Subject: [Tweeters] Re: Increase in bird activity
Date: Oct 15 22:38:54 2006
From: Blake Iverson - coopershwk at hotmail.com


I too noticed the increase in bird activity. It seems to me that during the
nicer weather the birds disperse a little more and do their own thing. Once
the weather turns nasty they tend to flock up again and move about the
neighborhood or forest (whatever you live in) etc. It's still early in the
season and certain birds are fattening up for migration or building up
reserves on the body or in the forest (jays taking food and storing them)
and preparing for the winter. Being in flocks allows you to have extra eyes
for predators and if you're not finding food, your neighbor may and you can
go over and join them. They seem to feed off each other's behavior. I read
that during bad weather, cliff swallows (like all swallows) band together
and if I remember correctly, a biologist said that they emit a certain call
that is a "food call", announcing they found food and the rest of the flock
comes in and shares the find. It wouldn't surprise me if other birds do the
same.


Blake Iverson
Bothell, WA
coopershwk at hotmail.com