Where are all my birds?

   / Where are all my birds? #21  
I used to have 8 or 10 pairs of cardinals, uncountable numbers of smaller birds of several varieties (wrens, sparrows, finches, etc), Mockingbirds, blue birds, indigo blues, blue jays and lots I didn't now what they were. A full feeder might last a day or two, suet cakes maybe two weeks. I'd open the back door and they'd all flutter off to the trees.

Lately, I have a small fraction of that. I saw one pair of cardinals a few days ago and a Mockingbird here or there. Few if any of the smaller ones. Suet cakes put out two weeks or more ago have barely been touched. Feeders are still half full.

There are a few predator birds and a stray cat or two, so I can see how some could have become snacks, but not all of them.

That mystery bird disease didn't bother them as the numbers didn't drop then, this is more recent. I haven't found any remains anywhere either.

I guess I'll save some money on seed this winter if the numbers don't pick up again.
https://www.audubon.org/news/north-america-has-lost-more-1-4-birds-last-50-years-new-study-says
 
   / Where are all my birds? #22  
This change was only from last year. We had plenty of birds last year.
They were everywhere.

This year, very sparse. Almost no Robins at all, few cardinals, not many of the smaller birds.
 
   / Where are all my birds? #23  
I have exactly the opposite problem, vole-wise. We've had above average rain the whole second half of the year. Voles have been out in huge numbers the last two years. After I did my annual field cut recently, barn cats, owls, and hawks were all hunting the voles, and I'm cheering them on. As I drove the tractor through the field, I could see 4-5 voles at a time fleeing the tractor in places. I only wish they could eat more voles.
Let me guess: You're east of the Rockies? Probably east of The Big Muddy.

Unfortunately, owls are territorial and not migratory. Hawks move around more. I had a sharp shinned hawk move through last spring that only stuck around for a couple of days on its way north.

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   / Where are all my birds? #24  
I saw 6+ turkeys yesterday in the vole filled field. I wonder if Vermont turkeys eat voles. Here's hoping.
I know jays, crows, and ravens are meat eaters. I don't know about turkeys, but wouldn't be surprised. A flock of chickens can bone out a mouse in short order.
 
   / Where are all my birds? #25  
I don't know where you are at Diggin it. But here it's winter. All the song birds, dickey birds, ducks and geese have gone south. All that remains - hawks, owls, ravens, crows & magpies.
 
   / Where are all my birds? #26  
I don't know where you are at Diggin it. But here it's winter. All the song birds, dickey birds, ducks and geese have gone south. All that remains - hawks, owls, ravens, crows & magpies.
Oosik, I got a shot of some of "your" flock heading south yesterday. I was standing in the mountains at about 7500' elevation when I heard the honking and looked up to see this. They were WAY up there - this is a telephoto shot. But I don't ever recall seeing two small V formations within one large one.
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   / Where are all my birds? #27  
I belong to a bluebird preservation group, have several nesting boxes installed in the fields and vineyard, also a several swallow boxes close to the barn area, the two don’t get along well and have to be separated.

We lost all of the bluebird chicks during the summer heat wave, which hit 114 degrees here, it made me kind of sick to see.
All of the swallows and hummingbirds made it though
Putting plenty of seed out this winter, to help them get through the cold weather.

Wish we had some of those cardinals around here, they are beautiful.
 
   / Where are all my birds? #28  
we have about 2 dozen turkeys that love our little valley. magpies, some others nexting in hte hole in the shed. need to put up some next boxes for them, and maybe a bat house too.
 
   / Where are all my birds?
  • Thread Starter
#29  
Oosik, I got a shot of some of "your" flock heading south yesterday. I was standing in the mountains at about 7500' elevation when I heard the honking and looked up to see this.
I hadn't realized it, but I have not seen a single goose this fall. Multiple formations are common, usually several each day for a few days. This year, not a one that I recall.
Wish we had some of those cardinals around here, they are beautiful.
I have a Redbud tree in my yard near the feeders. One morning a few Winters back, I looked out the bathroom window and saw a perfect sight for a greeting card. It has snowed lightly. The ground was white and so were many of the Redbud branches. But there were maybe a dozen bright red Cardinals perched on various branches. By the time I went to get the camera and got back, many of them had flown off.
 
   / Where are all my birds? #30  
Yea - we got turkeys too. Wish they would go south.

Deserteagle71 - just a guess, they won't be stopping in Northern Nevada for a bite to eat. I have geese forming up on my big lake. They honk, squawk ALL night long. They will be heading south soon. With the light snow cover the last two years - there has been a few geese that will stay all winter. They spend most of their time in the wheat fields. Pecking up the threshed grain that fell on the ground. They get so fat - they can barely waddle.
 
 
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