Out here in the northeast Mason County area there's been a great number of birds disappearing since the hot weather back in mid-August. Normally this time of year I'd be inundated with Band-Tailed Pigeons but not this year. They didn't have as many young this year as usual nor the the Mountain Quail (only one brood I know about in our entire subdivision).

About the only thing in my yard now are a few jays and towhees and a good size flock of mourning doves. Now and again a junco pops out of the bushes or I hear a flicker but the yard is amazingly quiet. This all started before the wildfire smoke started last week. Only the squirrels are using the watering dish I have out on the deck.

For the first time in over a week I could see house lights across the valley about 3/4 mile away when I got up this morning.

My winter flocks (juncoes and red-winged blackbirds) have not yet returned.

Mary Hrudkaj
Belfair/Tahuya

________________________________
From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces at mailman11.u.washington.edu> on behalf of Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 3:53 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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