A Bird's Eye View of Climate Change

By Laura Barden

Have you ever wondered how migrating birds feel when they fly across the world? What do they experience on their adventure? How do they survive the dangerous threats that are posed on Earth?  Escaping out-of-control forest fires,  flying in the eye of high-speed hurricanes, and evading the risks of hungry predators are just a few of the encounters that migrating birds are forced to endure on their travels!   Join Max as he journeys with his family of endangered curlews and observes the changes in our world from a bird's eye point of view. 

 

A Bird's Eye View of Climate Change

Written by Laura Barden 

13,400 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: laura barden
• Release date: May 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223831105

Laura Barden

Laura Barden is orignially from the Midwest where she and her husband have raised their three children.  She has been a biology instructor for 25 years, which has supported her passion for the environment as well as her interest in animal behavior. Intrigue and wonder have inspired Laura's interest in the adventures that birds experience upon their long migrations.  A Bird's Eye View of Climate Change is Laura's first book.    

Book preview

A Bird's Eye View of Climate Change is dedicated to

my brother, Chris. His love was

an inspiration to everyone he knew.

He respected and appreciated

all organisms living

on our beautiful earth.

Chapter 1~Pampas

We slowly crept through the tall and delicate field of Pampas grassland as the loud boom echoed through the warm air. My heart started beating quickly within my brown feathered chest. Millie was instantly by my side. Her big dark eyes, which were always happy, had a look of surprise and terror in them.

Millie and I spent almost every waking minute together and we sought out to experience life whenever we could. We loved to explore everything about the environment around us. Spending time with my sister is one of my favorite things to do. Millie is always optimistic and curious. I couldn’t ask for a better built-in best friend! On our adventures, I was always brave and protective of Millie, but today I found myself unusually terrified. I tried to comfort her, but I soon realized that I was really trying to reassure myself.

Max! my sister whispered fearfully. Why didn’t we listen to mama? She didn’t want us to go out for food. And why are there hunters in this area?

I’m not sure why they are, Millie.  Remember mom told us that hunters aren’t supposed to harm Eskimo Curlews. I recalled from our earlier conversation. The law applies in Argentina and in other areas in the world. Maybe they’re trying to find another animal and not Curlews. Everything will be okay, I promise. 

Through the open field, the voices echoed and all we could see through the feathery grass were bright orange figures approaching closer and closer. The heat from the grasslands was intense and the air was still and quiet. We pressed our small bodies toward the ground and lucky for us, our brown feathers camouflaged into the arid land.  As fearful thoughts reeled through my mind, I recalled earlier in the day when Millie and I decided to go out and search for food.

Max! Want to go out one more time to find some food before we leave? asked Millie, knowing that I would go, knowing that I would never say no to an adventure.

Sure! I replied enthusiastically, because I was getting hungry. We don’t have a lot of time because we want to leave soon.  We should eat so we have plenty of energy.

Max and Millie, my mom called, it’s almost time to leave. Are you ready?

I turned to my mom with pleading eyes, hoping that she would let us go. Mom, we want to search for some food before we leave. Is that okay?

My mom, Marie, has a calm and quiet demeanor and she has always looked out for us. She reminds me a lot of Millie because she is sweet and optimistic. With a nervous look, she reluctantly said, Okay, but please be careful and stay together. You never know if hunters are around and some of them might not follow the no-hunting rules that protect all Curlews.

Of course, Mama! replied Millie. Max and I will eat quick and then we can leave!

After living four months in South America, it was time to fly back to Canada for the spring and summer seasons. We were so excited for our first migration back north, but we had no idea what was ahead of us!

My attention snapped back very quickly when I heard a deep crunch of the hunter’s boot in the soil very close to our heads. I slowly turned my head and allowed my eyes to peer up through the tall wispy grass. A flash of bright orange hit my brown eyes and horror flowed through my tiny veins.

Max! whispered Mille. They’re so close! What should we do? Multiple feelings raced through my mind at the same time. How would I protect Millie from the hunters? Were humans hunting us? Why were they violating the no hunting rules? I was becoming more and more worried with human