IMAGE BY KELLEPICS – PIXABAY LICENSE
IN MY PRIOR BLOG ENTRY I WROTE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF POWERS OF OBSERVATION AND HOW WE CAN JOURNEY THROUGH THE EYES OF THE ANIMALS AND BIRDS AROUND US.
PEOPLE DO THINGS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO NATURE AND THEY NEVER THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES.
WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL SPRAYING TOXIC PESTICIDES ON LAWNS? DON’T THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE BIRDS AND MAMMALS ARE HAVING THEIR FOOD SOURCE COVERED IN CHECMICALS? AND THAT THOSE TOXINS RUN OFF INTO OUR GROUND WATER SUPPLY AND CREATE FURTHER CONTAMINATION?
I WILL NEVER FORGET THE BIRDS THAT WOULD COME TO OUR BALCONY AFTER OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX DID A SPRING PESTICIDE SPRAY. EVERY YEAR WE WOULD SEE BIRDS SICK AND DYING ON OUR BALCONY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE THEIR LIVES, I WOULD SCOOP THEM UP AND DRIVE THEM TO A LOCAL WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR.
AT ANOTHER APARTMENT WHERE I LIVED, I WROTE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY ALERTING HIM TO THE FACT THAT THEIR PESTICIDE COMPANY WAS SPRAYING AN OVER LOAD OF CHEMICALS ONTO TREES WITH NESTING BIRDS. I ALSO MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THE CHEMICAL RUN OFF WAS DRAINING INTO THE CREEK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL.
MY LETTER WAS A SUCCESS! THE PRESIDENT OF THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY WROTE ME BACK SAYING THAT THEY WERE SWITCHING OVER TO INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT. IPM REDUCES THE NEED FOR PESTICIDES AND IT FOCUSES ON WAYS TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM INSECTS.
MORNING RAYS OF SUNLIGHT CAST A GOLDEN GLOW THROUGH THE FOREST THAT SITS BEHIND MY HOME. MANY BIRD SPECIES, INCLUDING CARDINALS AND CAROLINA WRENS, LIGHT UP THE WOODLAND WITH THEIR SONGS.
ONE AFTERNOON I WAS PUTTING BIRDSEED OUT BACK WHEN I NOTICED A HOUSE WREN TANGLED IN SOME TYPE OF NETTING THAT WAS AROUND A BUSH MY NEIGHBOR WAS GROWING. THE WREN WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FREE HIMSELF AND THE HARDER HE PULLED, THE TIGHTER THE NET WAS BECOMING. WHAT HAD BEEN PLACED AS A PROTECTION FOR THE GROWING BUSH, WAS NOW A POTENTIALLY LETHAL TRAP FOR AN UNSUSPECTING BIRD.
AT FIRST I ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE BIRD BY CAUTIOUSLY USING MY HANDS TO UNTANGLE HIM. BUT THE NET AROUND HIS NECK WAS PULLING TOO TIGHT FOR MY HANDS TO FREE HIM.
I RAN TO MY CAR AND GRABBED A PAIR OF SCISSORS AND CAREFULLY WORKED AT CUTTING THE NET AROUND HIS NECK.
FREEDOM FOR THE AILING BIRD WAS FINALLY ACHEIVED AS THE NET WAS CUT FROM HIS NECK! NOT KNOWING WHETHER THE FLUTTERING OF HIS WINGS WAS FROM INJURY OR EXUBERANCE, I FEARED HE MIGHT HAVE A BROKEN WING.
I WAS ELATED WHEN HE FLEW UP TO A BUSH AND SAT RECOVERING, AND THEN HE SOARED UP TO THE TREES IN THE FOREST.
AFTER THIS UPSETTING INCIDENT, I SPOKE TO MY NEIGHBOR ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS OF THIS NETTING. UNFORTUNATELY THE NEIGHBOR NEVER TOOK THE NET DOWN, AND I GO OUT EVERYDAY AND CHECK IT FOR ANY BIRDS.
PEOPLE SHOULD MAKE IT A HABIT TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT NATURE AND WILDLIFE AND MAKE SAFER AND MORE HUMANE CHOICES.
STAYING VIGILANT IS THE KEY TO HELPING OUR ANIMAL AND BIRD FRIENDS STAY SAFE. WHAT DO YOU SEE ON YOUR DAYS JOURNEY THAT COULD NEED A MORE SOLUTION? PLEASE SEND ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS POST. WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR PROTECING WILDLIFE?
COPYRIGHT – AUGUST 2023 – CYNTHIA FAIN
Compassionate Voices For Nature 