Sea Watches on Lake Michigan

Photo-Gillson Park, Wilmette Illinois


Exciting Birds on Lake Michigan 11/10

Sharp NE winds yesterday brought in exciting reports from the southern lakefront. From the Indiana hotspot Miller Beach: King Eider, Western Grebes, Jaeger SP.(6-7), all three Scoters, Red throated and Common Loons. Bob Hughes reported a Sabines Gull from Montrose Point in Chicago and in Wilmette, IL at Gillson Park Andy Sigler reported a Black-legged Kittiwake.

Tex Birder Arrested for Killing Cat

Well known Texas birder, Jim Stevenson of Galveston Island, Texas was arrested on Wednesday November 8 and charged with animal cruelty. Stevenson was being held in the county jail until he made bail, according to the Houston Chronicle. The story by Kevin Moran follows:

BIRDER JAILED IN SHOOTING OF STRAY CAT ON TOLL BRIDGE

GALVESTON - A well-known birder and founder of the Galveston Ornithological
Society has been charged with animal cruelty, accused of shooting a stray cat
with a .22-caliber rifle.

A toll bridge attendant told police that Jim Stevenson was in a white van from
which two shots were fired. John Newland said he was on duty at the San Luis
Pass Bridge on west Galveston Island Wednesday morning when he heard shots.

Newland said he pursued Stevenson on FM 3005. He said Stevenson stopped, then
backed into Newland's truck and fled.

Newland said the cat that died Wednesday had been shot in the foot earlier in
the week. He said 10 cats have been killed in the past year, four in the past
week.

Newland said he and the bridge workers think of the cats as pets. "They all
have names," he said.

Stevenson, 53, is charged with one count of animal cruelty. He was in the
Galveston County Jail late Wednesday.

Published by The Houston Chronicle 11/8/06

The story broke today 11/9 on Texbirds and an outpouring of hatred against feral cats was unleashesd by a strident minority of Texbird members. One birder went so far as to say "if it's non-native I have no sympathy", comletely disregarding the fact that both he and Mr. Stevenson are members of a highly invasive, non-native species which has to date caused immense, irreversible damage to the global eco-system. The problem of feral cats is merely a miniscule by-product of the damage caused by the species to which Mr. Stevenson belongs. The ignorance, self-interest and sadism of of this species were all on display when Mr Stevenson allegedly pumped a bullet into this unfortunate animal. As millions of feral cats wander this country does anyone really believe that Mr. Stevenson was attempting to find a responsible solution to this problem?

One hears of the eco-nazis. Perhaps we may soon need to mark our cats with yellow stars, and then maybe.... certain people. My own opinion is that Mr. Stevenson's violent anger is very much misdirected. He should be taking aim at himself.

Rosehill

A SHORT WALK TODAY

Nice weather, warm. Robins were the story. A nice flock covered the cemetery, birds feeding on the moist turf, pulling out worms and gorging on the many berry bushes. A few White-breasted Nuthatches were calling. One Yellow-rumped Warbler. A few small flocks of Juncos. Very little else was around. No hawks. No Woodpeckers Very few geese.

Mammals were more visible. A reddish Coyote stopped to look me over near the back woodlot. Except for size and thin snout it looked very wolf like. Four Red Bats were actively foraging on an insect hatch in broad daylight. They were colored like male purple finches but brighter red. I have never seen bats feeding in daylight before. They fly well almost as well as Swifts. Squirels were everywhere. Surely a Redtail or two will find them this winter.