Hi Bernie,
That's an unnerving observation to go out to a smoky and "silent"
spring. The scientist in me starts to wonder about the mechanisms
behind the observed facts. I've seen song density vary from day to
day with weather conditions. Let us know if things return to normal
or if this is a more long lasting situation.
In general, it seems that things are always more complicated in
nature than we image. Often, incredibly more complicated. Here are
some questions your observations raise in my mind:
Is the observation a part of natural fluctuation that we expect to
see from day to day and year to year?
Is there a draught? With low plant and bug food the bird populations
are reduced and reproduction is inhibited. I recall trying to record
in Organ Pipe National Monument during a drier than usual year and
the dawn chorus hardly existed. The few birds that were there didn't
feel the competitive need to get up and sing to defend territory from
scarce rivals. Singing exposes a bird to predation so it won't sing
much if it can get the job done silently.
Is it just the smell of smoke that suppressed the dawn song chorus?
Does the threat of fire inhibit the instinct to establish a nest?
Are populations of neotropical birds low due to conditions on
wintering grounds?
Is it something we haven't even thought of yet?
Bernie, let us know how things play out for the rest of your season.
Kevin
On Jul 1, 2008, at 9:21 PM, Bernie Krause wrote:
>
> This past week, with the residual smoke in the Central and Coastal
> Valleys from the 800+ fires in the state, I went out to record the
> dawn chorus on the ridge that borders Sonoma and Napa Counties the
> first day and found it completely silent (23 June) =96 a vast
> difference from just the day before when the air was clear. Even in
> the relatively clearer air the past couple of days, there hasn't been
> much vocal density, at least not what one would expect at this time
> of year although vox will begin to drop off in mid-July.
>
> Another thing I've noticed is the low numbers of private aircraft
> that fly over our Valley of the Moon in Sonoma County =96 mostly
> because of the high price of AvGas (now hovering around $6.50USD/
> gal). I just wish this had happened a little earlier in the year.
>
> Bernie Krause
>
>
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