It can’t have anything to do with “nature doing goofy things to delight us,” right?
The nearly 200 birders who participate in Portland’s count treat it as a treasure hunt. Armed with binoculars and scratch pads, groups swarm the Portland area, each assigned to a specific location. They hope to create an accurate log of the number and types of bird species in a 15-mile diameter circle centered on Washington Park and extending into portions of Washington and Clackamas counties.
Birdwatchers near the Columbia River in North Portland make two extremely rare sightings before noon: a black scoter, typically found in sub-Arctic areas, and a tufted duck, native to Asia. It’s the first time either of them has been spotted on a Portland Christmas count.
A 2009 study by the Audubon Society points to data from the Christmas Count and other sources that indicate a northward shift in bird’s ranges. Scientists believe climate change is at fault.
Hmm, by my reckoning, at least one of the rare bird sightings are seem to be from areas where it is typically friggin’ cold. Of course, seeing as how urban areas tend to be warmer than the surrounding countryside, perhaps these “rare” sightings stem from the birds looking to warm up from this 3rd year in a row of cold weather.
The data also shows die-off among many bird species. Gross says more than one in four avian species in Oregon are experiencing significant population declines as their habitats are lost to human development and farming.
Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me that these supposedly enlightened liberals are actually killing off bird species as they live their high CO2 lifestyles? That’s weird.
Just to be clear, I’m not making fun of bird watchers: I’m making fun of the eco-hypocrites.
