[obol] Re: Question on Pine Grosbeaks
- From: Steve Kornfeld <sbkornfeld@xxxxxxx>
- To: "llsdirons@xxxxxxx" <llsdirons@xxxxxxx>, OBOL <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 14 Mar 2015 18:39:59 -0700
All,
I spend a fair amount of time back country skiing in the cascades. I have not
encountered Pine Grosbeaks in the Cascades. In addition an exceeding high
number of Pine Grosbeaks have been in the Washington Cascades this winter. We
encountered them on a recent trip. Finally some of the towns in the Washington
cascades have had numerous and unusual in town sightings this winter. These
towns have birders in them every winter. I suspect this is more than access.
Steve Kornfeld
Bend
From: llsdirons@xxxxxxx
To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [obol] Re: Question on Pine Grosbeaks
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2015 00:44:04 +0000
Bill,
I tend to agree with Bob Archer. Access is everything. I can tell you how many
times before this year that I walked up the PCT at Santiam Pass during winter.
That would be zero. This area is routinely under feet of snow until May, thus
reducing opportunities for all but the most hearty (I'm not one) birders to
encounter Pine Grosbeaks in the Cascades.
There may well be more around this winter than most years and that is more
likely food supply issue. Most of the 'winter' finches are nomadic and inclined
to rely on specific trees and cones/catkin crops for their winter food
supplies, thus a poor year elsewhere is likely the cause of these birds showing
up in places where they are rarely detected. Chances are, the source population
of this incursion is not the nearest plausible place. Even in the Wallowas,
Pine Grosbeaks aren't particularly abundant. Chances are these birds came much
farther away.
Dave Irons
Portland, OR
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