The Countryside Conservancy and South Branch Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Coalition recently hosted a talk by Jeffery Stratford, Ph.D. Stratford has had a passion for birds his entire life.  The Wilkes University Biologist has been catching and taking blood samples from 176 birds, 31 different species in 21 locations throughout 10 different watersheds in northern Pennsylvania. Through his research Stratford is looking to answer the question; is natural gas production affecting local birds?  Some press accounts of  Stratford’s talk have implied a connection, but I was there and that isn’t what I heard.  The presentation was balanced and a contribution to sane discussion about natural gas.

Stratford is looking for a direct relationship between the number of natural gas wells in an area and the amount of glutathione S-transferase or contaminants found in birds. He said he has found elevated levels of glutathione S-transferase.  However, when asked if he could determine what was causing the higher levels, he stated,

    "It is beyond my expertise to determine what is actually causing the elevated levels."

http://eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/is-natural-gas-production-a...