St. Croix Caribbean Waterbird Census 2014

All across the Caribbean for the next two weeks individuals on different islands will be counting waterbirds. The reason for this is to promote the idea that conserving wetland areas for migrating and resident waterbirds is beneficial to wildlife and human populations. The birds are protected on their journeys across the world by delineating areas where they can refuel before continuing on.  Humans can participate by adding to the scientific data compiled during this time.

“The overall goal is to learn more about the distribution, status, and abundance of waterbirds in the Caribbean and to improve our conservation planning and management of these beautiful birds and their habitats.” Birds Caribbean

On St. Croix we only have three teams of observers consisting of two people each trying to cover the large wetlands used by migrating and resident birds. Great Pond, Southgate, Mannings Bay, Coakley, Mt. Fancy, the Lowry Hill Ponds, West End Salt Pond and a section of Salt River Bay will be censused. The counts are done twice; one week apart to collect as much information about the habitat, climate, and bird populations using the scientific method. All the collected data will be put on E-bird Caribbean where anyone can access it.

Waterbirds travel incredible distances during migration. Some have been tracked through the use of satellites attached to their backs. Some Whimbrels, for instance, breed in Alaska migrate through Northern Canada out to the Atlantic then down through the Caribbean and on to South America for the winter. A few, such as our famous Hope the Whimbrel, spend their winters here on St. Croix and other Caribbean islands.

Although some may think counting birds is a waste of time there are benefits involved with trying to protect birds. Fishermen are led to fish by following sea birds. Birds pollinate and eat insects that otherwise we would consider pests. They eat cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and beetles. Hawks eat rats and mice. Birds are the garbage collectors picking up waste such as animal carcasses crushed on roads that we don’t notice. Birds spread seeds and enrich the soil with their poop.  While birding today is big business in many parts of the world, here on St. Croix we still haven't tapped into it. Bird watching connects us all to nature in ways that can even be done from the comfort of your home.

So here in the Caribbean we are celebrating the migrating birds return after their long journey from the breeding grounds. August through October can be full of surprises as new and old birds drop in to refuel or stay for the winter. If you have a hankering to learn more about the birds on St. Croix the Environmental Association conducts birding seminars throughout the year. Join SEA http://stxenvironmental.org and receive their notices about upcoming events.

See ya next week

Thoughts on this and that

No…smoking pot does not make you aggressive.

Eating fish is related to a lower risk for strokes.

If you want to lose weight…just sacrifice that part of you that loves to eat.

You do know that your brain makes shit up…it stores it away for a while...then you tell people your memory about some event…and you think it is true...but was it really true?

I saw this displayed as an equation some where…Decisions=Reasons+Emotions

Some think that the only way to succeed is by helping yourself. But i sort of think that asking someone to help guide you may get you there faster than trying to do it on your own.

“What’s based on facts – and only facts – and never uses fallacious reasoning is the argument of Rationality. 

What mixes fact and fiction and fallacy is the concoction of Rationalization.” Haider  

Yesterday was Earth Overshoot Day meaning we humans all over the world have used up earth’s capacity to produce renewable resources and absorb CO2 for this year.

Most of what you see in your news feed on Facebook is old.

Is it more pleasurable to be honest? Apparently you are being lied to between 10 and 200 times a 

day.

“I hate careless flattery, the kind that exhausts you in your effort to believe it.” Wilson Mizner

A guy on Ted says if you want to do something new just do it for 30 days.

Do we convince ourselves to “believe” while ignoring the facts?

We are 45.7 billion light years from the edge of the observable universe.

Some say the universe is 13.8 billion years old.

i think the universe has no age, neither a beginning nor an end nor an edge…but that is just my opinion.

Did you know mites climb on your eyelids at night?

Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you will live?

The best part about smiles is they are FREE.

If you have to tell your kids this stuff then you probably aren’t white. Javon Johnson at a poetry slam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Wf8y_5Yn4

See ya next week

Peace Moving

The International Day for Peace falls on September 21 this year. In preparation for the festivities a group of people on St. Croix joined hands this morning to create a peace sign to be used later next month. The idea behind this event is to recognize those who have worked hard to end conflict and create peace all over the world.

Surprisingly Vision of Humanity has just published a survey of youth living in areas of the world that are not known to be peaceful. These young people, instead of being pessimistic about the low levels of peace in their countries, are optimistic about the future. While only 50% of youth living in more peaceful countries feel optimistic, 86% of youth living in less peaceful countries are optimistic. http://www.visionofhumanity.org/#/page/news/1067

Optimism is apparently 10 times more prevalent around the world than pessimism…so lighten up all you pessimists.

Since 10,000BCE according to the Human Security Report the world has become increasingly more peaceful. Two key reasons being the end of the Cold War and the end of colonialism.

But according to the Global Peace Index peace is on the decline with the world seeing a 5% decrease in peacefulness since 2008.

So which one should we focus on for arguments sake? If we look at the long term picture peace is prevailing…but if we look at the last 6 years peace has deteriorated relatively speaking.

Virtuous cycles of peace include a well functioning government, a sound business environment, an equitable distribution of resources, an acceptance of the rights of others, good relations with neighbors, free flow of information, a high level of human capital and low levels of corruption.

i would add another condition for peace which is the attitudes we all harbor about the acceptability and use of violence. Communities that accept resorting to violence tend to breed more violence. Those that advocate against violence tend to be more peaceful.

"Education is, quite simply, peace-building by another name. It is the most effective form of defense spending there is." Kofi Annan

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Plato

“When I say it's you I like, I'm talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.” 

Fred Rogers

“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.” 

Mahatma Gandhi

“It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.” 

Aristotle

“Peace is the only battle worth waging.” 

Albert Camus

“If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.” 

Marvin Gaye

"Peacemaking calls for courage, much more so than warfare.” Pope Francis 

See ya next week

Those darn questions

If you are embarking upon a Paleo diet or are already eating a Paleo diet do you include insects?

If you do cleanses to get rid of toxins in your body what do you think the liver and kidneys are doing every day 24/7?

The upcoming midterms means everyone with a TV or radio gets to listen to attack ads, why has running for office gotten so nasty and negative?

Why is it that what people are paid has little or no relationship to the value of their work for society?

Do you think you are easier for the government to control if you are being watched?

Why is the worlds biggest investment fund moving their money into renewables?

Should shareholder returns take precedence over worker benefits?

Why are personal attacks common amongst climate deniers. Is it because their “beliefs” are constantly debunked?

Standard and Poors thinks inequality is hurting the economy do you?

Do the affluent save more of what they earn…could it be called hoarding?

If the US invested in education the way Finland does do you think it would make a difference?

Some people hate regulations…do you think we would have no crime if we had no laws?

Do you think moats filled with alligators would work at the borders?

Did you know there were only 31 voter fraud incidents since 2000?

Do you think the melting of the Siberian permafrost is a climate time bomb waiting to explode?

What are you reading these days?

See ya next week.