This week in birds - #564

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

A Cooper's Hawk checks out my yard for a possible meal.

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Let's start with some good news: A new court settlement will allow the Environmental Protection Agency to more tightly regulate pesticides.

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But in much worse news, this has been Canada's worst wildfire season on record.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculates that 2023 is likely to become Earth's hottest year on record.

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And it seems that the heating up of the planet may mean that so-called "Forever" glaciers are not forever after all.

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Flamingos have recently turned up in some very unusual places across the continent. They were likely blown there by Hurricane Idalia.

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And speaking of hurricanes, the old aphorism may be true: "It's an ill wind that blows no good." Hurricanes help to keep the planet's energy in balance.

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This little bird is the 'Akeke'e or Hawaiian Crossbill and it is the American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week.

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Global warming may be reducing the volume of Antarctica's sea ice which could have repercussions for both local Antarctic ecosystems and the global climate system.

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Off Colombia's Pacific coast, humpback whales put on quite a show during their migration. Tourists flock there to watch. 

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The Kākāpō is one of the native species of New Zealand that are being protected by eliminating invasive predators.

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I've long been fascinated by the Neanderthals and their place in the history of our species. Here's a man who may be the expert on all that.

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It may be that the meteor that ultimately caused the extinction of the dinosaurs also allowed flowers to bloom.

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A couple in Vermont decided to give up on having a neatly manicured lawn and planted wildflowers instead. May their tribe increase!





Comments

  1. CathySeptember 16, 2023 at 3:23 PM

    I've had Cooper's hawks visit several times, and all the other birds were as silent as the grave while the hawks were here!

    The couple in Vermont who planted wildflowers are my heroes. One of the things that chaps my hide the most here in Phoenix are the neatly manicured, bright green lawns I see. Think of all the water they use. This is the desert, folks! Those lush lawns of yours aren't natural. I much prefer desert landscaping.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersSeptember 16, 2023 at 3:31 PM

      Yes, all activity ceases when A Cooper's appears! And I agree with you about landscaping. It should fit its natural surroundings, reflecting the ecosystem of the place.

      Delete
  2. David M. Gascoigne,September 16, 2023 at 3:57 PM

    Good afternoon, Dorothy: Thanks for the roundup. Yes, wildfires in Canada have been catastrophic this year. The situation is not quite so dire now, as we inch towards October, but there are still many fires burning and the threat is not over yet. Some evacuees are just now being allowed to return to their communities. The couple in Vermont who have naturalized their garden deserve congratulations. We did it years ago and we have our own little wildlife haven. It is becoming more and more common now and I suspect the trend will continue. The Cooper’s Hawk you feature probably makes a very good living in suburbia. It is an old truism that if you feed songbirds you are feeding raptors. Take good care - of yourself AND nature - David.

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