I thought I was just battling through a cold earlier this week, thanks to my sleep deprivation during my NJ visit, but then on Wednesday I completely derailed with the flu. In fact, I haven’t been this sick in years, and on Thursday, I could barely make it from my recliner to the couch! Feeling quite a bit better today, however, I felt some fresh air was just what the doctor ordered, so I spent a couple of hours poking around Scarborough Marsh.

Temperatures in the low 30’s and calm conditions made it feel very spring-like, and it sounded that way too, as I was serenaded by singing House Finches and Song Sparrows at Pine Point, while Mourning Doves cooed from rooftops. A Red-tailed Hawk was clearly northbound overhead, as were 8 high-flying Horned Larks. About 30 Horned Grebes were fishing in the Narrows, and a number of the Common Loons there were beginning to make the changeover to spiffy breeding plumage.

Territorial Red-winged Blackbirds (12 total) were scattered around the marsh, and both American Black Duck and Canada Goose numbers have increased significantly. Meanwhile, a very brown immature Northern Shrike at Seavy’s Landing was my 27th shrike of the winter (!!!). Another immature shrike was along the Eastern Road Trail, but since I saw one here a few weeks ago, I decided not to add it to my season’s total. And finally, at Dunstan Landing, 4 Green-winged Teal (3 drakes and one hen) had arrived; my first of the spring.

Such signs of spring, on a very spring-like day (well, before this next potential ice-storm arrives, anyway) was perfect therapy for me! Well, that and a couple of doses of Dayquil.

So, I recently received this link to an NPR mention of the resolution of an ongoing debate in Cape May regarding a feral cat colony and its impacts on federally endangered Piping Plovers.

A quick Google search of the less-than-general phrase “feral cat colony and birds in Cape May, New Jersey” produced 121,000 results. Uh, I didn’t quite get to all of them. But, a few of the more useful ones included this article on the resolution from NJ.com and this thoughtful blog entry on the topic.

Personally, I once again have to question why cats have a higher standing under the law than my dog, native wildlife, or even people. If I, or my dog, killed a Piping Plover, I would face a fairly stiff (although not nearly stiff enough) fine, and perhaps even jail time. But cats are well documented to kill countless endangered species and 10’s to 100’s of millions of other birds each year, and this is not only accepted, towns such as Cape May PAY for it to happen! A double standard? To say the least. Personally, I think everyone who feeds or supports a feral cat colony should be brought up on charges of violating the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. While those people do have a right to feed those cats, then they must take responsibility for the cats’ actions. If feral cats are treated as pets (see that recent issue in Texas) under the law, than isn’t it only fair that their supposed caretaker’s are subject to the same laws as other caring, loving pet-owners are?

Meanwhile on a much more positive note, Maine’ own Jeff Wells, of the Boreal Songbird Initiative has been named the Partners in Flight’s National Bird Conservation Award. You can read the full press release on the BSI website here, and a limited number of signed copies of his Birders’ Conservation Handbook are still available here at the Wild Bird Center of Yarmouth.