In response to my missive about adding jays to the C3 list, making it C3J, Janet
Hardin corrected my assumption that, by our development acitvities, we have not
increased jay populations "that much." Janet points out the exploitation of
man-created edge habitat by jays.

I appreciate Janet's correction. I was somehow under the impression that
Steller's Jays were comfortable in and, in fact, thrived in, dense coniferous
forest -- that edge habitat simply makes them more visible, but not particularly
more populous, as opposed the "the crow phenomenon." Although Janet pointed out
that significant Marbled Murrelet predation by Steller's Jays was observed in
edge habitat, she also pointed out that edge habitat is where Marbled Murrelets
are observed. In any case, I have been educated...

I consider dumpsters to be, officially, edge habitat for crows. I further
consider the "Northwestern Crow" to be simply a race of dumpster crows that
suffers stunted growth and throat problems from eating cigarette butts from said
dumpsters. "We" may have "created" a new species. (Don't tell Dole.)

Jerry


E-mail from: Jerry Blinn, 03-Jul-1996