The CONE Welder birdcam isn’t live yet, but it’s never to soon to start obsessing, right? Here are some interesting items I’ve come across lately:
- Birds’ patterns changing in face of global warming – This is a really interesting article from MySanAntonio.com that profiles the work of research scientist John Rappole. Rappole has wondered if certain bird species have been shifting their breeding ranges north in southern Texas in response to climate change. As the CONE Welder info page explains, the new birdcam is intended to help answer that question.
- Cimate change hits home – A short video that follows John Rappole as he observes birds at the Welder Wildlife Refuge.
- Out of bounds – Click the “birds” link on this page for a multimedia feature from MySanAntonio.com that shows eight different bird species suspected of shifting their breeding ranges northward: Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Cave Swallow, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Couch’s Kingbird, Audubon’s Oriole, and White-tipped Dove. If you hover your mouse over the bird images, or click on them, you can play audio clips of the birds’ vocalizations. You probably won’t be surprised to know that the first thing this made me think was: Oh please, let there be a microphone included with the new installation. (Hey, a guy can dream, right?)
- Tailoring Rangelands to Enhance Wildlife Habitat: The Welder Wildlife Refuge Experience – An article from 1997 describing the history of brush management at Welder.
- Welder Wildlife Foundation Celebrates 50th Anniversary – A 2004 article from Texas Parks and Wildlife describing the history of the refuge itself.
- Welder Wildlife Foundation – The refuge’s official web site.
- Effects of Landscape Pattern on the Distribution of Feral Honey Bee Colonies in South Texas – A study of wild honeybee colonies’ distribution at Welder. (I said I was obsessing.)
- Google Maps aerial view of Welder – I’m pretty sure this shows the main complex at Welder, which I’m guessing (without any real evidence) might be near where the birdcam is being set up.
Okay. I’m ready. I’m more than ready. 🙂
