Subject: Of Eagles, Ducks, Siskins, Sharp Shins and Jays
Date: May 16 07:48:50 1999
From: Diane Martin - jerseycow at localaccess.com


Just some notes from the last week here on the Chehalis River.

Yesterday my husband watched one of our neighbor eagles (their nest is
1/4 mile out my kitchen window) preying on the mallard ducklings that
are being raised in our manure "lagoon". Mixed feelings here.

Despite my cleaning efforts we seem to be experiencing a salmonella
outbreak in the pine siskins at my bird feeder. Don't know if I should
pull the feeder or not. I also have a large population of gold finches
and blackbirds as well as an assortment of finch species and the
occasional black headed grosbeak and red crossbill that come in. These
birds don't seem to be having any trouble. Is there any "standard" way
to deal with this problem? My local sharp shinned hawk is really
appreciating things the way they are - these poor siskins make easy
picking.

On the Scrub Jay Discussion: Over the last five years I have watched as
Scrub Jays have established themselves on our property. I have at least
one nesting pair this year along a creek bed that runs through here.
They occasionally work my suet feeders. The down side to this seems to
be the gradual decrease in the Stellers Jays. I don't know if there is
a direct conflict between these two species but our usual winter
populations of Stellers has nearly disappeared - we have Scrubs here all
year.

Diane Martin
West of Chehalis