Loose Feathers #243 ~ FIRECROW

Least Sandpiper with chick / USFWS Photo

Birds and birding news

Scientists have discovered the earliest known fossils of a pelican, which lived about 30 million years ago. Like its modern descendants, the bird had a large bill.
Researchers from Hawk Mountain are studying the locally nesting American Kestrels to understand the causes behind the species's decline.
The brightest male American Goldfinches also tend to be the poorest fliers, showing that attractive plumage comes at a cost of diverting resources from other needs.
The larvae of many moth species are an important source of food for breeding birds and their nestlings.
Bridget Stutchbury discusses 10 myths about birds.
Ferruginous Hawks are declining in eastern Washington. The decline is attributed to loss of habitat and a reduction in prey animals, particularly ground squirrels and black-tailed jackrabbits.
One of the Piping Plovers banded in the Bahamas this winter was found nesting on Martha's Vineyard. To date, 36 of the 57 banded birds have been re-sighted.
A fledgling owl flew into the lion enclosure at Paignton Zoo, leading to a photo of the owlet and lion together.

Birds in the blogosphere

Oil Spill

So far 639 oiled birds have been captured live, 829 were collected dead and 42 have been released; IBRRC keeps a running total. Proctor & Gamble has donated 7,000 bottles of Dawn for cleaning the birds.
In some cases, rescue crews have to leave oiled birds to fend for themselves because capturing them would cause too much stress or damage nests.
Some cleanup crews have been careless around nests; both Brown Pelican nests and Least Tern nests have been destroyed by cleanup workers.
Here are the steps in rehabilitating an oil-covered bird.
In Nigeria, oil spills have been a recurring problem for the past fifty years, at a rate averaging 11 millions gallons per year.
Twenty miles west of the Deepwater Horizon well is another, even deeper well that has been producing since 2008.
An eleven-year-old is selling drawings to raise money for rehabilitating oiled birds. She has raised at least $96,000 so far.
A juvenile sperm whale may be among the wildlife victims of the spill.

Environment and biodiversity

SpiderIdentification.org is a new website to help people identify spiders. Users may submit questions with photos and get help from spider experts. You can read more about it at Eric Eaton's blog.
Scientists studying mud cores have found a link between past climate changes and atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Conservationists are trying to save Plum Island on Long Island, an Important Bird Area, from development and have launched a petition drive.
Horseshoe crab numbers in the Delaware Bay appear to be rising thanks to harvest restrictions.

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