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Index of Subjects --00504501760996800e0478184831 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 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 >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.704 / Virus Database: >> 270.14.59/2494 - Release Date: 11/10/09 03:38:00 >> >> >> > -- ################# Richard Stern, 317 Middle Dyke Rd. Port Williams, NS, Canada B0P 1T0 sternrichard@gmail.com ################### --00504501760996800e0478184831 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi,<br><br>Admittedly it's one person'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"><<a href=3D"mailto:kelindsay@eastl= ink.ca">kelindsay@eastlink.ca</a>></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'= 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'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'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