Rare Bird Sightings Caused By….You Guessed It, Climate Change

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.

Save $10 on purchases of $49.99 & up on our Fruit Bouquets at 1800flowers.com. Promo Code: FRUIT49
If you liked my post, feel free to subscribe to my rss feeds.

Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed

9 Responses to “Rare Bird Sightings Caused By….You Guessed It, Climate Change”

  1. John Ryan says:

    still with the ad hominem attacks on the life styles of SOME ? Well if you can’t argue the facts, you can always attack the messenger himself. Why attack eco-hyppcrites ? well I guess that is easier than explaining why the earth is getting warmer. Teach do you consider urban heat islands to be AGW ?

  2. captainfish says:

    Quote:
    “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.

    ok,… since when has portland oregon been at a higher latitude than “sub-artic” and “Asia”????

    Have birds never been lost before? During my time as a Salmon Biologist, I continuously encountered salmon returning to areas that they were not supposed to return to. Some were several states off their route. It happens.

    And, speaking from a biological point of view, what good is it to count birds in and around a city? And then determine population levels from that count? You can’t.

    As the article does rightly suggest, human habitation changes habitats and living conditions for birds. Could they be moving out of the area? Could Portland now be non-preferred for those particular species of birds? Or are they actually seeing more bird deaths? (ala.. Beebe, AR)

    Speaking of AR – I think they might want to start sacrificing young children because they def pissed off their gods.

  3. Paul B says:

    This reminds me of the Kevin Bacon game, where you mention a movie or an actor and then someone relates it to Kevin Bacon. It’s the same damn thing!

  4. captainfish says:

    So, you’re saying that this is all Kevin Bacon’s fault. I see it now. I understand completely. It makes perfect sense. I see how it all started with that Footloose movie too. It was all so secretive and hidden. But its all so clear.

    Kevin Bacon must die. We must save the planet from Kevin Bacon!!!!

  5. ROTFLOL, Paul! That is a good one. Love it.

    So, it’s kinda like: the climate changes. someone drives an SUV. That owner spots a rare bird. The bird flew by a house owned by a person with a DVD player. That person loves watching “Footloose.” Kevin Bacon was in Footloose.

  6. captainfish says:

    Close. Not quite so elaborate as that. Remember, climate is simple. So, K.I.S.S.

    someone drives an SUV with a DVD player watching “Footloose” with Kevin Bacon. They get so deranged, beyond that which caused them to buy the SUV in the first place, and sling the DVD out the window striking and killing a rare tufted duck, native to Asia just as it arrived to an area that it thought was less hostile to its survival.

  7. Trish says:

    Kevin Bacon’s cousin Patty opened a restaurant near me called- you guessed it-“Bacons”; the theme of the cool pub-like place was pigs. They served a lot of pork there too. I believe many pigs were killed in the process. Then, the restaurant closed mysteriously. No more pulled pork for you. Now do you see the connection? AGW did it. With Bush’ help.

  8. Heh heh. Those are good ones, Trish and CF.

  9. […] Rare Bird Sightings Caused By….You Guessed It, Climate Change Hmm, by my reckoning, at least one of the rare bird sightings are seem to be from areas where it is typically friggin’ cold. […]

Pirate's Cove