27000 American pelicans abandon nesting grounds

This story suggests that the pelicans have abandoned nesting grounds, leaving thier eggs behind, due to pole shift.

www.unknowncountry.com...

From all of the data that I have read, there is no reported irregularity in the drift of the poles to cause this?

Some other interesting reports of the incident:

www.wired.com...

startribune.com...

[edit on 14-6-2004 by mo_trot]

Call me stupid, but I don't know anything about a pole shift, what effect would it have on human beings or the earth as a whole?

Animals have a way of "picking up on" sensitive things going on in our surroundings/environment....
Perhaps they left for the same reason 93% of the world's Navy's are out at sea.
Getting away from it allllll...
They even left their nest....

"Call me stupid, but I don't know anything about a pole shift, what effect would it have on human beings or the earth as a whole?"

Good question? The answer ranges from nothing at all to global catastrophe, depending on who you ask. I would guess somewhere in the middle. From other readings, the earth would develop several different poles in the process of re-alligning magnetic fields. GPS systems including weapons systems, air traffic, etc would be screwed--as well as migratory birds. Equally credible sources have published information on this subject, so who knows?

The poles have shifted...

exodus2006.com...

But animals also react to other global changes, such as earthquakes/weather.

There are two kinds of pole shifts that have been discussed. To say "the poles have shifted" refers to the magnetic flip...if, in fact, it has taken place.

It does not refer to the geographic pole shift.

As a rule in life when you see all the animals that can leave a place leave they know by some instinct or sense we humans and lost that there�s some danger coming. I may be wrong but its never a good sign.

I don't believe a geographic pole shift to be possible. There is no reason the earth would rotate once and then stop. If the rotation started that basically turned the world upside down it would continue until something acted upon it to force a change. But magnetic reversals happen often (in geologic times). But birds leaving is a bad sign. A pole shift will cause the extinction of may animals.

Ok this place is in the middle of North Dakota. Is there anything of significance in that state? Its nearly 700 miles to Yellowstone (maybe 650 as the crow flies). And things are a bit quiet there so don't think thats the source of the problem. 27,000 is a bit many to shoot without people noticing. Since any asteroid would be a great distance from earth its unlikely they'd sense that. I would think that they'd sence a geologic change or climate change. Since I don't know anything about the geologic history of ND I can't comment on that. The weather has been unstable but nothing that says a major change is due any day.

Originally posted by mo_trot
GPS systems including weapons systems, air traffic, etc would be screwed--

how would air traffic be screwed? or do you just mean the GPS systems in some aircraft?

I was just refering to the GPS navigation systems, which would involve other transportations as well.

From what I understand GPS systems would not be impacted because they use satellites instead of referencing the magnetic pole. It would seriously impact aircraft that still use compases. Or any piece of equipment that referenced magnetic north. I would think most every migrational animal/bird/fish would be lost and would likely face extinction. The effects would be felt up and down the food chain. I wouldn't think humans would be greatly impacted at first unless you were flying a Cesna when the change occured OR if you were hiking and using a compas when the change occured. That could pose an immediate problem.

BTW. I did check and verify the 27,000 American pelican story is true. When I saw the source being Striber I wanted to see if it was reported by reputable news sources and it was.

What about a possible north eastern hurricane forming? Kind of like in Day After Tomorrow. I think it may be due to the slowing North Atlantic Current...

Originally posted by Indy
From what I understand GPS systems would not be impacted because they use satellites instead of referencing the magnetic pole. It would seriously impact aircraft that still use compases. Or any piece of equipment that referenced magnetic north.

i would think not just the equipment that referenced to magnetic north, but almost all electronic equipment. my guess would be that the shift in the poles would do about the same to anything electronic as running a strong magnet near it. in other words, it dies.

also, all aircraft still use compasses.

I wouldn't think humans would be greatly impacted at first unless you were flying a Cesna when the change occured

Cessna... and the change would only affect some of the instuments. it wouldn't keep the plane from flying. besides, you should have charts with you at all times just in case your navigation equipment does fail!

Actually I believe the modern commercial jets use GPS for navitation. This allows them to fly over the top (over the north pole).

Originally posted by Indy
Actually I believe the modern commercial jets use GPS for navitation. This allows them to fly over the top (over the north pole).

they do, but they still also use VORs, compasses, and other navigational aides. people could fly over the north poles, both geographic and magnetic, long before the GPS system.

But to get back to the issue at hand.... why did these birds leave? This is a protected area so I find it unlikely that humans could have had an impact on 27,000 birds at one time. Predator? Not likely either. These birds left 2 spots in the reserve. One area was protected by water. Poison? Possibly. But if the food supply was poisoned why didn't the remaining 2400 birds live? Where are the 27,000 corpses? Something spooked these birds and they left in a hurry.

Since I had already been researching the statement about the GPS failure for about an hour, I will go ahead and post one more off subject. I found a story that supported the statement, and debunked it at the same time.

It was theorized that during a pole reversal the earths magnetosphere,which protects the earth and satellites from solar radiation, would decrease to a level that could be destructive to the planet. A new study states that solar wind will produce a replacement field during this time.

Interesting article worth reading.

"This is the fastest decrease since the last reversal 730,000 years ago," Lesch says.

www.newscientist.com...

[edit on 15-6-2004 by mo_trot]

The fact that a few of these birds tested positive for botulism and there are still something like 24000 birds on a nearby island that haven't left don't add up to a Pole Shift to me. They were clearly spooked, but I have no clue as to why.

Has anyone sighted these things since they left? I mean, you just don't 'not notice' 27000 pelicans (which are descent sized birds) flying over your house (or making a mess on your car). There has to be more to this story.

Lastly, are a lot of animals drive to reproduce pretty strong? I mean, in some cases, such as the salmon that swim upstream, the drive for reproduction is stronger than the drive to survive. I don't know about pelicans, but it seems very strange they would leave thir eggs.

Saw that story too. I think its loaded with bad science. Last reversal 730,000 years ago? You might be hard pressed to find a geologist that thinks the last one was that long ago. And the theory of a 2nd field backed only by a model. I wouldn't put much faith in that article. Just my 2 cents.