[Tweeters] Nuthatch dispersal-Eastern Washington observations

[Kim Thorburn]

Bill's observations about the poor conifer cone crop are interesting. Ponderosa pines around my area of Spokane County are practically absent of cones after several years of huge cone production, including one that blanketed the forest floors with sprouting seedlings. Pollen production, however, seemed heavy last spring so I suspect it has something to do with reproductive cycling by these trees that also show considerable stress from our periods of extreme drought. My observations some years have been that cones were smaller and often fell before maturity.

The most prominent bird species observation that I've related to conifer cone production is red crossbills. For several years, they've been everywhere in our area. After 2 nesting cycles this year in my yard, they're completely gone as of several weeks ago. I've not seen any in all my local Ponderosa pine forest haunts. Certainly, this irruptive finch cycles in our area but its prominent presence of the past few years seemed remarkably prolonged and its recent disappearance quite precipitous. I'm observing the same about Cassin's finches that tend to be more sporadic around here anyway. I've also been cognizant of an absence of Clark's nutcrackers during hikes in the Selkirks.

Pygmy nuthatches are another story. I count this as a remarkably abundant year, both in my yard as well as a number of my breeding bird surveys. They don't seem dependent on cone production for forage, and I wonder if our stressed trees might be better habitat. Could high production success be pushing nuthatches yonder?


Kim



Kim Marie Thorburn, MD, MPH

Spokane, WA

(509) 465-3025


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