Ruffled Feathers

I've read some things over the past few days that have managed to get blood boiling a little. I could engage in some harsh commentary on a few - probably all of them, actually - of these topics, but it'll probably be better if I don't get too carried away.

First, a couple of items from this week's Loose Feathers:

• A couple of weeks ago some of us were trying to get signatures on a petition to stop the shooting of Acorn Woodpeckers at a retirement community in California. Not working. Twenty-two are dead so far.

• They're paddling their little boat out to an island rookery in Florida and shooting birds just for fun. At least twenty-one total - the good news is there were arrests. (I made the mistake of reading some of the comments with that news item - as per usual in an article like this, especially from a Florida news source, there are a few wackaloons participating in the discussion.)

And from Coyote Crossing:

• A group of "off-road enthusiasts" wants to stage a 1,000 mile race through the Nevada desert. "Petro-tainment" at its finest. No comment.

• Meanwhile, up in Idaho, some of the world's finest humans are staging a Coyote killing competition. This wonderful event is taking place today! Here in Utah they don't do it all in one day - the bounty for a set of ears is in place all year.

I have to rush off to work now, though I have a few more I may add later this evening. I do have watch my level of stress, though.

(Apologies to John at A D.C. Birding Blog for sort of co-opting the name of this post from his (great) weekly feature Loose Feathers.)