[mou] birds in New Orleans area

[Jim Williams]

Interesting comments from a birder near New Orleans.
Jim Williams
Wayzata

Begin forwarded message:

From: Nancy L Newfield <nancy@CASACOLIBRI.NET>
Date: September 20, 2005 12:19:29 PM CDT
To: BIRDCHAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: Re: [BIRDCHAT] mosquito spraying in New Orleans area
Reply-To: Nancy L Newfield <nancy@CASACOLIBRI.NET>

Liz et al.,

At 11:59 PM 9/19/2005, you wrote:

> [forwarded from the pollinator mailing list]
>
> >..... the Office of Public Health will be using Air Force cargo=20
> planes to spray for mosquitoes in the Louisiana flood area.  [snip=20
> description of attempts to notify beekeepers in the area to protect=20
> their hives from the spray]
>
> >... the pesticide will be a specific application in accordance with=20=

> label instructions, yet public health issues will take precedence over=20=

> other concerns.
>
> This does not look good to me for all the warblers headed that way.

I have not kept up with all of this, but regular daily spraying to=20
reduce mosquitoes is a way of life in most of southern Louisiana - and=20=

it has been for many, many years.  I suspect that they are resuming=20
such spraying, using Air Force planes because the smaller planes used=20
by parishes were damaged or destroyed [speculation].

A lot doesn't look good for warblers down here.  I returned to stay on=20=

Sunday.  I live about 5 miles west of  the city of New Orleans.  My=20
home was not damaged, but damage to larger trees in my area and=20
certainly farther east [probably all the way east to Alabama] is 95%. =20=

Mosquito spraying won't be the worst problem they face.  There won't be=20=

many trees for them to perch in or to harbor the tiny insects.

Migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds seems heavier than usual,=20
probably because many sources of natural nectar and minute=20
invertebrates are much reduced.  I saw a young male Rufous this=20
morning.  However, overall, birdlife [resident] seems to be about 1/4=20
of what it was before the storm.

Not to make light of your legitimate concerns, but there is a lot of=20
concern about mosquito-borne diseases.  Mosquitoes are pretty fierce=20
around my home.  They were before the storm.  I have never been tested=20=

for West Nile antibodies, but I suspect I probably have been bitten a=20
time or two by mosquitoes carrying the virus.  However, many of the=20
emergency workers come from outside the area and they probably have=20
never been exposed to this kind of health threat.  We certainly don't=20
want folks who are giving so much of themselves to become ill as a=20
result of their good works.

Conditions will not be back to normal for years - if ever.  So far, we=20=

are the only family back on our block and we've heard that a couple of=20=

the families are moving to Texas.

My husband visited one of the hardest hit parts of the New Orleans area=20=

yesterday.  He went to retrieve a few valuables from an aunt's home. =20
Flood waters went all the way into the attic.  His 80-year old aunt=20
will never be able to return there.  We have been spending all of our=20
time trying to find her a space in a retirement home closer to us. =20
Presently, she is 200 miles away.  We have found her a place, but now=20
she will need some furniture and clothing.

This is just one tiny story among a population with a million stories,=20=

many more dramatic than ours.  The scope of destruction goes from 30=20
miles west of where we live to southern Alabama, maybe into Florida.

NLN







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Nancy L Newfield
  Casa Colibr=ED
  Metairie, Louisiana USA
  <nancy@casacolibri.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BirdChat Guidelines: http://www.ksu.edu/audubon/chatguidelines.html
Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdchat.html