Birders of America
Scientists know now that DDT accumulates in a bird’s system, and in the environment around it as well.
“So here are these three pelican eggs, from 1927 — pre-DDT,” she says. She pulls open another drawer of egg clutches and picks up a clear case with two objects in it that look like deflated balloons. “These pelican eggs are from 1969. So, when people said, ‘DDT is causing this and we need to ban DDT,’ and the people who made DDT said, ‘You need to prove it,’ and when DDT is everywhere in the environment — where are you going to find egg shells that haven’t been exposed to DDT? In the past. So, to me, that’s a really great reason for why we keep all these old things.”
^^^^^
Fix turns and heads back to the other end of the pond. “Here comes a double-crested cormorant,” he says.
The big, gangly dark bird with a pale breast — a juvenile — lands in the pond and spins around. “That’s a real blue-collar bird.”
Every bird has its place, Fix says — together, they make a complete landscape. “The marsh wrens do their things in the cattail beds, while a few feet over the coots or gadwalls are executing their life histories.”
And the thing is, none of them are consciously thinking, gee, this is really gonna make me a big star some day. However, some humans — say, the competitive birdlist keepers — might be suspected of vying for a little fame. But Fix gives even them the benefit of the doubt.
“Take Bill Gates,” he says. “He didn’t start out wanting to become the world’s richest man. The money was the secondary product of the passion that he had. You could say the same of the listers. Most are passionately attuned to nature. You know, it’s hard to go out and bird 30 weekends a year and enjoy it if you don’t like nature.”
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent on the cover
May 17
Ring of Fire
Sun and moon will perform a rare pas de deux in Humboldt skies on Sunday
May 10
District Soup
Racing for the top county seat in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts
May 3
A Place in the Woods
As park closure deadline nears, a scramble to save what we can
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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