Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) irruption
There have been Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) moving south in very subtle ways for a couple of months now. If you watch migratory hotspots you can sometimes detect their irruption years, especially if that location is not a particularly friendly habitat for the species. I have seen flocks of 10-20 birds tightly packed together and feeding on the move, possibly heading for a feeding station like yours. I always wonder what particular triggers end up notifying a widespread and highly adaptive bird like this one that they should nonetheless change their quarters for the autumn...
Read MoreHungry creatures
The last couple of weeks have been very difficult for many hungry creatures across our landscape. As winter continues to have a firm grip on the northeast region, a day or two of respite aside at the moment before more cold moves in, wildlife faces a struggle to survive as food is exhausted and the ground remains largely covered in snow and frozen solid to a great depth. Multiple people have reported groups of American Robins sitting in their yards in flocks trying to figure out what to eat. Other folks have told us that Robins and other abnormal species have started visiting feeders, a...
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