Subject: "Snow" and "non-snow" birds
Date: Jan 01 18:48:37 1997
From: Jerry Blinn - 76506.3100 at CompuServe.COM


There has been considerable discussion about what the birds did in all our snow.
I have been remiss in not submitting my experiences, which I know you all have
been waiting, with baited breath (eating anchovies), to hear.

Consistent with the puzzled reports here, our chickadees (both flavors) also
disappeared with the snow, and the Varied Thrushes arrived in droves. (One drove
equals six birds -- we had twelve). The Chickadees remained away for two days,
and then returned with an attitude - like, "Well, where have ~you~ been? - We've
been _____!" The nuthatches returned with them.

Similarly, the daily Purple Finches disappeared, not yet seen again.

Arriving with the Varied Thrushes, which we truly love (and we love that
"Alaskan Robin" moniker - thanks), was a pair of beautifully marked Fox
Sparrows, which are unusual for our yard. They somehow took a liking to our
previously ignored thistle feeder, and have been here for the last four days.
They get the thistle because the Pine Siskins refuse to drop below 75 feet -
they are ravaging the cones on the various conifers which surround us,
especially the cedars. (Well, they're actually Western Redcedars, aren't they.)

Thus, the Fox Sparrow became my first 1997 bird. Better than a Robin, for sure.
I had threatened to drive to the Samish with my eyes closed so my first year
bird would be a Goshawk, but I feared being hit by a hung-over, or still drunk,
celebrant not bright enough to avoid a birder driving, however erratically, with
his eyes closed to avoid seeing a Rock Dove as his first '97 sighting.

Happy New Year to all the Tweets - and the Tweit, too.

Jerry Blinn

Silverdale


E-mail from: Jerry Blinn, 01-Jan-1997