[NatureNS] House Sparrows

Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:46:51 -0400
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
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John Sollows' remark about House Sparrows reminds me of a belated 
observation I intended to post.

I was interested to hear Ian McLaren and James Hirtle interviewed on 
Information Morning two weeks ago concerning the decline of House 
Sparrows.  I have walked the same mile-long route to work in the 
mornings for about twenty years.  When I first moved here, there were 
five locations along the way where there were resident colonies of 
House Sparrows.  Gradually they disappeared.  I wanted to confirm my 
impression of this, so I have made a point of observing every day 
recently as I walk, and I haven't seen a single House Sparrow.  I 
know there are still a few  in the vicinity of the last stop: they 
must have moved to a different feeder just out of range for me, but 
there  have been none at the other four stations for some time, 
despite the fact that the people there still feed birds.

It is striking how they have declined.  I found it difficult to 
confirm their breeding in some of my Atlas squares in Annapolis 
County a few years ago.

Patricia L. Chalmers
Halifax


At 06:00 AM 02/02/2013, you wrote:
>Over the past couple or three decades down Yarmouth way, morning doves are
>one of those species which have gone from being relatively noteworthy to
>being highly commonplace.  More or less the reverse of the house sparrow
>story!
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
>On Behalf Of P.L. Chalmers
>Sent: February-01-13 11:30 PM
>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mourning Doves - Can they become pests?
>
>Don,
>
>          That's interesting.  Your neighbourhood was checked during the
>Christmas Bird Count, and none were found then.  However, in recent years
>there was a good-sized flock that moved around from the foot of Springvale
>Avenue to just south of Mount Olivet Cemetery, which isn't all that far from
>you.  I did that area this year, and didn't find them.
>
>          Cheers,
>
>          Patricia
>
>At 10:45 PM 01/02/2013, you wrote:
> >I now have about 16 Mourning Doves coming to my backyard near the
> >Halifax Shopping Centre (none in previous years).  They must be making
> >incursions into the city.
> >
> >Don
> >
> >Don MacNeill
> >donmacneill@bellaliant.net
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
> >To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> >Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 9:53 PM
> >Subject: [NatureNS] Mourning Doves - Can they become pests?
> >
> >
> >During the recent cold spell I was more generous than usual in stocking
> >my feeders.  There was more spillage of seed, and to my surprise I now
> >have up to six Mourning Doves coming to feed.  This might not seem
> >unusual to many of you, but MoDo's are not common on the Halifax
> >Peninsula.  In fact last year was the first time that I had even one of
> >these lovely birds in my yard.  In my limited experience of them in
> >Bedford, they roosted and nested in trees, and were pretty unobtrusive.
> >I was wondering, though, have they become a pest, like pigeons, in
> >places where they are numerous? Will they roost around buildings?
> >
> >Patricia L. Chalmers
> >Halifax

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<font size=3>John Sollows' remark about House Sparrows reminds me of a
belated observation I intended to post.&nbsp; <br><br>
I was interested to hear Ian McLaren and James Hirtle interviewed on
Information Morning two weeks ago concerning the decline of House
Sparrows.&nbsp; I have walked the same mile-long route to work in the
mornings for about twenty years.&nbsp; When I first moved here, there
were five locations along the way where there were resident colonies of
House Sparrows.&nbsp; Gradually they disappeared.&nbsp; I wanted to
confirm my impression of this, so I have made a point of observing every
day recently as I walk, and I haven't seen a single House Sparrow.&nbsp;
I know there are still a few&nbsp; in the vicinity of the last stop: they
must have moved to a different feeder just out of range for me, but
there&nbsp; have been none at the other four stations for some time,
despite the fact that the people there still feed birds.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<br><br>
It is striking how they have declined.&nbsp; I found it difficult to
confirm their breeding in some of my Atlas squares in Annapolis County a
few years ago.<br><br>
Patricia L. Chalmers<br>
Halifax<br><br>
<br>
At 06:00 AM 02/02/2013, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Over the past couple or three
decades down Yarmouth way, morning doves are<br>
one of those species which have gone from being relatively noteworthy
to<br>
being highly commonplace.&nbsp; More or less the reverse of the house
sparrow<br>
story!<br><br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
[<a href="mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" eudora="autourl">
mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca</a>]<br>
On Behalf Of P.L. Chalmers<br>
Sent: February-01-13 11:30 PM<br>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mourning Doves - Can they become pests?<br><br>
Don,<br><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That's
interesting.&nbsp; Your neighbourhood was checked during the<br>
Christmas Bird Count, and none were found then.&nbsp; However, in recent
years<br>
there was a good-sized flock that moved around from the foot of
Springvale<br>
Avenue to just south of Mount Olivet Cemetery, which isn't all that far
from<br>
you.&nbsp; I did that area this year, and didn't find them.<br><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cheers,<br><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Patricia<br><br>
At 10:45 PM 01/02/2013, you wrote:<br>
&gt;I now have about 16 Mourning Doves coming to my backyard near the
<br>
&gt;Halifax Shopping Centre (none in previous years).&nbsp; They must be
making <br>
&gt;incursions into the city.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;Don<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;Don MacNeill<br>
&gt;donmacneill@bellaliant.net<br>
&gt;----- Original Message -----<br