More from the Jan. 2009 Union of Concerned Scientists Food & Environment News Roundup:

AGENCIES REBUFF CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATORS ON ENGINEERED CROPS

A recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, criticized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allowing unapproved genetically engineered crops to enter the food supply.
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Just in time to inflict a parting blow to gray wolves before the Bush administration bites the dust, on Wednesday (Jan. 14) — for the third time — the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a final rule to remove Endangered Species Act protections from these regal predators in the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes regions.
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I just received this note from Kieran Suckling, executive director, Center for Biological Diversity, about what Gov. Sarah Palin wants to do with Alaska’s endangered beluga whales:
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January 2009 Union of Concerned Scientists Food & Environment News Roundup:

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have discovered that antibiotic-resistant bacteria from open-air poultry trucks can spread to cars on the road behind these trucks.
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Screech owl nest box. Photo by Carol Meyer, Galaxy Press, Concord, Calif.

On Jan. 8, S. Sprague of Concord wrote my column, wanting to know if any of my readers have had success using screech owl nest boxes?

Yesterday, I received this note:
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Vultures sunning themselves. Photo by Jim Klent, San Leandro

I’ve been getting reports from people who see turkey vultures perched in trees or standing on telephone poles with their wings spread and wonder what’s going on.

They are sunning themselves to clean their wings.
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Spring in the open spaces by Brian Murphy, Walnut Creek, Calif.

I just received this copy of the Save Mount Diablo E-News from Save Mount Diablo:

Thanks to all of those who supported our end-of-year campaign. We surpassed our goal and are energized to start another year preserving natural lands — for example continuing our efforts on the Concord Naval Weapons Station. We hope to see you at the Concord City Council meeting or at one of our events on the mountain.
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Robin eating pyracantha berries. Photo by Joe Oliver, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Dear Gary:
They’re here!

Saw flocks of noisy, berry-eating robins in south Walnut Creek today!
Brian, Walnut Creek, Calif.
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Dear Gary:
My Siamese cat, Saki, started using the toilet on her own. I have never heard of a cat doing this without training. I have two separate litter boxes that are constantly cleaned, so I can’t figure this out.
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Pelican landing. Photo by Joe Oliver, Walnut Creek, California

Aquatic bird specialists at International Bird Rescue Research Center in Fairfield, Calif., have been receiving reports and admitting pelicans exhibiting odd behavior. Their sister facility in Los Angeles is also seeing an influx in these ailing birds.

“As wildlife rehabilitators, we’re often the first group of people to see a trend developing. We’re the first to notice unusual behavior or illnesses in a population because we’re on the front lines, receiving calls from the public. So, with these pelicans, we know something is going on, we’re just not sure what it is,” said Jay Holcomb, executive director of International Bird Rescue.
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