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This week in birds - #532

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

This Cooper's Hawk is on the lookout for his next meal. 

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A federal disaster declaration was made this week for the area inhabited by the Havasupai Native American tribe that lives deep inside the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The area has experienced devastating floods.

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Meanwhile, wild weather swings along the West Coast are causing possibly irreparable damage to California's trees.

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2023 could be a critical year for many endangered and threatened species. It may be the year in which their ultimate fate is determined.

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This is the American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week, one of the most beautiful of ducks in my opinion - the Northern Pintail.

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Weather records have been falling all across Europe this January as the continent experiences an unusually warm winter month. 

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This could also be a vitally important year for clean energy in this country, as both huge opportunities and huge threats are taking shape.

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This is the Snowy Owl that has been exciting birders in California. What caused the bird to visit Orange County well out of its normal range? We can speculate but the bird, being a bird, isn't talking.

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Climate change is contributing to algae blooms in Massachusetts, creating a toxic stew that could cost billions to clean up.

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In the just-ended year, the United States became the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas.

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This is the 'I'iwi, an imperiled Hawaiian honeycreeper. Federal wildlife officials have now proposed that 275,000 acres be designated and protected as critical habitat for the bird.

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And this is the endangered Takahe, a flightless bird that lives on Mana Island, a nature sanctuary off the coast of Wellington, New Zealand. 

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A juvenile male walrus, given the name Thor, has been delighting crowds along the Northumberland coast by visiting the area, causing the town of Scarborough to cancel its New Year's Eve fireworks display to avoid distressing their unexpected guest.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has revived an older more stringent set of protections for rivers, marshes, and waterways canceling out changes to the rules that had been instituted in recent years.

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In some good news from Brazil, a woman dedicated to defending the Amazon rainforest has been named as the country's new environment minister.

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Note to readers: Because of a continuing attack on the blog by an entity attempting to post inappropriate and offensive comments, I've had to block comments by "Anonymous" posters. If you have legitimately in the past posted comments anonymously, I do apologize for the inconvenience. Please know that I do treasure all who take the time to comment appropriately.

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  1. David M. Gascoigne,January 7, 2023 at 4:24 AM

    Thanks for the roundup, Dorothy, and a pox on those who have nothing better to do with their time than attack other people's blogs. What malevolent dimwits they are. That's a great picture of a Pintail; I always think that "elegant" describes them well. They always seem to me to have just returned from a Saville Row bespoke tailor where they have been fitted with a new suit. As you say, good news from Brazil for a change. Whether the damage to the rainforest can be reversed is another matter entirely. A fellow I know, not well but well enough, has recently been diagnosed with serious liver cancer and has only a short time to live. Being the practical fellow that he is he says that he will be leaving us with sadness, not for himself, but for the rape of the planet that has occurred on his watch. I feel that will be a sad truth for others of us. Enjoy your weekend - David

    ReplyDelete
  2. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzJanuary 7, 2023 at 9:20 AM

    I'm astonished to see such beautiful birds in your post this week---the 'I'iwi, the Takahe, the Northern Pintail, and the Snowy Owl. Wouldn't it be amazing to see these birds in person? I think that only the Northern Pintail is a bird I might have a chance of seeing here.

    I'm glad the more stringent protections have been reinstated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJanuary 7, 2023 at 9:28 AM

      I have seen the Pintail in person, though not the others, and it is just as elegant and beautiful as its picture.

      Delete
  3. CathyJanuary 10, 2023 at 12:48 PM

    Thor the walrus's story delighted me, although I did wonder how many other places would have canceled their own New Year's fireworks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersJanuary 10, 2023 at 3:26 PM

      You have to admire the town of Scarborough. I suspect not a lot of places would put the welfare of an animal ahead of a planned public celebration.

      Delete

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