Agreed. After some 14 years without them, I finally have a pair at my
feeder in Aldie. About 20 years ago I was finding them dead in the
woods (well at least two) and I tend to think they are over-reported.
Sauer et all (the BBS website) has Virginia populations stable 1966-2007
or slightly increasing. However the reliability of this estimate is not
considered high. (Parenthetically the Patuxent site says not for
publication or public use? Huh? (And I work for them). Trend maps based
on 1866-2003 data indicate that there are strong increases in
southeastern Virginia and lesser ones in northern Virginia, but in the
central part of the state where Ms. Condon lives they have been
undergoing strong decreases. Regards, Roger
________________________________
From: va-bird-bounces+clappr=si.edu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:va-bird-bounces+clappr=si.edu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kurt
Gaskill
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 9:37 PM
To: 'Phil Kenny'; 'David Davis'; 'VA BIRD'
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Hairy Woodpecker Sightings
Folks,
I have not looked at the CBC data for the state, but in No. Virginia,
Hairy Woodpeckers are borderline uncommon; that is, seen less than half
the time in suitable habitat.
Also, nesting season has begun, so do not be surprised that these birds
are getting a bit more secretive or local.
Kurt Gaskill
-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:va-bird-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Phil Kenny
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 7:13 PM
To: 'David Davis'; 'VA BIRD'
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Hairy Woodpecker Sightings
"whereas we have no record of a Hairy coming to one of our feeders."
I regularly get Hairy Woodpeckers coming to my suet feeder. Although a
lot fewer than the Downy Woodpeckers. I put out peanut suet almost year
round. However, I scale back a bit now in the springtime and just put
out plain suet. It is not as well liked, but this time of year I get a
dozen or so European Starlings that wipe out the peanut suet in a day or
two.
Phil Kenny
1731 Killarney Court
Vienna VA 22182-2133
703-255-5423
571-226-6690
philkenny@xxxxxxxxxxx
