Critter News

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

California really is at the forefront of animal welfare and this is an excellent article detailing what's going on in the State and the challenges animal welfare faces. It also does a great job at profiling Jennifer Fearing who led the victory of Proposition 2. She sounds amazing.

Animal Welfare 100

Animal Welfare Welfare California Proposition 2 100

Critter News

JANUARY 17, 2012

California is #1 again.yay! Here's a way to find out how your state ranks. Washington State, where I currently live, is #6! At the bottom.(drum drum roll please) South Dakota!!!

Animal Welfare 100

Animal Welfare South Dakota Welfare Humane 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2023

I understand there are still people out there who deny human-induced climate change. I, however, am still a California boy, in spite of not living in that state for four decades now, and I still keep track of the weather there. Perhaps those people have never had to personally experience increasingly erratic climate patterns.

Ducks 130

Ducks Mexico California Fish 130

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2021

Visiting from California, he had visited local gardens and trails with me, spent time by the pool, and took a few mini-canoe trips. It’s human nature: Once we think we know what we’re looking at, we mentally fill in the gaps and move on to the next thing. “Why do you always keep a list?”

Florida 263

Florida Birds Mississippi Laws 263

10,000 Birds

JUNE 13, 2021

Here’s a quote about bird lungs from Britannica: “Himalayan geese have been observed not only to fly over human climbers struggling to reach the top of Mount Everest, but to honk as they do so.” For instance, you can own a lion in Alabama, but not in California. Now imagine you have the lungs of a bird.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 264

Wildlife Rehabilitation Tethering Giraffes Alabama 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 24, 2024

Although the property has seen human impacts, there have been recent efforts to improve water quality and restore this important habitat. Multi-million-dollar homes, fancy restaurants, rugged swimming, California sea lions, and close-up looks at some birds. Osprey carrying a fish La Jolla Cove has a lot going on.

San Diego 213

San Diego Sea Lions Lions Birds 213

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2019

With enough imagination and superstition, some birds can be absolutely frightening – as the multitude of spooky fowl haunting the darkest corners of human culture throughout history will attest. An unlikely scene in California. But our ancestors weren’t always so lucky to appreciate birds the way we do.

2015 111

2015 Denmark California Fowl 111

Animal Ethics

MAY 28, 2012

This is human chauvinism. The anthropomorphic side reads: "It is anthropomorphic to attribute characteristics to nonhumans that belong only to humans." The human chauvinism side reads: "It is chauvinistic not to attribute characteristics to those nonhumans who have them and to persist in the conceit that only humans do."

Humane 40

Humane Los Angeles Neglecting 2004 40

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2014

Many gringos make their way to Baja California Sur every year, although the majority are probably heading to Cabo San Lucas to party and test the human limit of tequila endurance. Destinations Baja California Sur I Am Birder Mexico' What better way to start the year than with a visit to Mexico? You will be content.

California 229

California San Jose Birds Mexico 229

Critter News

JANUARY 3, 2011

According to this Technorati article , the Humane Society rated the states on their animal protection laws. BEST STATES California (best-yay!) BEST Illinois (best) Maine Michigan Oregon California WORST Mississippi Idaho Hawaii North Dakota Kentucky.

Animal Legal Defense Fund 100

Animal Legal Defense Fund Animal Protection North Dakota Protection 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2012

Birders in Northern California have been treated to rare sightings of several species, sending avid twitchers from all over the west in our direction. Personally, I’m waiting for the irruption of Snowy Owls to reach northern California! They also can be easily attracted to nest boxes (plans available here ).

Owls 183

Owls California Jordan Sparrows 183

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2014

Leaving aside the fact that an urban park in San Diego is anything resembling an “natural” environment in the first place (though there were Wrentits, a California near-endemic, around). And why not make a trip, even if it’s undeniably less exciting than a California Thrasher or a Heerman’s Gull.

San Diego 183

San Diego California Unwanted Texas 183

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 14, 2018

A 1978 paper in SORA indicates that Blue Jays had gone from “few extralimital records” prior to 1972 to rare but regular across the mountain West and into California, Washington and Oregon, with 220 extralimital records in the wither of 76-77 alone. 1978, for reference, was the year of my birth.

New York Times 140

New York Times Montana Oregon Deer 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2015

The vast majority of you reading this accept it is happening, and for the time being it is caused by humans. I doubt we have to worry about Herring Gulls , Ruby-throated Hummingbirds or California Towhees going extinct, though their abundance and distribution will surely shift in time. Climate Change. It’s that simple.

North America 224

North America Birds San Francisco Suffering 224

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2019

In addition to spotting exciting new species in Florida, including the rare Snail Kite, travel across the country brought me into contact with birds in Oregon, California, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Alabama, and more. 2018 proved to be one of my best birding years ever. Not so much. I did not fall into that category.

Bald Eagle 152

Bald Eagle Alabama Kansas Florida 152

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2013

He moved from Florida to California 3 years ago and in the process, gave up flying small planes for photography. “I As with many Florida birds, they don’t seem to fear humans as much as other places. I guess when you live with alligators, humans just don’t seem like that big of a deal. jokes Phil.

Alligators 146

Alligators Florida California Humane 146

Critter News

FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Outcry is growing against one of California’s top wildlife officials after a photo of him holding a dead mountain lion surfaced online last week. Hunting mountain lion is legal in Idaho, but illegal in California. KCRA 3 could not reach Richards for comment.

Mountain Lions 100

Mountain Lions Lions Humane Society Of The United States Idaho 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2016

When ground sloths and Titanis disappear, adapt; when humans and their strange accessories appear, adapt. Each is endangered because of human activity in and around the places they’re named for, chiefly habitat destruction. million years to the Lower Paleolithic. When glaciers rise and fall, adapt.

California Condor 161

California Condor Mississippi Florida Montana 161

Critter News

MARCH 16, 2012

The Federal government has approved the killing of California Sea Lions in the Columbia River, blaming them for killing and eating endangered salmon. Never mind the main reasons for the problems with the salmon: hatcheries, human harvest, hydropower and the destruction of habitat.

Sea Lions 100

Sea Lions Lions Killing California 100

Critter News

AUGUST 15, 2010

This concession was to avoid a November ballot vote a la California's Proposition 2. The surprise truce in Ohio follows stronger limits imposed by California voters in 2008; there, extreme caging methods will be banned altogether by 2015. Tags: ohio eggs california humane society farm animal welfare factory farm.

Factory Farm 100

Factory Farm Factory Farming Factory Farming 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

For whatever reason, however, yesterday on my way to work my mind wasn’t with our upcoming spring, but with September’s in California. The gulls that spent months attacking any human on the place are content to loaf around and ignore you. California Sea Lions porpoised through the clear water. And there where whales.

Whales 157

Whales Whaling Sharks Bats 157

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

The Bank Swallow was listed as a threatened species in California in 1989 by the California Fish and Game Commission and the number of breeding pairs has declined steadily since then. In California, much of the Bank Swallow’s nesting habitat in the southern and central areas has been eliminated by flood and erosion-control projects.

North America 190

North America 2014 California Birds 190

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2017

Lakeview Oregon is located in central Oregon, just north of the California border, and is the highest altitude city in the state. During the weekend that I was there, it was announced that there were over 1300 fires burning just within the state of Oregon, not to mention California, Washington, Montana and British Columbia, Canada.

Oregon 100

Oregon Birds Montana California 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2019

such as California Condors and Passenger Pigeons. His parents moved where opportunity beckoned, taking him from San Angelo, Texas, to Columbus, New Mexico, then to Dallas, and finally on to California. Author Sherrida Woodley thinks deeply about dearly departed birds. She’s already written about Rachel Carson: Secret Birder.

Falcons 188

Falcons California Condor Alaska Texas 188

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 9, 2013

The general public is out and about, birds and animals are raising their young, and human/wildlife interaction is at its peak. Self-cleaning pens, never-empty feed buckets,” wrote Angel in South Carolina and Zoe in California. “A wrote Veronica in California. “I It’s August, and first on the menu is: Fried Rehabber. That’s easy!”

Wildlife 251

Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Oklahoma New York 251

Critter News

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

Brown, a case in which the meat industry is attempting to invalidate a California law designed to reduce animal suffering and protect public safety. The industry sued California, arguing that Section 599f is preempted by the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

Animal Legal Defense Fund 100

Animal Legal Defense Fund Meat Humane Society Of The United States Factory Farm 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 21, 2013

Clapper Rails , as currently defined by the AOU, occur along the coasts of North and South America and Caribbean islands, and inland in southern California and Arizona. In California and Arizona, however, Clapper Rails are brightly colored and occur in both salt and freshwater environments.

Species 227

Species North America Cuba Louisiana 227

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

During the rainiest months, they may drop by only for a drink, preferring to bathe further away from humanity, in some puddle. I’m curious whether our California readers have a similar experience. A few Inca Doves will also turn up at some point each day, as well as our local Black-vented Orioles. one of our Black-vented Orioles.

Nashville 173

Nashville 2015 Mexico Turkey 173

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2012

When staying with Daisy’s family in Yorba Linda, California, I often wake up early in the morning and take the short walk up to the southern end of Carbon Canyon Regional Park to do some birding. Despite, or maybe because of the active human intervention, quite a few species can be seen in a couple hours in the morning. (I

Coyotes 101

Coyotes California Mammals Sparrows 101

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

A week ago today, the federal government proposed a “threatened” listing for the Greater Sage Grouse in Nevada and California , as part of a larger study considering whether the species as a whole should be listed. I am a great lover of these gallinaceous birds, though my encounters with them have been but brief.

Nevada 161

Nevada Endangered Species Montana Humane 161

Critter News

JANUARY 29, 2009

It turns out that she was the former Humane Society Chief Economist. Tags: proposition 2 california humane society farm animal welfare. Pretty impressive bio (please note that the bio is from her time at HSUS). She used to head United Animal Nations too. I couldn't find any information on her current activities.

Proposition 2 100

Proposition 2 HSUS Animal Welfare Farm Animal 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2011

The bold gray-and-white birds know what humans are good for and that is as a source of food! Gray Jays are resident in the boreal forest from Alaska south as far as northern California, and across Canada to Labrador, which might account for another of their monikers, Canada Jay.

Washington 172

Washington Wisconsin Minnesota Michigan 172

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2016

Most humans cannot say that. Like their relatives, the California condors, Andean condors have bald heads.” I love condors and vultures. They get a bad rap due to their dependence on carrion to survive, but I look at it a different way: these species do not have to kill in order to thrive!

California Condor 100

California Condor Livestock Endangered Species Killing 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2021

“Almost restores your faith in humanity!” “Almost,” replied Lindsay Brooks in California, demonstrating why I love my rehabber tribe. The carrier was a normal cardboard box, but the opossum was nestled on a square of white fur, surrounded by pinecones and greenery, and all of it was festively tied with a ribbon.

Transported 279

Transported Wildlife Rehabilitation Bats Opossums 279

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2018

And, he literally wrote the book(s) on California birds. People often think of human caused climate change as something that has happened over recent years, or the last couple of decades. But human effects on the climate are much older than that. Now, it accounts for more than all of it (humans cause both warming and cooling).

2018 101

2018 Science Humane Species 101

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Human access is very limited to the lake, with very few hiking trails around the lake, mostly to the south area, which provides good viewing points to much of the lake. On my last couple of visits, California Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Ruddy Ducks, Common Gallinule, Western Grebe, Eared Grebe and Pied-billed Grebes were on the water.

Mexico 135

Mexico Tucson Arizona Ducks 135

Critter News

FEBRUARY 6, 2012

A federal judge for the first time in US history has heard arguments in a case that could determine whether animals enjoy the same constitutional protection against slavery as human beings. Advertisement: Story continues below "This case is on the next frontier of civil rights," said PETA lawyer Jeffrey Kerr, representing the five orcas.

San Diego 100

San Diego PETA Ethical Treatment Whales 100