Hackensack, NJ Community Message Boards
General Category => Hackensack Discussion => Topic started by: Chief Oratam on February 13, 2010, 11:36:40 AM
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Are there any back yard bird feeders here...?
and if so.....
Has anyone noticed the lack of Cardinals and Blue Jays this year.....I really didn't miss them until the 12 '' of snow this past wednesday....usually when the ground is blanketed with snow like this....they are at my feeder....but not this year... none to be seen anywhere....just wondering if maybe they moved to your back yard....
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I wonder if their absence has anything to do with an increase in raptors.
I typically notice them more in Spring.
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On another site, a woman in Georgia posted a picture of 2 cardinals in the snow there this week. A woman in Miami praised the picture and then said:
"We get cardinals in our backyard too, although we haven't seen any lately. I think ours may have flown further south."
Hmmm.........
I usually get one chirping away in a pine tree just below my living room window, but I think it's a little early for that.
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You are not imagining, there has been a catastrophic decline in the Blue Jay population and their closest relative, the Common Crow.
I did a little searching online, the culprit is the West Nile Virus.
West Nile Virus is most seriously impacting the following avian species: Crow, Black-Capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jay, Ring-Billed Gull, Common Grackle, House Finch, and House Sparrow.
Other species in decline are Northern Cardinals, owls, all species of raptors, and Gray Catbird.
The virus is new to the Western Hemisphere, and will decimate many species of birds. Those few that survive will be genetically resistant, and pass on their genes, while those which are not immune will not pass on their genes. So in a few dozen bird generations, there will be a new population that is resistant to the virus. Not in our lifetime, but this is an example of evolution in action.
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A friend told me she saw 3 female cardinals and at least one male in her backyard last week. She uses a particular seed to attract cardinals.
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I have a Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal out at my feeder now ....I think its as JustWatching says it might be the West Nile....Because there used to be alot more Cardinals then there are now.....
They are really tough birds them and Blue Jays..They will fight for theirs.....
I dont think its a rapture issue ...I do have a Sharp Shin Hawk that uses my back yard as it's own little deli from time to time....but it only seems to like the more delicate and tender Morning Doves.....all you see is a little pile of fine downy feathers when its through....
That's Nature.............
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There's a tree outside my living room window where the occasional cardinal or blue jay comes to sing.
A cardinal came by today and I recorded the song on my cellphone (you can't see the bird, who's in the middle of the tree). Later, I heard the cardinal again and recorded that too.
During playback, I noticed that the songs were different.
Any ornithologists out there who'd know if these are male and female songs or just 2 birds with different musical tastes?
http://v5.tinypic.com/player.swf?file=qzg3h0&s=5http://v5.tinypic.com/player.swf?file=2ikdx6x&s=5
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Interesting. I had always thought I was hearing two different species when I heard those calls. You recorded two of the ten song types of cardinals.
For anyone who is really curious: http://math.uc.edu/~pelikan/Dora/AllNoCamp3/NoCaSummary.html
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You recorded two of the ten song types of cardinals.
A little (red) birdie told me that the two songs were celebratory in nature and that they were sung because Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols hit two home runs in the season opener yesterday. ;)
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Lucky that the Cardinals weren't up against the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Lucky that the Cardinals weren't up against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Too bad that the Blue Jays weren't visiting the Baltimore Orioles in their nest stadium yesterday.
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