The March meeting has been cancelled. Our speaker has decided to not come because of the Coronavirus. Also, William and Mary will only be holding classes on line and our meeting room is not available.
A Balanced Solution for Virginia’s Birds, Bridges and Tunnels
From the website of the Virginia Society of Ornithology, prepared by Andrew Rapp and Terri Cuthriell:
The Challenge: The expansion of the Hampton-Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) will result in the loss of nesting habitat for more than 25,000 seabird adults and chicks. The South Island of the HRBT is an elevated artificial island that currently supports the largest seabird nesting colony in Virginia. The colony is comprised of the state threatened Gull-Billed Tern as well as Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Common Terns, Black Skimmers and a variety of gull species. Several historic colony sites in Virginia have been completely lost and numbers of all of these birds in Virginia have been declining for years. Without proactive conservation action, there currently is no available habitat for these numbers and this diversity of seabirds in Virginia. The loss of the HRBT South Island nesting colony may result in long-term population declines in all these birds if suitable replacement habitat is not created. The loss of this nesting site is especially urgent for populations of Royal and Sandwich Terns as Virginia is the northernmost extent of their range and HRBT South Island is their primary nesting site.
The Solution: A science-based solution exists: build a sand-topped island to which the displaced birds may be attracted. Nearby states of Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina have successfully built and managed islands for colonial seabirds and, in some cases, also have improved fish habitat. Across the U.S. and around the world, partnerships between states and federal agencies have built bird islands to successfully mitigate other actions, such as bridge or road expansion, and channel dredging. In the face of the current lack of federal protection under the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act, state-level leadership will be required to implement this conservation solution. Construction of a suitable predator-free island in a fish-rich area that is designed to also improve fish habitat will result in a win-win-win solution for Virginia’s largest-ever transportation project, its seabirds, and its essential fish habitat.
A Showcase for Coastal Resilience: Virginia is proactively developing a master plan for encouraging coastal resilience. Successful construction of an island to benefit natural resources at the same time as the state is improving critical transportation infrastructure will be a resilience showcase. Ongoing dredging of shipping channels and activities related to expansion of the Port of Virginia and the HRBT itself could provide the sources of sand and federal partnerships needed to complete this project.
From Cheryl Jacobson, President of the Williamsburg Bird Club:
Public comment can make a difference. Please consider writing Virginia state officials (Governor, Secretary of Natural Resources, and Secretary of Transportation) to express support for building a replacement island for this seabird colony that will otherwise be lost due to inaction.
The terns’ nesting site has already been destroyed without a solution in place.
The terns’ nesting site has already been destroyed without a solution in place.
The links below are helpful orientation about the situation:
Please consider writing to these individuals regarding your concerns:
The Honorable Ralph S. Northam
Governor of Virginia
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218
Matthew J. Strickler
Secretary of Natural Resources
Patrick Henry Building
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Ryan Brown, Executive Director
VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
P.O. Box 90778,
Henrico, VA 23228-0778
Ms. Shannon Valentine, Secretary
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 E. Broad St.
Richmond, Virginia 23219
No December Meeting
The next Williamsburg Bird Club meeting will be January 15, 2020. Join Shirley Devan and other members of the Club on January 1 from 1-3 p.m. at the boardwalk on the Greensprings Trail. See Calendar for details.
Time to Renew Your Membership for 2020!
Please consider renewing your membership for 2020. You can download a membership/renewal form here.
Field Trip to Grandview Preserve CANCELLED
I’m sorry to say we are canceling Saturday’s field trip to Grandview Nature Preserve. The weather forecast is calling for a chilly drizzle with high winds, meaning passerines along the trail to the beach will be hunkered down, and the conditions on the beach will be less than pleasant. Furthermore, there’s a Coastal Flood Watch in effect starting Saturday morning, with tides higher than normal, so there may not be much beach to walk on in any event.
We’ll try it again in the future, and we hope we’ll have better conditions then.
Former President Bob Long has died
Bob Long was president of the Williamsburg Bird Club from 2006-2007. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 17, at 3:00 at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church, 500 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg, VA. Bob’s positive and exuberant spirit will be sorely missed! Obituary
Protecting Birds is an Act of Patriotism
The eagle is a symbol of conservation and environmentalism. Saving the bald eagle from extinction in the continental U.S. by banning DDT was one of the signature achievements of the environmental movement.
The eagle is also a symbol of American patriotism. But conservationists and environmentalists are often accused of being unpatriotic when they oppose development projects promising short-term economic benefits. Much of our political debate centers on the disingenuous dichotomy of jobs versus the environment.
Bald Eagle may not be the best national bird
Dan Cristol writes, “The Bald Eagle is off the endangered species list and quite abundant in Virginia. It is finally safe to discuss whether the eagle is a fitting national symbol.
“Because of the Bald Eagle’s habit of eating mainly carrion and robbing Osprey of their hard-earned catch, Ben Franklin was an early critic. In a letter to his daughter he wrote of the Bald Eagle, “… like those among men who live by sharping & robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district.”
Read the full article at https://www.vagazette.com/life/va-vg-birding-1222-story.html
Birdwatching benefits mind, body and spirit
“More than a decade ago, Cathy Millar began feeling burned out over work and family obligations. Seeking relief from daily stressors, Millar found comfort through nature by joining the Williamsburg Bird Club.
“I grew up in a household where everyone was always interested in nature,” said Millar, who has been a member of the Williamsburg Bird Club for a dozen years and is the club’s secretary. “For me, going on a bird walk is a spiritually renewing experience. I love stopping and watching birds and other creatures. I find it engrossing and soothing. When I go, all the worries of the world take a backseat for a while.”
Williamsburg Bird Club — with roughly 200 members — defines its mission as promoting the study of wild birds….” Read the rest of the story at the Virginia Gazette.
NOTE: At the end of the article, the Gazette says that the WBC “meets the second and fourth Saturdays of every month at 8 a.m., typically at New Quarter Park.” Every fourth Saturday we meet at New Quarter Park. Every second Saturday, we meet at different parks or trails. See the calendar for details.
Please check Calendar for upcoming bird walks, field trips and meetings.