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[Fwd: Birds? What birds?]



Yes, I am experiencing a "dearth of avian activity at feeders...".  This
has been on-going for the past 3-4 weeks.  I normally go through 25 lbs
sunflower seeds a week and replenish the feeders, etc. at least 2 to 3
times a day.  I miss the activity.  I still have a
25 lb bag of sunflower seed that I purchased last week and haven't had
to open it yet.  Bird activity consists of cardinals,  Carolina
chickadees, a few house finches, doves,  carolina wrens, thrusher,
titmouse.  Not the usual heavy feedings I normally have.  Birds are
scarce.  Highly unusual here to have such a lull.  Hoping it picks up
soon.
Paulette Biles
Hampstead, NC
jppt441@bellsouth.net


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.

**********