Well, my hopes for a good winter finch irruption season are fading. I’m feeding numerous American Goldfinches, Juncos, BC Chickadees & House Finches.

I was getting an increasing number of Eurasian Collared Doves but between a juvenile N Goshawk & an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk, their numbers have dropped from 15+ to 2 or 3. For several weeks, I was finding a feather pile & an occasional partial dove carcass every 2-3 days in the yard. Guess the Eurasian Collared Dove didn’t evolve to evade the American Accipiters. They certainly make for easy prey…a lumbering, flapping take-off being hit by a missile with wings.

The only “irruption” bird I have is a single Red-breasted Nuthatch & as time goes on, it’s appearing that this species may be a year-round resident at our Snake River altitude. I find them year-round at the cabin but as various conifers mature in our area, along with available cavities in cottonwoods & aspen, maybe I’ll get nesting at some point.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot