I read Robt Kiernan’s post about most probably no winter finch irruption this season. I follow sev Canadian sites for winter finch irruptions & all agree, not much chance this year. At my feeders, personally, have only seen a lone Evening Grosbeak early on, a handful of Pine Siskins since & no other migratory winter finches.

But, it also got me thinking. It’s been documented that N Amer bird populations have decreased by approx 30% overall since 1970’s. Certainly, in great pine seed crop winters, there’s no need for even an abundance of finches to migrate. But if, for instance, numbers of finches are down by 30%, in a lower pine seed crop year, would there be enough seed for the remaining fewer finch numbers, that there would also be no need to migrate? Perhaps, we won’t see winter finch irruptions as often. Maybe, a grad student thesis project? 

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot