I’ve just been studying “our” flock, and the vast majority are adult females or immature males. There are only a few rosy-breasted adult males mixed in. Does anyone know if the males tend to stay on their breeding territories more than the rest of the population?
Maeve Kim, Jericho Center

> On Jan 8, 2021, at 2:06 PM, Richard Littauer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> My guess is that they will only form larger flocks specifically around
> feeders as the winter progresses. Zac Cota-Weaver noticed that many of the
> birch stands he's looked at have been stripped of their seeds. Nona Estrin
> also mentioned to me that the grass seeds she's opened have been very thin,
> following the drought, and she wondered if our seed-eating birds may need
> to struggle to find food at all. Evening Grosbeaks have made it all the way
> to Florida this year, which is fairly rare.
> 
> If anyone else has more insight on the late winter movements of these
> finches, especially in Vermont or among our bioregions here, I'd be
> interested.
> 
> Best,
> R
> 
> On Fri, Jan 8, 2021 at 1:40 PM Maeve Kim <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> It’s not breeding season, but they’re reproducing anyway. The flock at our
>> feeders started out around 6, then went to 15-20, then in the 30s, and now
>> it’s over 50. The little cuties are wickedly hard to count, but every now
>> and then a good percentage of them scatter over the snow to pick up
>> scattered seed and we can get a good estimate. Another treat of backyard
>> birding this year!
>> Maeve Kim, Jericho Center
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Richard | @richlitt <https://twitter.com/richlitt> | burntfen.com
> <http://www.burntfen.com>