In response to Bob's mention of Don Simonson's Purple Finches not being
seen since December, I had female Purple Finches at my feeders in Elkton
in October, but not since then. I keep looking. The other birds that
have been missing from my feeders this winter are some sparrows. I
usually have a good assortment and regular visits of American Tree, Fox,
Swamp, and Field, as well as White-throats and Song, but this year I
have had only infrequent glimpses of Field and no Tree, Fox or Swamp at
all. These species have also been absent or in low numbers on my forays
into various sites in Cecil County this winter.
Marcia
Marcia Watson
Elkton, MD
Cecil Bird Club
Maryland Ornithological Society
-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Bob Mumford
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 3:06 PM
To:
Subject: A Plethora of Purples
Every year since I moved to my current location in 1991, purple finches
have
shown up in March and have usually stayed around for a couple of weeks,
feeding at my window feeder. One year I missed them altogether. About
half the
falls I have seen a few for just a few days.
This year, eight or so have been around all winter. Not every day, but
every
week. Four pinkies and four brownies. Yesterday there were more.
Today, there were more here than ever before: at least twenty, with at
least
four pinkies.
I have only seen the Carpodacus purpureus crinitis the one time, on
February
26.
One curiosity: Don Simonson, who lives only a long block away through
the
woods, has not had purples since December.
Bob Mumford
Darnestown
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