Alarming to see populations celebrated as stable (waterfowl) now also declining. Last year I wrote about the most dire of all, grassland birds www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2024-... - ThreadSky

jurassicparks.bsky.social • 6 days ago

Alarming to see populations celebrated as stable (waterfowl) now also declining.

Last year I wrote about the most dire of all, grassland birds

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2024-2-summer/feature/america-s-disappearing-grasslands-and-grassland-birds

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dl48.bsky.social•5 days ago

Its only going to get worse with the authorization of the destruction of half our remaining forests

waxcapscooch.bsky.social•5 days ago

A fascinating article Michael. England’s grasslands, those that remain in our lowland landscapes are in a perilous position. In terms of birds, I could walk across 1kha of dairy rye monoculture and not find a single breeding bird. We’ve lost over 97% of species-rich grasslands.

jurassicparks.bsky.social•5 days ago

I’ve read some about your grasslands (and birds across Europe). Would love to see them someday.

waxcapscooch.bsky.social•5 days ago

Well, if you do come over (happy to show in an official capacity) we of course still have some special grasslands from tiny meadows, like 0.25ha to Salisbury Plain - thank goodness for the military, where it’s possible to see & hear a proper grassland bird population. A few sites as a taster.

jurassicparks.bsky.social•5 days ago

I may have to take you up on that! The Harvey book is good and had a good bit about degradation of meadows if I recall. I will check out that other one.

jurassicparks.bsky.social•5 days ago

Have you read this one by chance? https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Nature-Graham-Harvey/dp/0099283662

waxcapscooch.bsky.social•5 days ago

Crikey I haven’t but know Graham Harvey’s damming critique of the destruction of the countryside, the destruction of sustainable farming: The Killing of the Countryside is a brutal tale at a time when I was relatively early in my career. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/360304/the-killing-of-the-countryside-by-graham-harvey/9781448112975

llama70.bsky.social•5 days ago

I don’t see hear any birds on my birdfeeder this spring so far!!!

jurassicparks.bsky.social•6 days ago

One thing I think about with birds is that we do such a great job counting them — it’s a remarkable achievement — but also points to the fact that these declines are just the ones we can see best

jurassicparks.bsky.social•5 days ago

@andyjboyce.bsky.social lives!

andyjboyce.bsky.social•5 days ago

Absence due to existential dread and abject joy/fatigue:

jurassicparks.bsky.social•5 days ago

Awww congrats!!!

jurassicparks.bsky.social•5 days ago

(The fatigue part does get better)

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