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I'm pretty sure I didn't post Ron Pittaway's forecast for this winter before. He predicted a big move out of the eastern North woods, but they will only stay here in numbers if they like the conditions. I do have my doubts about our coniferous cone crop & his article implies the same: "The theme this winter is that each finch species will use a different strategy to deal with the widespread tree seed crop failure in the Northeast. It will be a quiet winter in the eastern North Woods. See individual species forecasts for details. Both coniferous and hardwood tree seed crops are generally poor from northeastern Ontario extending eastward across Quebec to Newfoundland south through the Maritime Provinces, New York and New England States. Within the Northeast there are pockets of good crops. Cone crops are much better in the Hudson Bay Lowlands and northwestern Ontario west to Alberta, Northwest Territories and Yukon. Three irruptive non-finch passerines whose movements are linked to finches are also discussed." His article is here: http://www.jeaniron.ca/2012/finchforecast2012.htm A number of you have been seeing Evening Grosbeaks & since Nov. 4 Ken McKenna & Dominic Cormier have reported Pine Grosbeaks on eBird. I also had 3 Pine Grosbeaks in my yard at White Rock yesterday. I don't see any eBird reports of Common Redpolls in NS yet. Today I had 46 at Horton Landing feeding in birches. So I've already seen 2 winter finches that in some years I don't see all winter. It must be a winter finch year. On a somewhat related note, I saw all of the following on the Grand Pre dykelands today: Horned Lark, American Pipit, Lapland Longspur & Snow Bunting. These have all been "around" but this speaks of winter to me. Rick Whitman
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