Stewart et al.,

I was recently in Europe and Eurasian Collared Doves have recently colonized
a great deal of European and North African territory, without the benefit of
any direct human assistance. I suspect it is quite possible they colonized
the Bahamas and then Florida and the rest of North America likewise without
direct assistance, despite the general consensus that they were first
established in the Bahamas as a result of human introduction. If they got
there on their own they are an invader comparable to the Cattle Egret and
perhaps other species with proven powers of over water dispersal.

What should our attitude be towards species that are invasive independent of
any human intention? The Barred Owl is another case in point.

Gene Hunn
Lake Forest Park, WA
enhunn323 at comcast.net

-----Original Message-----
From: tweeters-bounces at mailman2.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman2.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Stewart
Wechsler
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 2:08 PM
To: Wayne Weber
Cc: TWEETERS
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Eurasian Collared-Dove (invader) bonanza

Wayne, (and all,)

I do presume that you indeed understand the negative implications of the
Eurasian Collared Dove as one more successful recent immigrant species that
is still in the process of expanding and causing the re-ordering of
ecosystems that it is becoming a part of. I also fully respect and admire
your credentials in your career in the area of combating the negative
effects of introduced organisms.

On the other hand, I would bet that the positive implication of the word
"bonanza" and the phrase "hit the jackpot" is not only in MY mind but may
well sound positive to others too. I believe it is important, as much as
possible, to choose our words carefully to have as much of the effect we
really want on as much of our whole audience as possible.

I do appreciate the importance of reporting the spread of this successful
new immigrant species and appreciate that you are indeed posting the
reports.

Maybe we need some better terms for a grouping of invader organisms. We
have "gaggles of geese", "murders of crows" and "constellations of
starlings" maybe we should call them "contagions Collared Doves". Any
better suggestions?

Thanks again for all of your work!

-Stewart

Framing is a central key to effective communication.

----- Original Message : "Wayne Weber"
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 8:31 AM



> Stewart,
>
> The "possible positive implication" is only in your mind, not in mine. As
> a
> professional ecologist, I am just as concerned about the spread of
> non-native animals and plants as you are. I spent much of my career
> working
> for the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, trying to combat the negative
> effects
> of introduced animals such as the European Starling. Many of the other
> experts I worked with in the Crop Protection Branch also spent much of
> their
> time trying to find ways to overcome non-native insect pests and plant
> diseases.
>
> At the same time, whether or not one hates introduced species, it is
> important to track the numbers and increase of these species, and I
> thought
> that what I had observed was worth reporting. Eurasian Collared-Doves are
> very well established now in North America and even in Washington and BC.
> We
> are very unlikely to be able to stop their increase, but it is important
> to
> keep track of changes in their distribution and numbers, if we are to get
> any idea what effects they may have on native species and ecosystems.
>
> Wayne C. Weber, Ph.D., R.P.Bio.
> Delta, BC
> contopus at telus.net
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stewart Wechsler [mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net]
> Sent: October-15-09 12:10 AM
> To: Wayne Weber; TWEETERS
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Eurasian Collared-Dove bonanza
>
> I wouldn't use terms with a possible positive implication like "bonanza"
> and
>
> "I hit the jackpot" for sightings of numerous Eurasian Collared Doves in
> western Washington. It is my impression that they have a niche similar to
> the Mourning Dove, and I'm guessing the rise in the population of alien
> Eurasian Collared Doves will come, in part, at the expense of our native
> Mourning Doves and unknown other native organisms.
>
> -Stewart
>
> Stewart Wechsler
> -Ecological Consultant - Nature Guide
> Naturalist - Botanist
> 206 932-7225
> ecostewart at quidnunc.net
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wayne Weber" <contopus at telus.net>
> To: "TWEETERS" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 11:52 AM
> Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Collared-Dove bonanza
>
>
>> Tweeters,
>>
>>...> However, I hit the jackpot with EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES. In between
>>two
>> visits to Jensen, I decided to see if I could find some Collared-Doves in
>> the Stanwood area.
>> (I still hadn't seen one in Snohomish County.) I ended up seeing 23
>> Collared-Doves at 3 locations between Conway and the Stillaguamish River,
>> as
>> follows:
>>
>> Flock of 13 at Conway (Skagit Co.)-- along Pioneer Highway, immediately
>> south of the turnoff to Conway. I've often seen flocks of Mourning Doves
>> in
>> the past at this spot (none yesterday), and there were about 50 ROCK
>> PIGEONS
>> nearby.
>>
>> Flock of 9 south of Stanwood but north of the Stillaguamish River (along
>> Marine Drive south of Florence Road but north of Boe Road, Snohomish
>> Co.)--
>> same location where Greg Toffic saw 10 of them about 10 days ago.
>>
>> Single bird along Old Pacific Highway, north of Stanwood but about a mile
>> south of the junction with Pioneer Highway (Snohomish Co.).
>>
>> Skagit County seems to be the population center for Eurasian
>> Collared-Doves
>> in western Washington. In addition to Conway, I have seen them repeatedly
>> at
>> 3 other locations: in and near the small town of Edison, in the even
>> smaller nearby town of Blanshard on Highway 11, and along Bradshaw Road
>> west
>> of Mount Vernon. Collared-Doves are also being seen regularly in numbers
>> at
>> 3 localities near Vancouver, BC. However, I have yet to see one in
>> Whatcom
>> County, although there have been a few sightings there.
>>
>> It will be interesting to watch the increase and expansion of Eurasian
>> Collared-Doves as they populate most of lowland western Washington, which
>> I
>> expect they will do within a few years.
>>
>> Wayne C. Weber
>> Delta, BC
>> contopus at telus.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>


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