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Winter finch year?



Hi carolinabirders,

Found something on BIRDCHAT you all should like. Ken Brock, Indiana's 
uber-birder, reports that Indiana birders are seeing an early influx of 
Red-breasted Nuthatches. He also says that there is a strong correlation 
between Nuthatch movements and Evening Grosbeak (and possibly other 
winter finch?) invasions. Keep your fingers crossed and your feeders full 
of thistle and sunflower...

Josh

---------------------------------------------------------------

Date:         Sat, 4 Sep 1999 18:32:41 -0500
From:         Lynea Hinchman <hinchman@NETNITCO.NET>
Subject:      The Grosbeaks are coming

Dear Chatters,
The following was originally posted on IN-BIRD by our local birding
authority, Ken Brock, PhD.  Although the stats pertain to NW Indiana, it
might still give birders in other parts of the country something to think
about and anticipate.  Personally, I look forward to an influx of winter
finches, it's been years.

Lynea Hinchman
Michigan City, IN
hinchman@netnitco.net


> From: Kenneth Brock <kebrock@INDIANA.EDU>
> To: IN-BIRD@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
> Subject: [IN-BIRD] the Grosbeaks are coming
> Date: Thursday, September 02, 1999 2:44 PM
>
>
> Some ten Red-breasted Nuthatches (RBNUs) were reported in
> northwest Indiana this past August.  The first bird appeared
> August 18, which is the second earliest date on record.  A check
> of the data files reveals that, in the Dunes area (Calumet
> Region), August RBNUs were reported on only eleven previous
> years.
>
> These data also reveal a positive correlation between fall
> RBNUs and Evening Grosbeaks (EVGRs).  The correlation is
> even stronger for August RBNUs.  Indeed, every autumn that
> August RBNUs were recorded in the Dunes area, EVGRs
> appeared later that fall.  The numbers are summarized
> below:
>
> YEAR    RBNU    EVGR
> 1951    1       107
> 1957    5       197
> 1961    9       159
> 1981    1       12
> 1985    6       277
> 1986    1       12
> 1990    1       6
> 1991    1       1
> 1993    3       192
> 1995    7       30
> 1997    3       103
>
> 1999    10      ??
>
> Thus, if the pattern holds true we should be graced by Evening
> Grosbeaks in November.
>
>
> Ken Brock
> Indiana University Northwest
> Gary, IN

---------------------------------------------------------------


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology

jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/