In Support of Hurricanes
Hurricanes are a regular natural phenomenon of the Caribbean and the
east coast of North American. Like any other phenomenon the plants
and animals adapt to it, even to the point of needing it. This is not
unlike the need for fires to maintain some western forests. There are
studies showing that native caribbean vegetation survives hurricanes
better than introduced species.
The wind, rain and wave action moves sand, removes vegetation and it
cleans out debris from channels and rivers. In general it resets
habitats to an earlier successional stage. Birds needing such habitat
include Wilson’s and Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher and Least
Terns and Black Skimmers. After several years of without storms the
habitat degrades for the above species and they must move on or the
population declines. In Connecticut we have gone many years without a
hurricane and its cleansing effects. One can see the consequences at
many of our birding spots (if you’ve been around for a while), Long
Beach Stratford, Milford Pt. Milford, Sandy Pt. West Haven Griswold
Pt. Old Lyme.
The negative reputation of hurricanes is derived from its conflict
with humans. The Atlantic coast in reality is a dynamic system of
mobile barrier beaches, channels, and salt marshes. Humans in an
attempt to utilize them set about to stabilize this fluid system.
Breakwaters and jetties are built, channels dredged, and sand filled
in all in attempt to stop time and tide. The loss of life and
property is a consequence of this attempt. In Fairfield I know of
beach houses with all pilings under water at high tide. Penfield Reef
once was a bar where colonials grazed cattle. I don’t know how many
times sand was dumped in West Haven to replace that which was eroded
away. At one time beach houses ran the length of Long beach from Oak
Bluff Ave. to Pleasure Beach. A hurricane removed the houses and
created a channel into the marsh, you can see this on old maps. In
the early sixties the Army Corps of Engineers closed the channel and
built the jetties. If houses weren’t built in exposed locations then
hurricanes would not be such a problem. Hurricanes may actually
provide opportunities to create more coastal open space as the
government gets tired of subsidizing flood insurance.
Given all the above, another benefit of hurricanes is the birds it
brings. Hurricanes may bring exotic birds, but there is no certainty
as to what gets brought in. The path of the hurricane and time of
year determines what birds get picked up. Where it makes landfall
affects distribution. Sometimes we get exotic pelagics, sometimes an
increased abundance of regular birds, and sometime just a lot of late
records.
Dennis Varza
Fairfield
While there may be some benefit to a limited number of species, I can't agree that hurricanes are generally beneficial for birds today. The few studies I am aware of that address the issue of hurricane effects on overall bird populations in the affected areas concluded that the storms had as many or more detrimental impacts then positive effects on avian populations. In the time before man dramatically altered the shoreline, coastal habitat could change with storms without dramatic loss of acreage of habitat types. A sand bar could be obliterated and reform (that's an over simplification I know) somewhere else. Now many coastal habitats are fragmented small relics hemmed in by human structures. Loss of that habitat isn't necessarily going to equate to new similar habitat showing up somewhere nearby. Griswold Point was breached by a nor'easter and functionally disappeared as a barrier beach in the following years. Now the Great Island Marsh is largely exposed directly to Long Island Sound. The Great Island Marsh/Griswold Point complex is smaller now than it was in 1990. In our world today, many of our natural habitats are fragmented and bird populations are depressed. If an area that is important to a population is lost, and that population is functionally eliminated, there may not be a revival on new habitat. The dynamics of change have always been present, and yes animals adapt, sometimes, not always. But the margins of survival for many populations have changed. The Caribbean is a perfect example of fragmented (by humans more than hurricanes) habitats, that hold small populations, being hammered by passing hurricanes that ultimately reduce populations or eliminate them altogether. The Puerto Rican Bullfinch on St. Kitts for example. And I haven't even touched on mortality of birds exposed to the storm directly, as Jayne mentioned. Certainly in the past, hurricanes had less affect on bird populations overall. It is we that have made those effects more significant.
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You guys really got me laughing tonight.
Are we really debating hurricanes?
If anyone out there has the ability to effect this inevitability, please let
me know...I have a lot of other things I would like you to change.
In the meantime, I am going to be out looking for something cool flying
by....
I am still chuckling....
Mark
Mark S. Szantyr
80 Bicknell Road #9
Ashford, Connecticut 06278
USA
1-860-487-9766
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Varza" dennisvz@optonline.net
To: "Posting Bird List" ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 5:42 PM
Subject: [CT Birds] In Support of Hurricanes
Hurricanes are a regular natural phenomenon of the Caribbean and the
east coast of North American. Like any other phenomenon the plants
and animals adapt to it, even to the point of needing it. This is not
unlike the need for fires to maintain some western forests. There are
studies showing that native caribbean vegetation survives hurricanes
better than introduced species.
The wind, rain and wave action moves sand, removes vegetation and it
cleans out debris from channels and rivers. In general it resets
habitats to an earlier successional stage. Birds needing such habitat
include Wilson’s and Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher and Least
Terns and Black Skimmers. After several years of without storms the
habitat degrades for the above species and they must move on or the
population declines. In Connecticut we have gone many years without a
hurricane and its cleansing effects. One can see the consequences at
many of our birding spots (if you’ve been around for a while), Long
Beach Stratford, Milford Pt. Milford, Sandy Pt. West Haven Griswold
Pt. Old Lyme.
The negative reputation of hurricanes is derived from its conflict
with humans. The Atlantic coast in reality is a dynamic system of
mobile barrier beaches, channels, and salt marshes. Humans in an
attempt to utilize them set about to stabilize this fluid system.
Breakwaters and jetties are built, channels dredged, and sand filled
in all in attempt to stop time and tide. The loss of life and
property is a consequence of this attempt. In Fairfield I know of
beach houses with all pilings under water at high tide. Penfield Reef
once was a bar where colonials grazed cattle. I don’t know how many
times sand was dumped in West Haven to replace that which was eroded
away. At one time beach houses ran the length of Long beach from Oak
Bluff Ave. to Pleasure Beach. A hurricane removed the houses and
created a channel into the marsh, you can see this on old maps. In
the early sixties the Army Corps of Engineers closed the channel and
built the jetties. If houses weren’t built in exposed locations then
hurricanes would not be such a problem. Hurricanes may actually
provide opportunities to create more coastal open space as the
government gets tired of subsidizing flood insurance.
Given all the above, another benefit of hurricanes is the birds it
brings. Hurricanes may bring exotic birds, but there is no certainty
as to what gets brought in. The path of the hurricane and time of
year determines what birds get picked up. Where it makes landfall
affects distribution. Sometimes we get exotic pelagics, sometimes an
increased abundance of regular birds, and sometime just a lot of late
records.
Dennis Varza
Fairfield
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA)
for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
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It was later in the season when Hurricane Gloria stuck CT 25 years ago... Sept
28th I think. Not sure if anyone mentioned it but the northerly winds that
will follow this storm might bring a nice early wave of migrating hawks. The
day after Gloria came through I went to my hawk banding station near Lighthouse
Pt to find my blind completely blown away but the table that was inside of it
still sitting right on the floorboards where it was the day before. We slapped
the blind together best we could and had a great day netting, banding and
releasing more than 50 raptors. This is an earlier storm but still might bring
a decent movement to be witnessed by those with an eye to the sky on Saturday.
Jim
The Fat RobinWild Bird and Nature Shop
3000 Whitney Ave. Hamden, CT 06518
www.fatrobin.com
203-248-7068
Toll Free U.S. 1-866-Fat-Robin
Jim Zipp Bird Photography www.JimZipp.com
From: David F Provencher david.f.provencher@dom.com
To: CTBirds ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Thu, September 2, 2010 6:43:40 PM
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] In Support of Hurricanes
While there may be some benefit to a limited number of species, I can't agree
that hurricanes are generally beneficial for birds today. The few studies I am
aware of that address the issue of hurricane effects on overall bird populations
in the affected areas concluded that the storms had as many or more detrimental
impacts then positive effects on avian populations. In the time before man
dramatically altered the shoreline, coastal habitat could change with storms
without dramatic loss of acreage of habitat types. A sand bar could be
obliterated and reform (that's an over simplification I know) somewhere else.
Now many coastal habitats are fragmented small relics hemmed in by human
structures. Loss of that habitat isn't necessarily going to equate to new
similar habitat showing up somewhere nearby. Griswold Point was breached by a
nor'easter and functionally disappeared as a barrier beach in the following
years. Now the Great Island Marsh is largely exposed directly to Long Island
Sound. The Great Island Marsh/Griswold Point complex is smaller now than it was
in 1990. In our world today, many of our natural habitats are fragmented and
bird populations are depressed. If an area that is important to a population is
lost, and that population is functionally eliminated, there may not be a revival
on new habitat. The dynamics of change have always been present, and yes animals
adapt, sometimes, not always. But the margins of survival for many populations
have changed. The Caribbean is a perfect example of fragmented (by humans more
than hurricanes) habitats, that hold small populations, being hammered by
passing hurricanes that ultimately reduce populations or eliminate them
altogether. The Puerto Rican Bullfinch on St. Kitts for example. And I haven't
even touched on mortality of birds exposed to the storm directly, as Jayne
mentioned. Certainly in the past, hurricanes had less affect on bird populations
overall. It is we that have made those effects more significant.
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic message contains
information which may be legally confidential and or privileged and
does not in any case represent a firm ENERGY COMMODITY bid or offer
relating thereto which binds the sender without an additional
express written confirmation to that effect. The information is
intended solely for the individual or entity named above and access
by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not the intended
recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the
contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful. If
you have received this electronic transmission in error, please
reply immediately to the sender that you have received the message
in error, and delete it. Thank you.
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for
the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit
http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org