It will be interesting to see how the Christmas Bird Counts compare to
prior years.
We still have activity at our feeders and have a fair number of junkos and
white throated sparrows, but surprisingly few goldfinches. The winter
birds did arrive a few weeks later than usual too.
Kathy Freise
Beaverdam
On Dec 14, 2015 8:36 AM, "Al Warfield" <warfield101@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
*We have had the same kind of results. The suet stays packed in the suet
logs for a month or more, there are few birds if the weather is good. The
only times we have seen “normal” levels is when it’s very cold or raining.
Linda thinks it’s because of the good warm weather – there are lots of bugs
and other things for them without coming to feeders. But it includes House
Finches – they usually feed at the tube feeders even if there’s food out
there in the wild. This fall the tube feeders have gone down very slowly. I
think something is going on this year. Maybe it’s related to the killing of
mosquitos. There is a real push now. More poison, fewer birds. Sounds
familiar, doesn’t it?*
*Al*
*From:* Nelda Snyder <nsnyder03@xxxxxxxxx>
*Sent:* Sunday, December 13, 2015 10:56 PM
*To:* jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Cc:* Nelda Snyder <nsnyder03@xxxxxxxxx> ; Madden FreeLists.org
<va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Subject:* [va-richmond-general] Re: Declining birds
Jim, I am really appalled at the small number of "the regular" birds at
my feeders this fall. One pair of cardinals, several chickadees, one or
two nuthatches, and occasionally a couple of goldfinches. Last year this
time I sent in a picture of about 18 goldfinches crowded on a long thistle
feeder. I had to put out several kinds of seed every day. It is very
strange. I hear red bellied and pileated woodpeckers and sometimes see
downys further into the woodlands. About a month ago the thrushes came and
could be heard for a couple weeks, but I never saw them on the feeders.
Have seen one junco and have heard a white throated sparrow nearby a few
times. One carolina wren is an occasional visitor. That's about it this
year near the house and on the feeders. Eagles, herons, and so forth are
near the lake and occasionally some ducks. I'm wondering if there is lots
of wild food out there this year or ???
Nelda Snyder
Eastern Henrico
On Dec 13, 2015, at 9:22 PM, Jim Blowers wrote:
Here is the total bird count at our house for the past five Augusts:
2011 568
2012 675
2013 763
2014 709
2015 440
The number of birds has been declining. I don’t have to put out bird seed
or suet as often. I wonder what could be causing this. A Fairfield hotel is
being built at the corner of Midlothian Turnpike and Pinetta Drive, which
is close to our house. I wonder if this is taking away some of the bird
habitats causing the birds to find elsewhere to stay. Has anyone else seen
a decline in birds at their house?
Jim Blowers
