> On Fri, 10 Oct 1997, Steve Mansfield wrote in reply to Tom Schooley:
> > > DO consider the different species between the east and west as a wonder of
> > > evolution, not something to lament.
> >
> > But what if evolution is what brings the Blue Jay here. I could understand
> > the opposition if humans were actively helping them come, but if they
> > simply do it themselves...who are we to criticize mother nature?
>
> But it really isn't that simple. My understanding is that Blue Jays are
> moving west because of human modification of the Great Plains by planting
> trees for windbreaks and the like. So it is "natural" in the sense that
> they a flying rather than being transported; but they are flying from one
> human-produced patch of landscape to the next and thus leapfrogging across
> what was previously a "natural" barrier.

Fair enough, however still, they're intelligent birds, and my understanding
is that most of the Westward movement appears to be up north of the great
plains and in Canada. The planting of trees in the Great Plains should
have nothing to do with that. I would think that the plantings would
accelerate the Wesward migration further South.

Steve Mansfield steve at nwnet.net
NorthWestNet Network Engineer 425-649-7467