Society =
used--fewer=20
of those swaggering, street-smart birds around.<BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 align=3Dleft border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
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<TD colSpan=3D2><IMG height=3D5 alt=3D""=20
src=3D"http://www.chicagotribune.com/images/clear.gif"=20
width=3D5></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
<DIV><!-- END LEAD --><!-- START REST -->Development along the country's =
southern coastlines has displaced squadrons of pelicans sweeping by just =
off the=20
beach, flying low like bombers coming in under the radar. And most =
recently,=20
word has come down from Wisconsin that something is killing, in quick,=20
confounding deaths, bald eagles nesting in the southeastern corner of =
the state=20
along the Mississippi River.<BR><BR>Bad news in bird land should concern =
people,=20
too. The bond between avian and human long has been as tight as the grip =
of a=20
parrot on a pirate's shoulder or the talons encircling the falconer's=20
glove.<BR><BR>"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a =
moment, while=20
I was hoeing in a village garden," Henry David Thoreau noted, "and I =
felt that I=20
was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by =
any=20
epaulet I could have worn."<BR><BR>From mythology, man's self-told =
story, comes=20
the idea that the dove means peace, the owl stands for wisdom, the eagle =
spells=20
strength. The imperial logo for the Roman legions was an eagle, a not so =
subtle=20
message to those who stood in their path.<BR><BR>In the Bible, a single=20
sparrow's death is used as a demonstration of God's attention to=20
detail.<BR><BR>Inspired by their seemingly effortless flight, Leonardo =
drew, in=20
meticulous detail, the anatomy of birds, thinking to somehow transfer to =
men the=20
ability to leap skyward, soar and circle high above the =
fray.<BR><BR>Recently=20
endangered, cranes date back as far as 50 million years, symbols in some =
cultures of long life and happy marriage. At the International Crane =
Foundation=20
near Baraboo, Wis., workers don ridiculous-looking bird suits and =
perform mating=20
dances, all in the hope of giving these creatures a chance to continue =
to thrill=20
us as they gracefully scull through the air.<BR><BR>In our speech, it's =
not the=20
bluegill of happiness, nor does anyone sing his or her swine =
song.<BR><BR>In the=20
Midwest, the birds' big show is just around the corner. Chirping their =
heads=20
off, they announce spring in a multi-voiced chorus of hope and rebirth =
and a=20
welcome to oncoming warmth and light. In some circles, a robin's red =
breast=20
highlighted against the snow might be more exciting than Janet=20
Jackson's.<BR><BR>From Feb. 13th to the 16th, the Great Backyard Bird =
Count,=20
sponsored by the Ornithology Lab at Cornell University and the Audubon =
Society,=20
will take place. It is a way to monitor the distribution and abundance =
of birds=20
across North America as of late winter.<BR><BR>Count the birds. Count =
your=20
blessings.<BR><BR></DIV><!-- END REST --></FONT>
<P><FONT id=3Dcopyright>Copyright =A9 2004, <A=20
href=3D"http://www.chicagotribune.com/">Chicago Tribune</A></FONT> =
</P><FONT=20
size=3D1>
<DIV><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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