> Re: Van Cortlandt Park > > Steve, Andrew, and concerned others, > > about the butterfly of course Steve is correct and knows much about status of > lepidoptera that flies by day & by night in our region. > > my 3 cents on this is, that we not go entirely with a "Spotted Owl" way of > looking at conservation... and that that butterfly is, while a very > significant organism that is very threatened in far too much of its range, > it's also one of thousands of species that might be threatened by serious > development in the park... plants (and there are state-significant plant > species in the park, as recorded in the last decade or so), and of course the > birds of which Andrew touched on but a few species (the park as a whole has > supported over 60 species of breeding birds even to recent years, & may > support more than that, as it also has in the past; the total list of species > is far higher, including wintering & migrant species)... and many other life > forms. Whether a paved path would be the biggest threat is a whole separate > (somewhat) issue - is the path that was pushed thru alongside the Jamaica Bay > Refuge in Queens NY a bad thing? My own opinion is that that was completely > unnecessary & a waste of some taxpayer money... and that may be the case with > this new proposal, or it may not. > > The reference to the Spotted Owl concerns ways of dealing with conservation > issues; that a piece of land, of whatever size, contains a lot of extant life > and that all of the forms of life are worth saving & conserving, & that > highlighting just one of many species is not fully adequate - albeit the > species noted may be more endangered or threatened than some of the other > species. I'm just adding that there are plenty of species, within the > location noted here, in the west Bronx, that are potentially state-threatened > &/or rare & that may be afforded some measures of protection by statute, and > certainly ought be on moral as well as common sense grounds, if common sense > includes that which preserves life's diversity, as it preserves "us". > > Respectfully, > Tom Fiore, > Manhattan > > - > at 7:06 PM, Steve Walter wrote: > >> I should have thought of this before. Van Cortlandt Park has of one the few >> (maybe only) remaining populations of Silvery Checkerspot (butterfly) in the >> region. It has disappeared from Connecticut and New Jersey. I knew of a few >> populations in Westchester, but I believe these are gone. Even when the >> checkerspots were there, the Van Cortlandt population was larger and more >> significant. I don’t know the status in the rest of New York and whether a >> state agency (DEC, Natural Heritage Program) could get involved here. Needs >> to be looked into. >> >> The Silvery Checkerspot lives in open areas in woodlands. It lays its eggs >> on Woodland Sunflower, the only plant on which the larva can feed and grow. >> Paving in the Van Cortlandt woodlands has to be viewed as a major threat to >> the species surviving in our area. >> >> Steve Walter >> Bayside, NY > >> On Behalf Of Andrew Baksh >> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 10:20 AM >> To: nysbirds-l >> Cc: Nyc ebirds >> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park Report... >> >> Yesterday our walk at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx yielded the following >> highlights: EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 2 seen just before the trail off the Parade >> Grounds that leads to the foot bridge along the golf course. In this same >> area, we had an unexpected FIELD SPARROW, which unfortunately took off >> rather quickly due to foot traffic; the bird was last seen heading up into >> Vault Hill accompanied by an American Tree Sparrow. >> >> At the foot bridge near the golf course, we had 4 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS and this >> area remains reliable to see them. Also 4 REDWING BLACKBIRDS also put in an >> appearance, the most we have seen this winter in that area. WINTER WRENS, 2 >> reluctant birds, one near the foot bridge and another on the inner path >> along the Putnam Trail. HORNED LARKS 9, on the Parade Grounds. KILLDEERS >> 2, on the Parade Grounds as well. >> >> Later on at Orchard Beach Pelham Bay Park , Andria and I had 2 flocks of >> COMMON GOLDENEYES 47 and 9 respectively; both rafts seen off of Twin Island >> as well as 23 PURPLE SANDPIPERS flying around as the tide came in. These >> were also viewed off of Twin Island looking out towards Execution Rocks >> Lighthouse. >> >> Finally, walking along the Putnam Trail yesterday at Van Cortlandt Park, was >> a very poignant moment for me as I thought of the trees and habitat loss >> that will take place if and when the Putnam Trail, is paved over with >> asphalt. Areas along the path that I learned about and became familiar >> with, that hosted nesting Blue Gray Gnatcatchers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, >> Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Yellow Warblers, Orchard Orioles and Baltimore >> Orioles to name a few will all be lost. We are indeed a SELFISH species!! >> >> If you are interested and want to voice your opinion against the paving of >> the trail, you may visit and sign the petition at >> http://www.savetheputnamtrail.com/petition/ >> >> Good and Responsible Birding! >> >> Andrew Baksh >> Queens, NY >> www.birdingdude.blogspot.com >>
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