Date: 1/11/26 1:31 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: Bird numbers seem normal here
Your list sounds very like ours from some years back. We had a greater variety of birds several years ago, but I stopped feeding them due to a stray cat. Many months (over a year?) later, when there no longer seemed to be strays about, we started feeding birds again. For added insurance, we put up small wire fences that would not really keep anything away, but might allow birds a better chance to get away from a possible predator. However, we never saw another Harris's Sparrow (had been 4 regular visitors every winter), and much fewer Fox Sparrows (had been typically 9 each year). Yet we still had many interesting visitors, including Sharp-shinned Hawks. This year there seems to a big drop-off. Perhaps several causes: neighbor's actions, more pruning and road grading near-by overall, warmer weather? In cold weather there is some increase, anyway.
On Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 03:32:42 PM CST, Judy Griffith <9waterfall9...> wrote:
We’ve had the usual birds here at the feeders pretty much every day, probably the same species as your lists and we watch them every single morning while drinking coffee. Crows (a family group of 5 - 6), Blue Jays (10 - 14), Downy Woodpeckers (3+), Red-bellied Woodpeckers (3), sometimes a Hairy Woodpecker, and the Pileated stay farther out in woods or yard and don’t come to the feeders. LOTS of Titmice, LOTS of Chickadees, Juncos, both White-breasted (3+) and Red-breasted Nuthatches (1-2), Mourning Doves (10 - 12), LOTS of Cardinals, Goldfinches which vary daily, Purple Finches (6 - 10), House Finches vary, White-throated Sparrows (8 - 12), Carolina Wrens (2-3), and the occasional Red-shouldered Hawk hoping for a meal. A Sharpie sat in a big Oak over the house and scared everything away for a couple hours this week. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers can be heard in nearby trees as can Bluebirds. We also see and hear the Belted Kingfishers and Great Blue Herons flying over the creek just beyond the yard. Bald Eagles, both immature and mature, fly overhead along with Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures. I asked Don if he thinks we have fewer birds visiting the feeders and he also thinks the numbers are about the same as usual.
Of course we have not had much truly COLD weather yet or any precipitation over 1/10th inch since October, and our yard is right along the creek, plus I have several saucers of water available for wildlife, so maybe that’s why we are seeing normal numbers of birds. Also we have no outdoor cats!We've observed several insect hatchings in this weather which indicate there are lots of bugs available and some berries.IF IT SNOWS the birds who know to come to our yard will increase plus we would expect to see more irruptive species - like Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, Crossbills, or even a Redpoll!!!
Judith30 years at NinestoneNinestone, County Carroll
