[Tweeters] Declining?

[Jim Betz via Tweeters]

Hi,


   *** Long message alert ***    *** Please read all the way thru ***


   One of the hardest topics I have found to 'deal with' is the one 
about "declining populations".

I am reminded of the counsel an experienced birder gave me a few years 
back when I asked

something like "where have all the Snow Geese gone?" and she quickly and 
correctly

replied "Birds have wings".

   Every time I've ever read any book/online resource/what ever that 
talks about bird

behavior they -always- mention the three primary motivators for birds 
"food (and water),

sex, and territory (which is/can be closely related to the previous two).


   What I'm trying to say is that "just because I/you/someone has 
noticed that there

aren't as many _____s around" does not mean that the species is "in 
decline".  It

may be - but that is not the only reason.  They might just be "somewhere 
else".

And even "often are" just somewhere else.


   Are there some locations that we've grown to trust as "reliable" for 
a particular

species over the past few years?  Yes, definitely.  But also every time 
I talk with

another birder whose been around longer than I have - they talk about 
how the

particular bird we are talking about "used be in another location - but 
recently

that location hasn't worked" (but some other locations do).


   I hope you have stayed with me this far - because I want to say this 
with just as

much emphasis/passion ... I am NOT saying that declining populations is 
not a

real concern - what I am saying is that we have to be careful about getting

concerned about a particular location (such as "in my backyard") and 
especially

when there may be significant reasons why that location isn't as good as it

used to be ... that are unrelated to declining species numbers.

- Jim


P.S. Have you ever put a stop watch on how long it takes for a 
bird/flock of birds

        to move far enough away from you that you can no longer detect their

        presence?  Have you noticed how someone with a spotting scope can

        find a bird - that you had no idea was there?