Re: [Maine-birds] Status of winter mast in Maine

I echo Bill's statements.

 

In southern Maine, Monhegan, and some of the Mid-Coast peninsulas, fruit and cone-age is plentiful. 

 

Fruit in particular abundance includes  mountain-ash, apple, viburnums of various sorts, and dogwood (Alternate-leafed, Gray-stemmed, and Red Osier -  all of which will be consumed by migrants before the winter).  Crabapple is a little spottier, but overall good enough. 

Red Spruce cones are exceptionally abundant, but White Pine seems average - or perhaps a little below.  I haven't paid too much attention to White Pine though.  Acorns are also plentiful. 

 

My counts of irruptives at Sandy Point have proven to be a good indicator of food supplies to the north.  This year, very few Red-breasted Nuthatches, only a few Purple Finches, zero Pine Siskins, and relatively low numbers of Blue Jays and Black-capped Chickadees all suggest there is food a'plenty to our north.

 

-Derek

 

------------------
Jeannette and Derek Lovitch
Freeport Wild Bird Supply
541 Route One, Suite 10
Freeport, ME 04032
Ph: (207)865-6000/Fax: (207)865-6069
www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com
Visit our E-store http://store.freeportwildbirdsupply.com/

From: Bill Sheehan <bill.j.sheehan@gmail.com>
To: Stella Walsh <stellawalsh@earthlink.net>
Cc: Maine-Birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: [Maine-birds] Status of winter mast in Maine

Hi Stella et al.

For northern Maine, bird food situation is pretty much as Ron Pittaway detailed it for adjacent Canada:  

Spruce and Fir cone crop good/heavy but not bumper.  Pine cone production seem about average to light but there aren't a lot of Pine trees up this way to judge.

Mt Ash are tilting to the ground with the abundant load of berries.  Likewise Highbush Cranberry.

Apples are good where the late freeze didn't kill the blossoms in late May.

Nuts are decent with beech and hazel producing about average to good.

Don't know about birch and alder yet.

In summary, there's plenty for the birds to eat if they make it here.  I agree that the exceptionally wet summer has set up the northeast Maine/eastern Canada with supplies to make for an easy winter food-wise.  The birds may not have to roam far... With the exception of occasional Purple Finch and regular Am. Goldfinches I haven't run in to any of winter irruptives yet this month.

A couple Snow Geese have arrived with the hordes of Canadas, and Lesser Scaup and Pintails are showing in good numbers in central Aroostook.  Saw a Red-necked Grebe at Arnold Brook Lake yesterday.

Cheers

Bill

On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 6:37 AM, Stella Walsh <stellawalsh@earthlink.net> wrote:

With the winter finch forecast out, I'd be interested in hearing the status of the cone and fruit/nut mast around the state.

OK, Derek, Bill, Bob, Jeff, Peter, et all-what are you seeing?

Stella

--
--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207

---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mailto:maine-birds%2Bunsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

--
Bill Sheehan
Woodland, Aroostook Co., Maine
http://northernmainebirds.blogspot.com/

--
--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
 
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.