[va-bird] Re: bird use after fire

I too saw propaganda, but in yours, not Sandy's. nor did I find the 
sarcasm becoming.   jck

Wallace Coffey wrote:

>It truly is amazing the number of small mammals, small birds and other
>creatures that are exposed to heavy predation as a result of man-made
>wildfire during a time when these creatures are at their lowest food supply
>and habitat cover of the winter.
>
>The fire set by wildlife biologists and others at the Rappahannock River
>Valley National Wildlife Refuge shows how such burns for grasslands produces
>an amazing and rapid influx of raptors, turkey vultures and black vultures
>to feed upon creatures which were left virtually defenseless.
>
>So tuned were the predators and scavengers to the killed, wounded and dieing
>that they were on the scene immediately even as the fire was raging and even
>on the edge of the smoke.  Some animals were no doubt fleeing into the fangs
>and talons of predators when they had no other places to go under cover.
>
>Sharp-shinned and northern harriers landed onto the blackened surface
>within minutes after the fire swept through to capture small birds and small
>mammals which had died or been injured or flushed from their natural habitat
>without cover.   Song and savannah sparrows quickly returned to the fields
>to scavenge through the reduced litter for seeds now exposed.   A couple of
>woodcocks were noticed in the dwindling glow of an evening burn and, in the
>fading sunset, inspired to sing, peent, and display due to the shorter
>nights and approach of their nesting season which is just a few short weeks
>away.  They have been in this behavior for more than a week.  If this is not
>so, then just go out and burn some good woodcock habitat in order to see the
>number of those birds that will come quickly to be inspired to call and sing
>for you.
>
>This seemed to be more of a three-handed job:  drip torch in one, binoculars
>in another, computer keeyboard nearby for propaganda!
>
>I am not actually opposed to control burns nor the logic behind it.  I just
>thought
> Sandy Spencer's positvie spin, romantic sunset and love life of the
>woodcocks and all the great benefits to hawks and vultures needed a little
>more realistic touch for most readers.  Maybe even a little more realistic
>viewpoint for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service who might be blinded by thier
>own good deeds.
>
>Let's go birding.....
>
>Wallace Coffey
>Bristol, TN
>
>
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>
>  
>

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