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Birds? What birds?
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu (CAROLINA BIRDS)
- Subject: Birds? What birds?
- From: BILL HILTON JR <bhilton@InfoAve.Net>
- Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 18:12:49 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
CarolinaBirders . . .
I'm just not sure whether to believe any of these reported sightings
in the Carolinas of Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Red-breasted
Nuthatches, and the like.
There are virtually NO birds at Hilton Pond near York SC, and haven't
been for nearly two weeks. Even the resident Northern Cardinals and
Carolina Chickadees have abandoned the sunflower seed feeders. I did
capture a lone White-throated Sparrow yesterday-one I had banded last
fall-and I think there was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in a treetop this
morning, but it could merely have been a bird-like leaf that my
wishful thinking turned into a kinglet. (Oh, yeah, there WAS a Common
Crow that flew over today, but he looked listless and lethargic and
perhaps as if he had a Nile-like virus or something.)
All I can figure is all the local birds are out spread-eagled
somewhere, sopping up the 70-degree temperatures and UV radiation
that have come with this phenomenally warm November.
Anyone else in the Piedmont--or elsewhere--notice a dearth of avian
activity at feeders or in your yards?
Of course, the lack of visible bird like at my house could be
correlated with the arrival of a miniature juvenile male
Sharp-shinned Hawk late last month, a bird so small it can
practically fly through my dense Trumpet Creeper patch without even
slowing down. This guy would probably whomp up on a Whooping Crane if
he had a chance.
Lonely in York,
BILL
**********
BILL HILTON JR.
"The Piedmont Naturalist"
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road
York, South Carolina 29745
USA
e-mail: <hilton@rubythroat.org>
Voice & Fax: (803) 684-5852
Operation RubyThroat Website: <http://www.rubythroat.org>
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to
watch the sunset."
BHjr.
**********