Bird of prey back from the brink (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A bird of prey is thriving throughout the UK, 35 years after it was on the brink of extinction.

A crackdown on toxic pesticides and persecution has helped boost numbers of marsh harriers to a 200-year high.

In 1971, just one pair remained at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' Minsmere reserve in Suffolk.

By 2005, 360 breeding females were recorded in parts of eastern England, the Cambridgeshire Fens, Kent, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Scotland.

The birds are known for their spectacular aerial courtship display.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4996842.stm

Ah, some good news for a change. A species possibly saved, and at so little real cost to anyone.

[eomer]

1. That was the good news. The bad news is...

it ate the frog:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x54447

[NastyDiaper]

2. Love to hear a good story like that.

There is an Ospery population explosion in my area (Florida). Not bad for a bird that is marked 'rare' in an old field guide that i have.

Rescued a screech owl that fell from a nest two weeks ago. A Bald Eagle cruised over my house at 50 feet last month. The amazing thing, I live in a residential area.

(dcwild.com - not my pic)

Even Nixon had some good points...

[BayCityProgressive]

3. I love to hear these stories!

Here in Michigan two birds that were endangered have both recently been restored due to the states environmental efforts. I am sure if the GOP defeats Granholm that will all be reversed though!

[NNadir]

4. You're chock full of good news tonight.

I love it when birds make it.

When I lived in California, I followed the Condor story closely. You don't get much closer to the end that that. The Condor still exists, albeit precariously.

I am also hoping for the Whooping Crane.

Generally species that have been close to extinction suffer some weakness as a species because of the elimination of genetic variability. Hopefully the each species will make it, but it is all very precarious.

There are many things about our times that disturb me greatly, but the extinctions, deep down, are the worst. I cannot bear them sometimes.