Just an unofficial comment on the large number of waterfowl being found dead. It has been pointed out to me that with so much ice cover, so late in the season, the resources found in the few open water areas are probably being depleted rapidly. It isn’t so much low numbers of fish this year, but that the birds can’t reach them under so much ice. This is in evidence by the large numbers of waterfowl congregating in the few areas of open water. Many of these, such as Scaup, Goldeneye, Mergansers, etc. would normally be found out on Lake Ontario, but are forced inland to find open water.
The death of the Harlequin Duck (which I fortunately got to see Sat., the day before it died) while tragic for birders, is the normal result of a severe winter. I am grateful it was retrieved and will be put to an educational use. This is an example of why I support regulated hunting. Besides for the financial benefit from hunting licenses and fees, I would rather see more animals harvested each Fall, than left to starve during the Winter. That would not have changed things this year, a severe/extended winter season will still kill off large numbers of wildlife, but at least it isn’t as bad as if there was no hunting season. One other point to consider, by harvesting species that are more plentiful (Scaup, Mallards, etc.) it allows more resources for our rarer visitors such as the Harlequin & Barrow’s Goldeneye. I realize there are many on this server that are opposed to hunting, I don’t mean to offend any of you, but I would hope that you would consider these facts and see the benefits, thank you. Mark Miller (FYI: I no longer hunt, except with a camera, but I still purchase licenses and Duck Stamps to support conservation efforts) Sent from Windows Mail -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
