January 2020 – Elmendorf Lake Park – Bird Island: The USDA’s Wildlife Service continues their assault on the Egrets and Herons on Bird Island. Volunteers bang two by four boards at the birds while a USDA employee shoots EPCD’s or Explosive Pest Control Devices out of blank 22 handguns at the birds. The explosives are […]
Tag: Great Egret
Journey of the Migratory Birds in San Antonio – A Journey Cut Short – Part 1
Brackenridge Park: As I held a rescued newly hatched Egret chick in my hand back in 2021, I should have known what lie ahead for the migratory birds-a future of harassment, destruction of habitat, and most likely death. Years ago, I overheard someone with the City of San Antonio (COSA) say “they had an Egret […]
Restoration turns pastures into wildlife haven in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
CACHOEIRAS DE MACACU, Brazil — Gesturing across the still, green water reflecting the backdrop of forest-clad mountains, Nicholas Locke told of the time when this flourishing wetland was once a barren pasture after being drained, cleared, and used for cattle grazing. Over the last five centuries, much of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest has suffered a similar […]
Assault on San Antonio’s Waterbirds continues as Audubon Turns their back on the birds.
According to Wikipedia: The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. So, why does it appear that San Antonio’s local Audubon has distanced themselves from “defending” the birds along with their habitats? Is San Antonio Not Big Enough for a Rookery? The Great Egret-the symbol […]
Those Poor Whooping Cranes May Never Be the Same Again
To some observers, the noise sounds like fireworks, to others the noise mimics gunshots. With a few visitors fortunate or not so fortunate to observe the USDA’s Wildlife Services shooting the explosive cartridges out of a blank 22 handgun inside the park. The Safety Data Sheet lists the cartridge as an “exploding bomb”. The explosive […]
Passage of the Sweeping Climate Bill Offers Renewed Promise in the Fight Against Climate Change
WASHINGTON – “America is once again a strong player in the global effort against climate change with the passage of this historic bill,” said Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society. “Science shows that failure to slow the rate of global temperature rise has devastating consequences for birds, and as indicator species found in […]
Barnacle Goose!
Yesterday afternon news broke of a young Barnacle Goose at Agamon Hula. As with any wildfowl records, concerns about its origins were raised based on poor quality photos. Later on, when better photos emerged, no plumage anomalies were visible, the bird was properly wary, it’s circumstances (age, timing and location) support genuine vagrancy, and the […]
Early At The Shore With Oystercatchers
I made a stop down at the shoreline early in the morning. I was trying to catch low tide hoping to find shorebirds. The only shorebirds I came across were American Oystercatchers. They had no problem finding plenty to eat. The oystercatchers were boisterous making lots of noise communicating with each other. I also saw […]