⌛ where are the sea birds?

From birds to social commentary, Wow, there is a jump. but maybe not... Perhaps as Cyndi indicates there is a conection. I like the people here on this forum, many are passonate about life and the Philippines, Even if slightly off topic, the disscussion is always interesting, challenging the brain.

It was my precocieved notion before posting my question that wildlife has been poached to near extinction. But I thought I would ask to see if there was another explaination.
Certainly the reefs are in jepeordy, I have a friend on Apo who sees a steady decline in the last 8 years of coral viability, even though Green peace has showcased Apo as one of their big success stories.
There is one way to modify behavioral modality, and that simply is to make it more attractive (defined as profitable, pleasing, or fullflling) to behave in another manner.

As a concrete example: if dumping lead acid batteries into the sea is easy and less work than recycling, then all the education in the world will not change the behavior. But make it profitable to collect the batteries, perhaps through subsidies from industry, gov, and others, and the re education stands a chance. Beause ofthe local poverty, apealling to the sense of good will and ecology has no effect. People are just triyng to eat and stay alive.

But then, I just had a question about seagulls...

 

There might be several reasons. As Earl pointed out, some shore birds eat insects also. Pesticides in this agricultural area would finish them off. A couple of German guys who live around Santa Catalina also told me about a place near there that they go diving in. They said it has the "cleanest/clearest" water imaginable...tragically because there is nothing living in the water. It was all wiped out by some chemical abuse or spill from an industrial operation. It happened years ago but the stuff is so persistent, still nothing survives there today. Don't forget, birds get around. If there is anything toxic within 300 Kms, that will wipe them all out. I have noticed the kids in DGTE forever reaching underneath beach rocks and pulling out eggs from under them. Wherever there are humans, the rest of nature suffers.

 

Over 99% of all the species that ever lived on Earth have already passed on.
My guess is the many plastic materials tossed in the drainage ditches, trash and local waters and eventually eaten by the sea gulls. Maybe the US Navy is using them for target practice, another rumor for RHB....

 

Earl was never understanding my question was regarding sea birds, not Estuary or marsh birds. I did some online research regarding the birds, and there are indiginous species listed and migratory types as well for the Philippines. but none here, which I thought was strange. My guess is that poaching has decimated the bird population as most local folks are so poor. Also the small fish populations are low due to over fishing I presume. The polution issue certainly could have some bearing in specific locales.

 

I heard from a credible source on the blvd. the US Navy is using the sea gulls for target practice while they look for oil in the Tanon strait.

 

Your not alone in being curious about that. Myself and maybe every other foreigner who comes to town wonders why there aren't more shore birds. To be honest though, I can't believe there aren't more birds period, of all kinds. I also find, for a tropical region there are hardly any insects, at least not as many as I'd expect for such an ideal climate. I am of course talking about the city. I'm sure things change in the jungle. The species might be alot more weary of humans too. For example, the people who lived for years up at Twin Lakes had no idea there were monkeys in the area all around them. Finally some civil engineers did a bunch of blasting up there. With every explosion, the locals saw waves of movement through the trees. On closer inspection, they found out it was hundreds of monkeys fleeing through the trees, yet they had been there all along but invisible to the human inhabitants.

 

BTW...those "specific locales" in so far as pollution is concerned can cover a massive area although the pollution is locallized. If you toxify one kilometer of beach, you can easily wipe out 500 km of birds. Once those thousands of dead fish float to the top and start to drift, coupled with the fact that a lot of birds can travel two or three hundred KM in an day...well you get the picture....poison fish for dinner all over the island. I know somewhere in between DGTE and Santa Catalina , there is a major toxic zone in the ocean. I might have more specific info for you in January on that. Maybe Rhoody knows the German guys who live in Catalina. They told me about it. I think everyone knows the Grandfather who lives in Bantayan. ... he has a big swastika emblazoned on his keychain which makes him stand out quite a bit.

 

I visited Olango Island off Cebu last year and saw shore birds feeding on the extensive tidal flats. There are mangrove areas in Bayawan and Basay where wild ducks were reported but when we checked them out, there were none...(nice golden sand on the beach though). We also checked the copper open pits in Basay that now have water for wild ducks. Well, we saw about three ducks who were so illusive we couldn't get anywhere near them. They have become so rare. They are wary of humans who see them as "adobo".

 

Last Jan.5,2008, we had a picnic with our family at Wuthering Heights in San Jose,Negros Oriental. Around 4 in the afternoon we saw a flock of white birds probobly Sea gulls flying / gliding and then diving into the sea to catch fish. small fishermen bancas were into the chase also for a big school of fish. we were told that its the start of Sardine season already. Well just want to share what I saw. Kung hei fat chuy to all.

 

There is actually a place called Wuthering Heights in San Jose, Negros? Let me guess the place is maintained by someone named Heathcliff? Amazing!