Starved- rely on moth caterpillars ☹️
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On Jul 3, 2019, at 3:11 PM, Anya Shortridge <ashortridge@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
We had our first tree swallow nestbox this year, with 5 chicks successfully
hatched. So fun to watch! We hadn't seen the parents, usually very doting and
attentive, in maybe a couple of days... So we checked the box today. Sadly,
all 5 chicks were deceased, cold, still without eyes opened. Trying to figure
out what happened. There are no wounds, and there is no sign of the parents
or any of the other swallows that were around here...
Anya
On 7/3/2019 2:03 PM, Gayner, Elizabeth (Redacted sender egayner for DMARC)
wrote:
I have been banding birds at the same site for 20 years on Canyon Mountain.
The last couple of years have had low numbers of birds with virtually no
young of the year. This year so far has been super low... lowest yet.
Adult birds not even in breeding condition and low on fat reserves (based on
general observation). We too have noticed the lack of insects... silk moth
caterpillars especially used to fill the trees. It dawned on us today while
out there... we haven't seen the caterpillars the last couple of years. And
we are not even getting eaten up by mosquitoes and no-seeums like we used
to... which, though we are not complaining about it in terms of their being
a nuisance, but it is a concern in terms of food sources for the birds.
Liz
Elizabeth I. Gayner
Lead Wildlife Biologist - Swiftwater Field Office
OR/WA BLM Peregrine Falcon Technical Coordinator
Bureau of Land Management - Roseburg District Office
Phone: (541) 464-3381; egayner@xxxxxxx
On Wed, Jul 3, 2019 at 1:33 PM Mary Anne Brown <majbrown54@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Our cliff swallow's nest have been falling this year & the insect/food
supply is weak, over the last 10 years the small moths are virtually gone.
This years crop is not promising...anyone else experiencing that?
Mary Anne
