[cobirds] Finch Exodus? (Larimer County)

While a finch irruption is taking place in the East, it seems like we are witnessing a finch "exodus," at least here in the Larimer County foothills.  At this time of year, our most numerous feeder birds are usually Cassin's Finches and Pine Siskins (at 8000 feet in mixed Ponderosa/Douglas habitat).  And often we have regular visits by Red Crossbills.  While we were traveling for three weeks in late October and early November and were not feeding birds, it is highly unusual that not one Cassin's or siskin (nor crossbills) have returned in the two weeks we have been home.  At the same time, we have an overabundance of Steller's Jays, at least a dozen around most of the time, and all three nuthatch species in small numbers feeding on sunflower seed and suet. 

We found a similar lack of finches -- and indeed birds in general -- last weekend when we drove north out of Red Feather Lakes across Prairie Divide to one of our favorite birding areas around Bull Garden.  The ONLY small bird we saw was a Mountain Chickadee.  Normally there would be good numbers of Cassin's Finches, Pine Siskins and Red Crossbills in this Ponderosa Pine forest, which has been rather heavily impacted by the Mountain Pine Beetle.  Which brings me to another observation:  there are very few, to no, cones on the Ponderosa in the areas up here that I have observed, and many of the Ponderosa are dead or dying.  The Douglas Firs have a good cone crop, but the Ponderosa trees have nearly none.  I suspect this -- plus the general reduction in pines with the impact of the Mountain Pine Beetle and the High Park Fire -- is why we see so few birds that normally inhabit pine forests.  At the same time, I suspect that the concentration of Steller's Jays at our feeders might result from the fact that they are less prone to migrate than finches, yet are suffering from a reduction in their normal food sources.

Comments would be appreciated.  Is it the same in other foothills and mountain regions?

 

Charles Bell
612 Manhead Mountain Drive
Livermore, CO 80536
970-484-8791