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">and  took over the nest site - filled it full of straw
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Never stop passing along those observations, Paul!
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of Paul MacDonald
Sent: February-03-13 12:30 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] House Sparrows
Sounds like Cousin knows what she is talking about Andy.
In the old days House Sparrows used to be connected with small
herds of cattle. Nearly everyone on small farms kept maybe 20 cows.
and a flock of about the same number of sparrows.
The cows provided food and shelter to the birds.
In addition mosquito and numerous other flies likes the cows.
Never tent near a cow pasture!
Swallows loved the flies and always there was a flock of swallows with
the cows. The cows kept the mud around the drinking tub churned up
so it was easy for the swallows to build their nest. Once finished, the
sparrows chased away the swallows and took over the nest site - filled it
full of straw and raised their brood leaving the swallows t build another
nest.
When the small herds of cattle disappeared so did the swallows and the
sparrows.
Someone had a quote about pulling on one thing in nature and the effects
ripple out.
The case here!
Paul
--- On Sun, 2/3/13, Andy Dean <aadean@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
From: Andy Dean <aadean@ns.sympatico.ca>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] House Sparrows
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Received: Sunday, February 3, 2013, 7:54 AM
I mailed my English cousin where they are having the same trend.
Her reply:
In some way it is global warming but a big factor is loss of habitat. The
loft insulation and uvpc soffats and building regulations have deprived them
of traditional nesting sites.....plus as a country we seem to be hell bent
on covering the entire British Isles in concrete. We are building houses
just about anywhere without regard for services let alone wildlife..
Andy and Lelia Dean
86 Baden Powell drive,
Kentville, N.S.
B4N 5P5
(902) 678-6243
aadean@ns.sympatico.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: P.L. Chalmers
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2013 10:46 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] House Sparrows
John Sollows' remark about House Sparrows reminds me of a belated
observation I intended to post.
I was interested to hear Ian McLaren and James Hirtle interviewed on
Information Morning two weeks ago concerning the decline of House Sparrows.
I have walked the same mile-long route to work in the mornings for about
twenty years. When I first moved here, there were five locations along the
way where there were resident colonies of House Sparrows. Gradually they
disappeared. I wanted to confirm my impression of this, so I have made a
point of observing every day recently as I walk, and I haven't seen a single
House Sparrow. I know there are still a few in the vicinity of the last
stop: they must have moved to a different feeder just out of range for me,
but there have been none at the other four stations for some time, despite
the fact that the people there still feed birds.
It is striking how they have declined. I found it difficult to confirm
their breeding in some of my Atlas squares in Annapolis County a few years
ago.
Patricia L. Chalmers
Halifax
At 06:00 AM 02/02/2013, you wrote:
Over the past couple or three decades down Yarmouth way, morning doves are
one of those species which have gone from being relatively noteworthy to
being highly commonplace. More or less the reverse of the house sparrow
story!
-----Original Message-----
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [ mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of P.L. Chalmers
Sent: February-01-13 11:30 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Mourning Doves - Can they become pests?
Don,
That's interesting. Your neighbourhood was checked during the
Christmas Bird Count, and none were found then. However, in recent years
there was a good-sized flock that moved around from the foot of Springvale
Avenue to just south of Mount Olivet Cemetery, which isn't all that far from
you. I did that area this year, and didn't find them.
Cheers,
Patricia
At 10:45 PM 01/02/2013, you wrote:
>I now have about 16 Mourning Doves coming to my backyard near the
>Halifax Shopping Centre (none in previous years). They must be making
>incursions into the city.
>
>Don
>
>Don MacNeill
>donmacneill@bellaliant.net
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
>To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
>Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 9:53 PM
>Subject: [NatureNS] Mourning Doves - Can they become pests?
>
>
>During the recent cold spell I was more generous than usual in stocking
>my feeders. There was more spillage of seed, and to my surprise I now
>have up to six Mourning Doves coming to feed. This might not seem
>unusual to many of you, but MoDo's are not common on the Halifax
>Peninsula. In fact last year was the first time that I had even one of
>these lovely birds in my yard. In my limited experience of them in
>Bedford, they roosted and nested in trees, and were pretty unobtrusive.
>I was wondering, though, have they become a pest, like pigeons, in
>places where they are numerous? Will they roost around buildings?
>
>Patricia L. Chalmers
>Halifax
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