Comments on: What Has Happened to All the Birds?

By: moonlightlady339

moonlightlady339

So far, so good here in NC. We have feeders, birdbaths, and lower feeding stations for the squirrels. We still have at least three families of cardinals, and a variety of finches, chickadees, pidgeons, etc. I think a lot depends on the area. We live in the city but behind our houses, is a dense “forest”…hence the name, “Oakwood Forest”, and back there, they have a number of shrubs, extremely tall old gum trees, lots of grown over tree limbs, etc…makes for pretty good shelter. Well, we all know that everything in the wildlife world is “predatory”. Something “does” kill off small things around here. A neighbor told me that some idiot introduced coyotes into Uwharrie Forest to “control the deer population”…eek.
Well, I’m not sure, but I think I’ve seen “foxes” and “coyote-like” creatures back in there. Something swift and fast took out a cat of ours. Owls are becoming a problem…they swoop down and carry off small dogs and kittens, no lie. We’ve seen them. Also, I read recently where one deadly strain of “bird flu” can kill off a percentage as high as 90% in bird colonies. I agree with the windmill thing. Wouldn’t be worth it if it’s not saving enough energy to really make a difference, and definitely wouldn’t be worth it, if it’s mutilating the poor birds. Birds have enough trouble with “airplanes”. I “wish” birds were smarter. You’d think “once” they say “one bird” get eaten by a cat…it would be like, “ooh, let’s don’t go too close to the ground there…predator”. You’d think that “once” they saw one relative hit the giant corporate window…they’d go, “eek, that’s not an open window”. You think that “once” they saw relatives get grinded up in an airplanes’ propeller, they’d go “eek, blender, let’s avoid that one. But no-o-o-oh…they just keep on making the same deadly mistakes. We’re lucky “any of them survive”. I’m glad some do. The songbirds in our backyard actually serenade me when I come out to bring them fresh water and feed. It’s “so touching” to hear how “gracious and grateful” they are. Yes, it would be “so sad” for God’s beautiful winged creatures to no longer exist. I’m getting on in years, but let’s hope they’ll all be around for centuries to come. “moon”

By: jennifer

jennifer

i read somewhere that it might have something to do with the earth’s magnetic field since that is how birds navigate in the winter. but what about the bees? I hear they’re disappearing too.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia

I haven’t noticed a change this year. I sit in a place where I can see our yard all day and we still get plenty of finches, siskins, chickadees and titmouses (mice?) I’ve even seen some cedar waxwings some warblers and vireos, in addition to a host of tree clinging birds and armies of robins. I don’t have a feeder but, I do grow berry producing bushes (like viburnum and wild roses.) I also have a bird bath with a water drip. Each morning, I dump the block of ice and put warm water in it and the wildlife arrives right away. The poor things really need water these days, even if all you have is pie tin to place on the ground, it will help.

By: Jo

oops. That’s http://www.wind-watch.org/

By: Jo

I am not sure but I think the windmill “farms” that are beginning to scatter the landscape here in Maine have taken their toll on the bird population. I have been doing a lot of research on these 400 foot monsters and have concluded that they will (or have already had) a negative effect on bird populations.

Rachel Carson wrote about a “Silent Spring” due to the poisons mankind has put into our environment. Wouldn’t it be a kick in the butt to find out we have another silent spring and winter) due to trying to clean up the environment.

The sad truth about the wind farms is that not one of them, worldwide, has closed one coal-fired plant. And none of the electricity generated here in Maine will benefit Maine people.

I have not been able to get an honest assessment about the impact of windfarms on the environment and wildlife and especially birds from the people who are making the big bucks building these “farms”. I doubt if they care about birds or anything else except their profit.

I saw my first winter cardinal this evening. I cried because we used to have so many of them. And our sweet juncos (snowbirds) that used to come in huge flocks are all but gone. We have the titmice, chickadees, both kinds of nuthatches, a couple of woodpeckers and some sparrows and mourning doves but not in the numbers of last year.

I hope I am wrong about windfarms. I hope the birds make a comeback. I hope it is just what you suggested, Shirley, that the cold wet summer was not good for the survival of the baby birds.

I hope because a planet (or just a backyard feeder) without birds is incomprehensible to me.

By: Debbie

Debbie

We just moved to this place in April so I am not sure what is normal here but I do know that I rarily saw a Robin. My computer sits next to a large window that has a couple huge bushes in front of it. Usually in the mornings I can sit at here with my coffee and enjoy cardinals, chickadees, wrens, etc… We didn’t feed them this summer but we did put a couple feeders out when it started turning cold and I don’t think they have really noticed them yet.

I miss our old place. We had tons of bluebirds and finches there and I enjoyed watching them play in the snow.

Stay warm,
Debbie

By: goldfish

goldfish

I’ve noticed the same thing here in central PA. I even bought a nice “squirrel-proof” bird feeder this year. I was beginning to fear that it was bird-proof, too! So far just a few chickadees, juncos, titmice and a cardinal couple have stopped by.

By: cricket

cricket

I have the feeder this year and bread that I have thrown or the Hippy thrown out one. We do not have as many birds niether this year. All I can say is a long hard cold winter once it sets in. 2 inches here and feet in the South Towns.