Friday, December 29, 2006

Loose Feathers #80

News and links about birds, birding, and the environment.

  • Red kites in Scotland are under threat from deliberate human persecution. Grouse keepers believe that the kites harm livestock, and so they kill the birds by leaving out poisoned meat.
  • Brown pelicans in Florida are being poisoned by red tide.
  • Monk parakeets, having established themselves in Brooklyn, are now spreading small colonies around New York City and its surroundings.
  • A tropical kingbird has been hanging around in Somerset County, Maryland. The initial report is here, and the identification reported here; follow reports in the MDOsprey archives for more details and the latest information.
There are several Christmas Bird Count stories this week.
  • Vermont observers have found decreasing numbers of winter finches such as evening grosbeak, and new species from the south such as Carolina wren and tufted titmouse.
  • This winter, counters near Albany have been seeing birds that should have migrated south long before, as well as new species like red-bellied woodpecker.
  • The Boston Globe also reports on the trend of more southerly species being found further north during Christmas Bird Counts. The trend does seem to indicate that our winters are becoming less harsh.
Carnival