Inbox

Letters to the Editor

Submissions reflect readers’ opinions and may be edited for length and clarity. Email Magazine@mdc.mo.gov or write to us:

Missouri Conservationist
PO Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Blue Jays

I opened the October issue, and I was delighted to find an article and photos about blue jays, my favorite bird [Blue Jays, Page 16].

Mark Forster, via email

Hurray for Blue Jays

For nearly 70 years, I have labeled the blue jay as a villain among the bird population. After reading Blue Jays in the October issue, the villain has become the good guy.

Bob Allen, Nixa

I have been a reader of the Missouri Conservationist for many years and have always been amazed at the photography of Noppadol Paothong. He is a master. I have been meaning to write to thank him for his work for a long time, but the October issue with the amazing pictures of blue jays finally got me to act.

William M. Fogarty Jr., Webster Groves

Your October issue was excellent. I especially enjoyed your article about blue jays, as it brought back a fond memory from when I was about 10 years old. A friend of mine and I discovered a nest that had fallen from a tree and in it was a juvenile blue jay. We picked it up and looked for a place to release it. At that moment, its mother came sweeping down upon us, screaming like mad and pecking us on the top of our heads. We ran for our lives. I’ll always remember how dedicated and devoted that mother was to her offspring. It made quite an impression on me, and that was more than 80 years ago.

Marvin Fremerman, Springfield

For the Love of Birds

I lived in Hawaii and always loved nature. My wife and I both have degrees in biology. One of my teachers from Hawaii visited me while I lived in Arizona, and her husband was so enthralled with seeing a Gambel’s quail. We always thought they were just normal.

We have lived in the woods in Missouri for over 10 years now, and we still have such wonderful encounters with birds — I can’t even list them here. My favorite recently is a pileated woodpecker that keeps ruining my Ford Escape’s mirror at $30 each.

David Aniuk, via email

Let’s Hear it for Science

I love the Nature Lab articles. Even though there’s science throughout the magazine, I really enjoy the in-depth tidbits provided by the Nature Lab articles. It’s always nice to read about the hard work and scientific rigor that goes on behind the scenes at MDC.

I especially enjoyed the October issue’s article on LHI, or Landscape Health Index [Page 4]. Thanks for keeping us engaged and informed.

Patrick Rebmann, via email