I spent a lovely hour last month bird-watching from the Waterview Place Condominiums parking lot in New Hope.
As a swarm of pigeons landed on a nearby rooftop, and a half dozen vultures rode the wind high above the Delaware River, I was entranced by dozens and dozens of bank swallows swooping and diving over the river as they feasted on their insect lunches. A pair of goldfinches flitted from the large tree (where the gazebo used to be), to the dead tree that sits with its feet in the channel. I was serenaded by a song sparrow whose tiny body shuddered as he sang the loveliest of songs. Two great blue herons flew overhead, landed on the river side of the inlet and quickly took off again, majestically touring the Delaware as they headed north toward Frenchtown.
For the first time ever in my amateur bird-watching life (two years and counting) I saw a double-crested cormorant, a remarkable, large black bird with a very long, yellow beak. Oh, and I witnessed a serious, noisy, and lengthy discussion among the nesting geese. Joy.
As I was driving out of the parking lot, I noticed with dismay that pesticides were going to be deployed at the Waterview community. The sign broke my heart.
Pesticides are contributing to the decline in insects and birds (and bees) and will destroy the beautiful ecosystem that can be seen and heard in New Hope. These chemicals also run into the water, jeopardizing the health of the fish that live in the river and humans who live along the riverbanks.
Here are some recent headlines that highlight this cautionary tale
• When it Comes to Pesticides, Birds are Sitting Ducks. (The National Zoo Science Education Program)
• Alarm as pesticides spur rapid decline of US bird species. (The Guardian)
• Huge decline in songbirds linked to common insecticide. (National Geographic)
• The Insect Apocalypse Moves Up the Food Chain — American Bird Populations in Rapid Decline Due to Pesticide Use. (Scientific American)
As I was leaving New Hope and waiting at the Bridge Street light, a lone honey bee landed on my windshield. Serendipity comes in many forms. I believe this little creature wanted to remind me that she too needed to be protected from pesticides. If I want my food to be pollinated, she and her friends need to stay well.
Please consider the cause and effect. Is a bug-free garden healthy? Is a green lawn worth a silent spring?
Please help save the bugs…and all the other living creatures (including us) that count on them for survival.
Joanne Heinzmann lives in Doylestown.
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