Since my first post on this subject this morning I have noted only 6 or 8
siskins at my feeders. I do have a sharpie pass through a couple times a
day but that could not possibly be the problem. In the past when the
sharpie makes a pass the little fellows just duck and cover only to come
back out a few min. later. Since the snow I have noted a gradual drop
off in the number of siskins at the feeders. I had a LOT of siskins. I
attempted to count them about two weeks ago and gave up at 235 when I
could not keep up with their jumping around. This was a flock on the
ground and the count was not more than 60 or 70 percent when I quit.
There was a flock of at least that same number in a tree next to the
feeders. Yesterday there was a great number of birds at the feeders.
Today there is only the 6 or 8. BTW, there had been a large flock of
finches at my feeders ( I estimate 100 or so ) but they left town when
the siskins came around. I now only have 10 or 12.

Doug Hudson, Bremerton
dhudson at linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us