This article was so inspiring -- thank you to you and others for taking on this important project. In June 2019 I spent a few weeks in Illinois and remember how flooded the fields were. Some portions of my family's farm were never even planted that year because of all the water. I remember hoping that there were some researchers out there monitoring how birds and other wildlife were responding to all the unplanted acreage and extra fluddles. It would be interesting to know how much nature could come back after just one season without intensive agriculture (and hopefully it wasn't mostly invasive weeds that thrived). Did you come across any research or observations about wildlife impacts from the 2019 floods in your fluddle work?
Thank you. I am glad you appreciate this essay. Heavy rain in the spring of last year is what started our project. I found flooded fields that were full of shorebirds. We submitted our sightings to ebird, so we have a database for birds use of flooded fields. This project is designed to spur more data collection and to help landowners understand the benefits of restoring their land. This recent review paper https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.650641/full provides a good overview of birds use of agricultural land during migration. Apparently, there has not been a good review of birds use of corn fields. Hopefully, we can make a contribution and raise awareness about the importance of the matrix that birds pass through twice a year.
Wow. What an excellent article, and so heartfelt. I really like that engaging people with the shorebirds that thrive on wetlands on their properties is instrumental in creating people engaged with the miracles of nature. Turning some farmlands into preserves is also a excellent strategy that benefits both the farmers and the birds. Well done!
Thank you. I am glad you appreciated my essay. I have had a lot of positive feedback on this post. It makes me hopeful that we can build on our momentum and restore even more habitat for the birds.
Beautiful photography, beautifully written. I love how birds bring joy to people unexpectedly, often in everyday places, and fluddles seem to be part of that magic.
Thank you Kim. I am glad you appreciate my essay and our work with wetland restoration. It is a gratifying project to work on. Our long term goal is to set up viewing blinds at some of these wetlands so more people can experience the magic of birds.
This article was so inspiring -- thank you to you and others for taking on this important project. In June 2019 I spent a few weeks in Illinois and remember how flooded the fields were. Some portions of my family's farm were never even planted that year because of all the water. I remember hoping that there were some researchers out there monitoring how birds and other wildlife were responding to all the unplanted acreage and extra fluddles. It would be interesting to know how much nature could come back after just one season without intensive agriculture (and hopefully it wasn't mostly invasive weeds that thrived). Did you come across any research or observations about wildlife impacts from the 2019 floods in your fluddle work?
Thank you. I am glad you appreciate this essay. Heavy rain in the spring of last year is what started our project. I found flooded fields that were full of shorebirds. We submitted our sightings to ebird, so we have a database for birds use of flooded fields. This project is designed to spur more data collection and to help landowners understand the benefits of restoring their land. This recent review paper https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.650641/full provides a good overview of birds use of agricultural land during migration. Apparently, there has not been a good review of birds use of corn fields. Hopefully, we can make a contribution and raise awareness about the importance of the matrix that birds pass through twice a year.
Wow. What an excellent article, and so heartfelt. I really like that engaging people with the shorebirds that thrive on wetlands on their properties is instrumental in creating people engaged with the miracles of nature. Turning some farmlands into preserves is also a excellent strategy that benefits both the farmers and the birds. Well done!
Thank you. I am glad you appreciated my essay. I have had a lot of positive feedback on this post. It makes me hopeful that we can build on our momentum and restore even more habitat for the birds.
Beautiful photography, beautifully written. I love how birds bring joy to people unexpectedly, often in everyday places, and fluddles seem to be part of that magic.
Thank you Kim. I am glad you appreciate my essay and our work with wetland restoration. It is a gratifying project to work on. Our long term goal is to set up viewing blinds at some of these wetlands so more people can experience the magic of birds.
Outstanding. Thank you for mentioning Turnstone Strategies.