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All:
People have asked about the whences and whys of Red-bellied
Woodpeckers here. It was once a rare bird in NS, but is now regular.
Only about 50 were reported before 2000, but oevr 200 since, mostly in
big invasions in fall 2005 and 08. Now it's fall 2011, so I wondered
if there was anything on mast (acorn) crops in New England that might
give a clue. The information is mixed, but one source hints at a
3-year cycle:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1939313
I wonder if these woodpeckers invade here in low years seeking food
elsewhere, or after bumper years, because of territorial evictions of
last year's large numbers of young? Might be some of each. Googled
sources indicate that 2008 was a poor year and 2009 a bumper year in
New England, but I haven't pursued it further. Someone should - it
would make a nice little article for e.g. "Nova Scotia Birds."
Cheers, Ian
Ian McLaren
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