Return of the Birds?

As I wrap up my 11th week of counting for the Project FeederWatch season, the birds finally seem to be coming back!

We're having an awful winter here in upstate New York: above average temperatures and below average snow.  In fact, essentially NO snow.  No ice.  And lots of natural food sources still available and accessible.  All the makins' of poor activity at bird feeders.

Here's an insect that was outside on my window on the 1st of February!

In fact, on my FeederWatch days, the temperatures have averaged 5 degrees above freezing.  The ground was snow-free until January 23, and even now, each snow cover we get is followed by warm temperatures or rain.

Until our first decent snowfall just a couple weeks ago, I averaged only 8 species at my feeders.  For comparison, over the last 7 Project FeederWatch seasons, I average 12 species, 50% more!  And the number of individual birds each count period averaged only 46.  Again, this is WAY down compared to my previous seasons' average of 71 birds.

Two Blue Jays on a overcast winter day

I knew things were bad when I had very few Blue Jays around.  Blue Jays for gosh sakes!!   Blue Jay populations have been increasing around my area and I've had jay counts in the thirties!  So I really notice the difference when there's no blue in the yard and I average only 5 jays.

16 Blue Jays fill the plum tree

But...things MAY be looking up (where's the wood to knock on?)  Since we got a little snow, the jay numbers are up (25 this week!)  Dark-eyed Juncos are up too; 31 of these guys shared the ground beneath the feeders with 21 Mourning Doves.

Female Northern Cardinal

But I've also had the return of a couple birds that have been absent this winter.  Mrs. Northern Cardinal has pretty regularly now been making at least one visit a day to the yard.  A couple Tufted Titmice finally visited the feeders over the weekend and I was glad that at least one of them showed up on count day.  And I was was very happy to have a couple Purple Finches drop by!  They breed in the area, but are infrequent visitors during the winter months.  Even an American Robin stopped by, since there are still berries on some shrubs in my yard.

Tufted Titmouse at a heated birdbath

  

American Robin enjoying berries

But alas, today is warm and rainy again and I expect that what remains of the snow cover will soon disappear.  My 2011-12 Project FeederWatch season is slipping away, but I have to remember that low bird counts tell scientists as much as high bird counts do.  Small consolation to a girl that just wants a little more birdlife in her yard.  Is that too much to ask?

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Rohrerbot - I have plenty - where are we sending them? ;)
Marianne - this weird winter is probably throwing things off as much for the birds as it is for us!
Raymond - boy, that's a LOT of goldfinches. Almost redpoll-type numbers!

[Margaret]

We have pretty extensive snow cover here (except for that spot mysteriously coincident with the septic tank), and yet the batch of siskins that blew through last weekend didn't completely pig out at the finch feeder (as is their typical wont). Hmm...

[Raymond Schmidt]

Goldfinch are saving my feeder watch season. Overall my species counts are 12-14, but numbers way down. Goldies in the 24-30 range are giving me numbers between 80 and 100. Way down from the 125-150 totals of last year.

[Marianne Russell]

I too have had very low bird counts - but I do have the tufteds and a few cardinalsand actually lots of purple finches - all numbers lower than last year. But I must say, I was very happy to hear my first cardinal singing about two weeks earlier than last year - in mid January?!!!! Last year it was around February 1!

[Rohrerbot]

Gorgeous shots. The Jays are beautiful. You can send some our way:)