[Bristol-Birds] Siskins in the southern Blkue Ridge

----- Original Message -----

The following is a message
sent to the Carolina Bird Listserv
by Mark Simpson
Monday, June 16, 2008

Pine Siskins are one of the more erratic birds of the southern Blue =
Ridge Province. Some years in large numbers; other years hard to find, =
if not entirely absent. This year they are conspicuous in the Blacks, at =
Roan, and in smaller numbers on Grandfather Mountain. The loose flocks =
in the Blacks and at Roan seem to be breaking up into pairs now that =
June has arrived. At Roan last weekend pairs were gleaning seeds from =
Dandelions (Taraxacum spp.) and flying off to who knows where, maybe to  =
nests. Evidence of their breeding in the region has been around for some =
time. At least one documented nest containing young birds has been =
reported in the Plott Balsam Mountains, on the main ridge line running =
east from Waterrock Knob- see Chat volume 57, p. 47-49, 1993. I believe =
that Art Stupka lists some of the early records of young siskins out of =
the nest in the Smokies, see his Notes on the Birds of Great Smoky =
Mountains National Park U. Tenn. Press), which is long out of print. =
Even farther back, John Cairns of Weaverville stated that they were =
breeding in the Black Mountains in the late 1890s, but I don't recall =
that he ever gave any supporting details, such as dates, locations, =
young or eggs, so he may have just been guessing based on their year =
round presence there.

This may be a "good" year for them. Birders in the mountains should stay =
alert for nesting evidence and report the same if seen.

Mark Simpson

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