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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