The same seems to be true for Mountain Chickadee. Whenever I hear
chickadees and nuthatches I check to see if there are warblers
moving through the area with them. Often there are at this time of
year.
Cliff
On 9/18/22 09:57AM, lcarrigan_55 wrote:
Not often, anymore, get a new “yard” bird on our place. And,
although not necessarily uncommon for ID, found a Nashville
Warbler this AM, working thru cottonwoods. Yard bird #179, only
“List” I keep these days.
Overall, Fall migration numbers are down by at least 50%, compared
to numbers I would see in 1980s. Unfortunately, Audubon data bears
this out, as well. So, I’m using whatever resources I can to
locate Fall Warblers. Mentioned this yrs ago on IBLE, &
studies confirm, but bears repeating. Have found that BC
Chickadees serve as “guide” birds to the migrating songbirds.
Believe it’s more of a “survival technique”. Whenever I hear BC
Chickadees loudly calling, I rush to the area & find a group
of fall migrants working thru the willows & cottonwoods. Think
it’s more, “Come this way, eat a few bugs & then get going, as
that’s our Winter food supply”. Whatever the reason, tends to work
without fail during the Fall.
Not often, anymore, get a new “yard” bird on our place. And, although not necessarily uncommon for ID, found a Nashville Warbler this AM, working thru cottonwoods. Yard bird #179, only “List” I keep these days.
Overall, Fall migration numbers are down by at least 50%, compared to numbers I would see in 1980s. Unfortunately, Audubon data bears this out, as well. So, I’m using whatever resources I can to locate Fall Warblers. Mentioned this yrs ago on IBLE, & studies confirm, but bears repeating. Have found that BC Chickadees serve as “guide” birds to the migrating songbirds. Believe it’s more of a “survival technique”. Whenever I hear BC Chickadees loudly calling, I rush to the area & find a group of fall migrants working thru the willows & cottonwoods. Think it’s more, “Come this way, eat a few bugs & then get going, as that’s our Winter food supply”. Whatever the reason, tends to work without fail during the Fall.
How exciting it would be to see that huge kettle of Swainson’s Hawks! Last fall a group of us birders saw Vultures streaming along a ridge in Boise near Discovery Park. That was great to witness, but your Swanson kettle would be truly awesome.
Recent birding at a small local nature preserve provided sightings of Gray Catbirds, Wilson’s Warblers, Yellow Warbler, Western Tanagers, a Warbling Vireo and other nice surprises. It’s a good time to go birding.
That’s good to hear! The couple of groups just ahead of storms around 6 PM were largest have had this Fall. And, best yr I’ve ever had for Orange-crowneds. About 1 for every 3 Wilson’s. The 3 Townsend’s were first have seen on Fall migration thru place in 3 yrs.
I was out stacking firewood this afternoon in Island Park and
there were small migrating flocks coming through all afternoon. I
couldn’t find a Townsend’s but there was lots of Yellow-rumpeds,
some Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a few Orange-crowneds mixed with
chickadees and nuthatches.
Cliff
On 9/15/22 06:51PM, lcarrigan_55 wrote:
Last evening & again, this evening, good dropouts of migrants
into the cottonwoods & willows along Snake River Bottoms. Best
was this evening. Mixed group of ~25 total: Wilson’s,
Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped &, my fave, 3 adult male
Townsend’s. All working 25-30′ up in the cottonwoods. Gray
Catbirds have been found 2-5′ up in streamside willows.
Last evening, just ahead of an arriving thunderstorm pushing in
from the NW, was a kettle of ~200 Swainson’s Hawks riding the
outward boundary flow from the storm. All headed south.
Last evening & again, this evening, good dropouts of migrants into the cottonwoods & willows along Snake River Bottoms. Best was this evening. Mixed group of ~25 total: Wilson’s, Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped &, my fave, 3 adult male Townsend’s. All working 25-30′ up in the cottonwoods. Gray Catbirds have been found 2-5′ up in streamside willows.
Last evening, just ahead of an arriving thunderstorm pushing in from the NW, was a kettle of ~200 Swainson’s Hawks riding the outward boundary flow from the storm. All headed south.
This morning I had a brief encounter with a Brown Thrasher at Mud Lake WMA in Jefferson county. Specifically at these coordinates: 43.90026, -112.39204
I wish I had a photo to share but it decided to leave after our minute long staring contest while I was slowly reaching for my camera!
I certainly hope you’re not experiencing the hacking and coughing. You bring up interesting points to consider. The northern birds that breed or winter in the forested areas that are burning had to make adjustments or die.
Hopefully, some ornithologists and bird behaviorists will have information to share that will enlighten us.
I would assume birds likely do have breathing and other resperatory problems same as humans, exacerbated by having smaller lungs, powered flight thru bad air being crammed into those lungs, smoke-filled break rooms while waiting for the next birder’s field trip to show in the local hotspot, etc.. I mean, do birds cough, hack, wheeze and sneeze in bad air like us. I know nesting season is over, so no more singing, but, birds should still be doing some calling and I am not hearing much, even with my new hearing aids tuned into the outdoors mode. I know there are a myriad of sources for bird calls, songs, wing noises etc.. I know about Macauley and xeno-canto, use them, both being pre-dominant in the sonogram field with plenty others, I am sure, being available.
So, I am wondering, what with all that smoke in our air lately what sources are available for other bird sounds that I am not aware of, maybe something along the lines of a Ma”cough”ly or a “wheezo-sneezo” or some such, that would be accessable for these other coughings, hackings, wheezings and sneezings that surely birds must make in these smoky conditions.
As always. Continued Good Birding (CGB). RL
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