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The robins that stayed in Ottawa all last winter have done the sensible thing instead this year.
Ottawa’s annual Christmas Bird Count confirmed it this weekend: While thousands upon thousands of robins survived our winter a year ago, there are almost none here this winter. Birder Bruce Di Labio was out all day Sunday and saw one.
Maybe the robins saw what happened to the black-throated gray warbler, a southwestern bird that flew into Ottawa by mistake this winter. It froze last week.
More likely, Di Labio says, the robins totalled up the remaining food situation and headed for the land of sunshine.
“There’s a definitely a major drop in numbers compared to last year,” he said Monday.
“That varies year to year. It depends on the wild berry crop, it depends on temperatures in the fall.
“Last year was exceptional.” Bushes such as blackthorns were loaded with berries, and the fall was relatively mild, so birds stayed late. “But this year it isn’t happening.”
Some onlookers had speculated that the robins might adapt to living year-round in Ottawa in a warming climate, just as they have started wintering in Toronto. But an Ottawa winter is not yet a Toronto winter. As well, we have had a cool, wet summer — difficult conditions for raising young birds.
But there’s other good news for birders, Di Labio said. “The snowy owls are still moving south. They’re at Wolfe Island and Amherst Island. The numbers are ticking up.”
tspears@postmedia.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1
查看原文...
Ottawa’s annual Christmas Bird Count confirmed it this weekend: While thousands upon thousands of robins survived our winter a year ago, there are almost none here this winter. Birder Bruce Di Labio was out all day Sunday and saw one.
Maybe the robins saw what happened to the black-throated gray warbler, a southwestern bird that flew into Ottawa by mistake this winter. It froze last week.
More likely, Di Labio says, the robins totalled up the remaining food situation and headed for the land of sunshine.
“There’s a definitely a major drop in numbers compared to last year,” he said Monday.
“That varies year to year. It depends on the wild berry crop, it depends on temperatures in the fall.
“Last year was exceptional.” Bushes such as blackthorns were loaded with berries, and the fall was relatively mild, so birds stayed late. “But this year it isn’t happening.”
Some onlookers had speculated that the robins might adapt to living year-round in Ottawa in a warming climate, just as they have started wintering in Toronto. But an Ottawa winter is not yet a Toronto winter. As well, we have had a cool, wet summer — difficult conditions for raising young birds.
But there’s other good news for birders, Di Labio said. “The snowy owls are still moving south. They’re at Wolfe Island and Amherst Island. The numbers are ticking up.”
tspears@postmedia.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1
查看原文...
