This week in birds - #529

A roundup of the week's news of birds and the environment: 

The beautyberries are ripe and the American Robins and other fruit-eating birds are grateful. Interestingly, I have a couple of bushes that produce white berries and those have already been stripped. Apparently, there is something about the white berries that tastes particularly good to the birds. There are plenty of the purple berries left to help feed them through the winter. 

*~*~*~*

Let's start this roundup with a positive story: In a report published this week, the International Energy Agency says that renewables will overtake coal to become the main source of electricity generation by 2025.  

*~*~*~*

At this point, is it even possible to save Nature? That is a question being considered at the COP15 meeting in Montreal this week.

*~*~*~*

One writer believes that a good way to save Nature and the planet is to focus on saving wild cats.

*~*~*~*

The continuing eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano has given scientists a rare look into the Earth.

*~*~*~*

Here's the latest from the American Bird Conservancy, including news of the rediscovery of the Black-naped Pheasant Pigeon, a bird that had been presumed extinct.

*~*~*~*

If the Rediscovering America's Wildlife Act successfully makes its way through Congress and becomes law, it will offer some hope for the survival of Florida's perilously endangered panthers.

*~*~*~*

In other news of Florida's wildlife, an invasive iguana got into an electricity substation in Lake Worth Beach this week and in the process committed suicide and caused a large-scale power outage.

*~*~*~*

Peyote is important to the religious practices of some Native American groups and its continuing existence is being threatened by land development and over-harvesting.

*~*~*~*

A bill curbing private ownership of big cats is expected to be swiftly signed into law by President Biden. 

*~*~*~*

Hurricane erosion of a Florida beach has uncovered a shipwreck dating back to the 1800s.

*~*~*~*

Greenland is no longer very green but evidence has been uncovered that shows it was quite the lush environment a couple of million years ago. 

*~*~*~*

The Ankylosaurus had a sledgehammer-like tail club that was capable of delivering bone-cracking blows. Apparently, it was deployed against its own kind as well as against predators.

*~*~*~*

A volcano erupting on Java forced the evacuation of around 2,000 people this week.

*~*~*~*

The Texas Public Policy Foundation is all about protecting the high-carbon lifestyle and trying to make it even more dominant in the world. Who cares about climate change!

*~*~*~*

Is an underground greenhouse actually a thing? Well, yes, it is.

*~*~*~*

Park rangers in Mozambique are getting sneaky; they are using silent offroad ebikes to catch poachers.

*~*~*~*

This little beauty is an Allen's Hummingbird and it is the American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week.

*~*~*~*

Illegal gold mining in Venezuela is destroying a sacred mountain in a protected national park. Obviously, that "protection" is not being taken seriously by Venezuela's government.

*~*~*~*

The world's wildlife is disappearing primarily because it is running out of places to live.

*~*~*~*

Here's that famous picture I never get bored with looking at - the view of Earth as captured by the crew of Apollo 17 as they headed toward the moon.

*~*~*~*

The Steller's sea cow has been extinct for almost 200 years but it may have been instrumental in shaping California's kelp forests.

*~*~*~*

It seems that not even a war and the threat of mines and unexploded projectiles can keep Ukrainians from hunting mushrooms.

*~*~*~*

The city of Port Townsend, Washington, has proclaimed that Southern Resident orcas have legal rights. One can only hope that this is an idea that will spread to other areas and species.