Date: 4/12/25 12:44 pm From: Jim Betz via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Worried about lack of birds at my feeders
Laura-mae,
Do you have water out that is suitable for both drinking -and-
bathiing? We have a
"bubbling fountain" and if that is off the birds are not here/very small
numbers and
varieties ... and when it is on we have an entirely different backyard.
The important
water source that is missing may not be in your yard - perhaps at a
neighbor's house?
We all have to be very careful about phrases like "collapse of bird
population in the
area" when we are basing our observations on just one data point such as
our own
backyard.
I am -not- saying that there "is no collapse" (I don't know/can't
answer that
question) ... I'm saying that it takes a lot more data from a -lot- more
sources to
call a local/temporary/this season/this year/in my yard ... noticeable
reduction a
"collapse".
I am also concerned (a recent presentation to the Skagit Audubon
Society made
me also worried) ... but I don't have the data to say "here also".
Have you checked eBird ("explore") for checklists in your area (a
local hotspot?)?
Have you used that in ways that show trends both year-to-year and
month-to-month?
Are you using eBird to log what you see - so you can go back and check
against
previous years?
- Jim in Skagit
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2025 19:13:30 +0000
> From: Laura-Mae Baldwin via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> To: "<tweeters...>" <tweeters...>
> Subject: [Tweeters] Worried about lack of birds at my feeders
> Message-ID:
> <CO1PR08MB6788E9FA53BD835C11AFAF64C1B62...>
>
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>
> I live north of the University in Seattle and near both the Roosevelt reservoir and Ravenna Park. Usually we have a robust showing of chickadees, nuthatches, Bewick's wrens, Stellars jays, and crows and all seem to be largely missing this year. Crows have always been regulars, but I put out peanuts days ago and no one has come to claim them. I fear a collapse of the bird population in this area. Are others experiencing the same?
>
> We have had a Townsend's warbler, goldfinches, yellow-rumped warblers on and off and I did hear a Varied Thrush a few weeks ago. But these are rarities rather than regulars even in good years.
>
> Hoping for reassurance.
> Thank you
> Laura-Mae
