[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Dead Babies! Klumsy Kidnappers?



Tomm, and carolinabirds:

Given the winds of yesterday afternoon, which gusted up to 45 mph here in
Alleghany County, could these young unfledged birds have been simply thrown
from nests being wildly whipped by wind? I was speculating about this late
Saturday while watching leaves and small branches coming off trees around my
house.


James H. Coman, III
Executive Director
Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust
P.O. Box 2557
Boone, N. C. 28607
Farm Office 336-359-2909
Fax 336-359-8643 

 


on 6/1/03 4:12, Tomm Lorenzin at skytomm@1000plus.com wrote:

> On a 2km walking route this morning, I counted a dozen altricial, totally
> featherless birdyoung DOR (dead on the road).  This must be a small part of
> the total nestling dead that aren't as easily seen in the adjacent
> shoulders, scrub, lawns, and woods. Since these babies obviously didn't walk
> to their final resting places, I must assume that they were dropped from
> above.  After predatory birds (Jays, Grackles, Crows, etc.) napped the
> kiddies, they either dropped them or lost them in an aerial contest with
> another predator. My question is this: Why are the droppees not recovered or
> assumed by other predatory birds?  I know that this is the height of the
> mating/nesting season, and that the casualties are to be expected and
> more-than-made-up-for by nestling numbers and multi-brooding. But, I do not
> recall seeing dead nestlings in such great numbers before, and I have been
> caused to wonder at the source of the apparition.
> 
> BTW, is anyone else experiencing great numbers (greater than in past years)
> of Brown Thrashers and House Wrens?
> 
> ALSO, I witnessed a female Brown-headed Cowbird chasing/harassing a Grackle.
> Because such harassment is not-at-all uncommon, it took a few moments for
> identity of the chaser to sink in.  What is a BHCO protecting?  Certainly
> not her own nest...
> 
> Cheers!
> Tomm "naughty boy" Lorenzin
> Mooresville (Lake Norman), NC
> SkyTomm(a)1000plus.com
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> So he stood in his shoes
> And he wonder'd,
> He wonder'd,
> He stood in his
> Shoes and he wonder'd.
> ~ John Keats
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Visit me at: http://www.1000plus.com/Cataract/
> 
>