[NatureNS] How is the wild food supply?

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From: Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:19:39 -0400
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Hi,

Admittedly it's one person's impression, and therefore totaly anecdotal, as
against scientific - but here (Kings Co.), the numbers at my feeder seem
normal, although 90% are Blue Jays. Like others, though, I have found that
the woods seem remarkably empty. I have been for several walks at Palmeter
woods, and other local wooded areas in the last 3 weeks or so, and they do
seem very empty. E.g. over 1 1/2 hours in Palmeter Woods last Sunday, I saw
2-3 Chickadees and a couple of Crows - and that was it!   Sounds like Big
Island and South end Halifax are the place for birders to be at the moment.

Richard

On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 9:07 AM, Eleanor Lindsay <kelindsay@eastlink.ca>wrote:

> I think there are some very distinct regional differences in this year's
> wild food supply. The spruce bark beetle, which I understand is native to
> Nova Scotia and normally kept in check by cold winters...) has created quite
> severe and rapid devastation in some parts of the province, in particular
> the east side of St Margarets Bay, (especially Seabright and Glen Margaret),
> where whole chunks of spruce forest have died off in the space of the last
> 2-3 years and also, I believe in parts of Antigonish County and Cape Breton.
> So cones for squirrels, for example, must be severely reduced or non
> existent in these areas.
>
> Eleanor Lindsay
> Seabright, St Margarets Bay
>
>
>
> Blake Maybank wrote:
>
>> 10 November 2009
>>
>> Nothwithstanding the presence of some stellar bird rarities right now (and
>> certainly more to be discovered), I've heard concerns from several observers
>> across the province that the number of birds they are accustomed to seeing
>> at their feeders or on walks is way down.   And that is my impression as
>> well.   I have the usual resident species at my feeders (chickadees,
>> woodpeckers, nuthatches, doves, jays, juncos and sparrows), but their
>> numbers are low, and on walks in the woods or coastline, the landbirds are
>> in short supply.   And I suspect, though can't prove, that this is due to an
>> absence of wild food.
>>
>> There are certainly very few berries around, and the berry production this
>> past summer was not aided by the poor weather, but the cone crop is also
>> poor, and there seems to be less grass and other seeds about.
>>
>> I'd be curious to learn the impressions of other observers across the
>> province.   Is the wild food crop in poor shape?   Do you think the numbers
>> of land birds is down over "normal" years?   I suspect that the Christmas
>> Bird Counts will reveal a more clear picture, but they are still more than
>> one month away.
>>
>> What is the situation in your "neck of the woods"?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Blake
>>
>>
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Blake Maybank
>> maybank@ns.sympatico.ca
>> 902-852-2077
>>
>> Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"
>> http://nsbs.chebucto.org
>>
>> author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"
>> http://tinyurl.com/birdingns
>> Downloadable Nova Scotia Maps for inside front and back covers:
>> http://tinyurl.com/mr627d
>>
>> White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>


-- 
#################
Richard Stern,
317 Middle Dyke Rd.
Port Williams, NS, Canada
B0P 1T0

sternrichard@gmail.com
###################

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Hi,<br><br>Admittedly it&#39;s one person&#39;s impression, and therefore t=
otaly anecdotal, as against scientific - but here (Kings Co.), the numbers =
at my feeder seem normal, although 90% are Blue Jays. Like others, though, =
I have found that the woods seem remarkably empty. I have been for several =
walks at Palmeter woods, and other local wooded areas in the last 3 weeks o=
r so, and they do seem very empty. E.g. over 1 1/2 hours in Palmeter Woods =
last Sunday, I saw 2-3 Chickadees and a couple of Crows - and that was it!=
=A0=A0 Sounds like Big Island and South end Halifax are the place for birde=
rs to be at the moment.<br>

<br>Richard<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 9:07 =
AM, Eleanor Lindsay <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:kelindsay@eastl=
ink.ca">kelindsay@eastlink.ca</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D=
"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0=
pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">

I think there are some very distinct regional differences in this year&#39;=
s wild food supply. The spruce bark beetle, which I understand is native to=
 Nova Scotia and normally kept in check by cold winters...) has created qui=
te severe and rapid devastation in some parts of the province, in particula=
r the east side of St Margarets Bay, (especially Seabright and Glen Margare=
t), where whole chunks of spruce forest have died off in the space of the l=
ast 2-3 years and also, I believe in parts of Antigonish County and Cape Br=
eton. So cones for squirrels, for example, must be severely reduced or non =
existent in these areas.<br>


<br>
Eleanor Lindsay<br>
Seabright, St Margarets Bay<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Blake Maybank wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, =
204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
10 November 2009<br>
<br>
Nothwithstanding the presence of some stellar bird rarities right now (and =
certainly more to be discovered), I&#39;ve heard concerns from several obse=
rvers across the province that the number of birds they are accustomed to s=
eeing at their feeders or on walks is way down. =A0 And that is my impressi=
on as well. =A0 I have the usual resident species at my feeders (chickadees=
, woodpeckers, nuthatches, doves, jays, juncos and sparrows), but their num=
bers are low, and on walks in the woods or coastline, the landbirds are in =
short supply. =A0 And I suspect, though can&#39;t prove, that this is due t=
o an absence of wild food.<br>


<br>
There are certainly very few berries around, and the berry pro