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Mike, Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I am glad to hear of the work being done to bring back Bachman's Sparrow and to expand the range of Swainson's Warbler in your area. I am currently very much involved with giant cane restoration at Drury-Mincy CA, and know that that particular Conservation Area and IBA has done much to lure back the species. I wasn't thinking when I failed to realize that the presence of the elk may very well be one of the missing elements in an ecosystem that supports Bachman's Sparrow's preferred savannah habitat. If I know that resources are being used to restore endangered and recently extirpated species of birds in Missouri and that the presence of elk may even facilitate this effort, I can easily support the reintroduction of elk. I certainly support the presence of wolves in Yellowstone and surrounding areas, and have personally witnessed a pack feeding on a young bull mouse they killed in the Lamar Valley a couple years ago. Thanks for increasing my awareness, Greg Swick Ozark, Missouri On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 1:21 PM, Mike Doyen <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I live in the Ozarks and I see first hand the work being done to build > habitat for both the Bachman Sparrow and Swainson's Warbler, and from what I > see the Swainson's Warbler restoration programs by both MDC and National > Forest is going very well. Building large Pine Savanna for the Bachmans will > take more time and money but it is under way and I do not doubt that in the > long term it will successful. > > The Elk Restoration into Pecks Ranch and LAD properties will have a > positive impact on opening up much needed glades and Savannah habit which > are critical for the return of the Bachman Sparrow. > > Black Bear is already back in this area and the Elk also is native to the > Ozarks, this will be a good thing. It is like the reintroduction of the Wolf > into Yellowstone, very controversial but as we are all seeing it has helped > bring the Yellowstone back into balance. > > I bird this area often and am very familiar with both Pech Ranch CA and LAD > properties and I for one support the reintroduction of the Elk and have sent > in my comments saying so. Thanks for the heads up Phil > > Mike Doyen > Rolla, MO > Bird by bird I've come to know the earth. > Pablo Neruda. > > --- On Mon, 8/9/10, Greg Swick <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > From: Greg Swick <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: Elk restoration--public comment period > To: [log in to unmask] > Date: Monday, August 9, 2010, 12:51 PM > > > > Hi all, > Thanks Phil, > My initial reaction is why doesn't MDC consider a grand restoration effort > for Bachman's Sparrow and/or Swainson's Warbler, instead of focusing on a > large mammal that will inevitably cause injury and even possibly death on > Missouri's road ways? > > I like elk as well as anyone, but I question whether these large mammals > should be reintroduced into a relatively small geographic area. We all know > that MDC's effort in restoring giant Canada Geese and River Otters have been > successful to a fault.... What if elk populations do half as well. What > can we expect? And, being a bird advocate, a few hundred more Bachman's > Sparrows in the state would be nice. > > $.02 worth.... > > Good birding, > Greg Swick > Ozark, MO > > > On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 11:53 AM, Philip Wire <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > MOBirders-- > > The Missouri Department of Conservation is currently considering > reintroducing a small population of elk into the eastern Ozarks in Shannon, > Carter, and Reynolds counties. There is a public comment period that ends > October 1st. Extensive woodland/savanna/glade restoration work has been done > in this area (benefitting many declining songbirds) and large grazers like > elk usually help that process along. Their presence would probably also > serve as an incentive to keep such efforts going. Here is a link to the page > with information as well as a place for the public to send in comments... > > http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/animal-management/elk-restoration > > Just my opinion... I did some surveys at Peck Ranch Conservation Area (in > the heart of the proposed range) over several days in the summer of 2007 as > part of a seasonal job and it was clear the MDC was taking restoration > seriously. They were doing lots to open up former glades and woodlands. > Given the role elk played in Missouri's landscape I think it would be a > definite step in the right direction. There was a less detailed elk > restoration plan that was shelved in the early 2000's due to concerns over > chronic wasting disease and damage to private property, but it seems this > plan addresses those issues pretty thoroughly. Check it out and comment one > way or the other if so inclined. > > Phil Wire > Bowling Green, Pike Co. > [log in to unmask] > ------------------------------------------------------------ > The Audubon Society of Missouri's Wild Bird Discussion Forum > ASM Website: http://mobirds.org/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > The Audubon Society of Missouri's Wild Bird Discussion Forum > ASM Website: http://mobirds.org/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------ The Audubon Society of Missouri's Wild Bird Discussion Forum ASM Website: http://mobirds.org/