Science

The December 2005 issue of the journal Conservation Biology has a paper on a topic near and dear to my heart (heh-heh): deer overpopulation. In case you missed previous installments, there was the overview of the ecological problems of too…

The last post, Cowbirds 101, received a few comments which I’d like to address.

Many people have an immediate negative reaction to cowbirds, and it’s often based on a lack of understanding about their ecology and impact on other birds. Let’s start out this series of posts by getting to know cowbirds.

Recently, there has been a buzz going around birding and conservation lists about some funding cutbacks for Kirtland’s Warbler management. Specifically, some of the cowbird trapping will be reduced. A message circulating regarding the cuts from one organization calls for…

For many years, I have judged a middle school science fair at a very affluent private school where two close friends are teachers. I always enjoy it. My fellow judge for eighth grade biological science projects is a riot, and…

The other day I posted on reporting neck-collared Canada Geese. Since then, I’ve come across another group of geese near home, of which ten had collars. Remarkably (or not, site fidelity is one thing we learn from these types of…

Belle Isle Park, Detroit New York’s Central Park was not the only magnificent city park designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead. The largest city-owned park in America, Detroit’s own Belle Isle, was also an Olmstead work. Located in the Detroit River…

On November 7, 1805, the Corps of Discovery reached the estuary of the Columbia River. Mistaking it for their goal, the Pacific Ocean, Corps co-leader William Clark writes in his journal: “Ocian in View! O the joy!” Although November 7…

Legions of tiny black and white birds are moving south from Canada in droves. Consider these reports (keyed on the map): Banders in Toronto, at Tommy Thompson Park along Lake Ontario (A on map), band over 200 of these birds…