Steve and Tweeters,



So far, I haven't noticed more than one or two lethargic siskin at my place,
also in Olympia. I do clean feeders, but perhaps not as diligently as your
aforementioned friend. They have been ever present for some weeks now. I
have had a few more than usual hit our windows, though. An adult sharpie
bombed through here last week, leaving with siskin in talons; a Cooper's
Hawk passed through this morning unsuccessfully. But I am not always
watching, and know the accipiters must be passing through more often than I
see them. On November 11th, I was working down in the veggie garden, and
heard the siskin swarm rise up in semi-hysteria; looked up to see the first
Merlin I have seen in our yard. It perched and I was even able to get a
scope on it, briefly. Yard bird #85., fewer than I expected when we moved
here 9 years ago.



Kristin Stewart

Kristinstewart01 at comcast.net

Olympia WA



_____

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Steven
Herman
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2012 3:59 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Siskins and Cooper's Hawk





Subject: Siskins and Cooper's Hawk

I haven't been following Tweeters closely in recent weeks, so I don't
know how much "sick siskin" chat there has been.

I have two friends in Olympia who have been reporting "carpets" of
siskins at their feeders. One (who never cleans his feeders) reports
no lethargy, sickness, or mortality, while the other (who cleans and
"sterilizes" his feeder regularly) is picking up several siskins
daily. And in a new and interesting twist, a Cooper's Hawk is
targeting the ailing siskins; it has taken three this morning. Is this
picture consistent in any way with the current experience of others in
our area?

Steve Herman