There is a forum on mosquito control this evening at Genesis
House, 6018 Delmar Blvd. Two blocks east and across the street from the
Pageant Theater. 7:00 PM. Feature speaker is Dr. Dan Keel. The city
Health Dept will have an opportunity to present their plans for mosquito
control.

Bob McFall
Shrewsbury

        Sorry this is so late, I didn't think this was an acceptable
topic for mo-birds.



On Wed, 5 Feb 2003 09:20:40 -0600 Charlene and Jim Malone
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Something to consider if you or your Audubon/Birding group are
> approached by your local media and asked to comment about West Nile
> (Spring and the bugs ARE coming)
>
> Good end of winter birding
> (it ain't over YET...LOTS of stuff still at REDA, but snows and
> sandhills certainly are migrating a bit early this year)
>
> Charlene Malone
> Chesterfield, MO
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Sheryl DeVore
> To: IBET
> Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 11:08 AM
> Subject: IBET: WNV article -- a word about the media (no sightings,
> but suggestions on how to set the media straight)
>
>
> Dear friends,
> As a 20-year veteran of environmental journalism (do I really want
> to admit that?), I  have a suggestion for anyone who is going to
> talk to the media about West Nile Virus. Stress to them over and
> over (they sometimes don't listen) that no exact proof can be made
> to tie the dearth of certain birds to WNV, because no blood tests
> were taken. Stress to the media over and over that there definitely
> are fewer chickadees out there,  we don't know why fo sure, but it
> seems that it's WNV.. Stress to the media that this means SPRAYING
> IS NOT WORKING, rather than that it is working. Don't expect the
> media to draw any conclusions on their own. Offering opinions is OK
> to the media, they should be able to sort them out.  I think the
> Tribune is being careless with this issue and it hurts me deeply to
> say I am part of the journalist profession.  I see nothing wrong
> with anyone being interviewed to say that guess what TRIBUNE, the
> fact there are birds dying out there means SPRAYING ISN't WORKING.
> Otherwise, the media will just assume we need more spraying. Do you
> catch what I'm saying, I hope?
>
> I hope you folks out there who are interviewed by the media will
> think about how you talk to them -- you have to hit them over the
> head with every point you think is important. Repeat it over and
> over. They do NOT understand the vaguest thing about science, bird
> counts, etc., unless they have taken courses and been involved with
> science for years.
>
> I hope you don't think I am being immodest when I say that by taking
> college courses in biology, environmental biology, botany,  etc.,
> and reading, reading, reading, and working on a scinetific
> publication for 11 years, that I can perhaps hopefully be a bit more
> objective about writing about these things and offer those who are
> being interviewed some pointers.
>
> One story that did not come out in the media, excpet for Pioneer
> Press, was how the owls and hawks that rehabilitators had were dying
> from WNV, and that it was confirmed by necropsies and other tests.
> The rehabilitators explained the behavior of these birds. This is a
> wonderful way to add information about WNV to the counts made that
> were unable to take blood tests for obvious reasons. It adds
> credence to the fact that chickadees, jays and other birds are
> probably dying from WNV, and it adds credence once again that
> spraying is not helping.
>
> Just keep hammering that stuff over the media's head -- and write
> letters to the editor. and call the reporters and editors and hound
> them. (Oh, how I hate being hounded!)
>
> Thanks for listening.
> Sheryl  De Vore
>
> Mundelein, Illinois
>
> [log in to unmask]
> Mundelein, Illinois
>
>
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