Like Paulette, the feast part of feast-or-famine has hit my yard. The cause: My huge Pacific Dogwood trees with their ripe "buttons." For the past 5 days, a huge flock will descend on these trees to pick the seeds out of these red buttons, called by the kuk-kuk-kuk of several Pileated Woodpeckers. They are then joined by several Flickers, a hundred Robins, 30 Cedar Waxwings, and a couple of Steller's Jays. Some years, they are joined by Bandtailed Pigeons, but they haven't appeared yet, maybe tomorrow. This has been going on for a couple of hours twice a day lately. This is an annual event every September.

Diane Yorgason-Quinn
Wauna, WA
Avosetta at hotmail.com

________________________________
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces at mailman11.u.washington.edu> on behalf of Clovis Ache <clovisache at hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 5:56 PM
To: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net>; TWEETERS tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] bird numbers

Hi Tweeters and Dennis,

Today there were about 100 Red-winged Blackbirds under the feeders. Just 2 days ago, there was 1. I'm also seeing more Juncos and Chickadees. I read about the New Mexico die-off and the destruction of grouse habitat in WA. This all makes me sad. Because of the smoke, I haven't been out in a few days but will check when the air clears a bit.

Paulette
Sequim

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I
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces at mailman11.u.washington.edu> on behalf of Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 10:53 PM
To: TWEETERS tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters] bird numbers

Hello, tweets.

A couple of friends have asked me about bird numbers and environmental factors in the Seattle area. They feel they really have seen fewer birds in their yard in the last few weeks, more than was to be expected by random movement and dispersal of juveniles. Has anyone else noticed such a thing? I'm really not sure about our yard, as all the species are still here, but it does seem as if there is a bit less activity than before. Reading about the die-off in New Mexico certainly makes me apprehensive about our bird populations.

We have had a very slow flow of migrants. Today an Orange-crowned Warbler and two Hermit Thrushes at once visited the yard. One of them wouldn't let the other one in the fountain, definitely behaving as a hermit.

Dennis Paulson
Seattle
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