On today’s episode of The Confluence: The region is experiencing a shift in power dynamics as new leaders are elected and voters will soon weigh in on who should become the next Allegheny County executive; the local Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count tallied 20,000 crows over Duquesne University; and a report on conventional drillers finds many aren’t following state regulations to protect public health and the environment. Today’s guests include: Charlie Wolfson, local government reporter with PublicSource; and Brian Shema, operations director for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
While volunteer bird enthusiasts counted cardinals and robins for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count from Pittsburgh to Harmar, the most common bird found was the American crow — 20,000 strong, accounting for about half of the birds seen. The Christmas Bird Count was held in some areas in the region
The Harmar bald eagles apparently have their hands, er claws, full: They’re raising two chicks while warding off a red-tailed hawk and a visiting juvenile eagle. One of the Harmar eagles recently rebuffed a gull trying to steal its fish while in flight. The Harmar birds are in their eighth