Talking about Chjpmunks, recently, I also had similar experience with the Robins, Robins had fledglings in my yard and the chipmunk was trying to go about its business, but the robin gave it a hard time. I am glad it did.
Also, recently I had a field trip to Six Miles Creek walk and found many species of birds missing. Especially Wood Thrushes, ovenbirds and Veery (in numbers) as compared to the previous years. I feel the population has reduced to a great extent. But we did see lots and lots of Chipmunks running around everywhere. So I was wondering if those were the reasons for reduced bird populations:-( Meena PS: My yard is full of visiting fledglings. Yesterday I had a Phoebe, Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse families visiting. They were noisy, chickadee family looked so cute, five of them trying to harass their parents! Plus, Blue Jays also came with their young when others dispersed. Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 42.429007,-76.47111 http://haribal.org/ http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ From: bounce-116244366-3493...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-116244366-3493...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of John and Fritzie Blizzard <job121...@verizon.net> Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2014 8:49 PM To: Melissa Groo; CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Destructiveness of chipmunks Somewhere, a few yrs. back, I read that chipmunks are more destructive to birds than are cats. Really, where can the exact proof be of such statistics? Both are exceedingly destructive. Add in red & gray squirrels, racoons, skunks, possums, snakes & turtles as well as other birds. Other sections of the country probably have other types of nest raiders. Right here, I have house sparrows amongst other animals, including tame & feral cats. We have a home-made bird trap for our boxes but while it works, many birders don't have boxes that can easily be opened, if all, in order to catch the invader in a plastic bag .... or to clean debris from the boxes. Tree swallows make a horrendous mess in their boxes. Unfortunately, once an invader finds a nest, it often will return until its prey is all destroyed. Yes, sparrows catch insects, too, but I dare say, the male sparrow here has killed at least 30 nestlings & mothers, to say nothing of the number of blue bird & tree swallow eggs destroyed. I consider the insects they catch as small potatoes compared to the many "good" birds lost & the insects they & their offspring would have destroyed. This male sparrow doesn't even appear to have a mate! In late April, nearly every nest box had a male sparrow sitting in a hole to keep bluebirds & tree swallows away. Two wks. ago, I put 3 plastic bird-size eggs in a swallow/bluebird box. Within 20 min., the male sparrow had carried 2 of them20' away & dropped them. I replaced the plastic eggs with 4 marbles. The sparrow couldn't pick them up or peck them open, so he then repeatedly tried to cover them with the grass nesting material I had put in the box as "starter" nests. The next day I watched as the male, after covering the marbles, proceeded to take pieces of grass away, apparently trying to empty the box of the nesting material ... the old idea,"if I can't have it, neither can anyone else." Melissa, many of these "visuals" which you, Meena, Diana Whiting, John & Sue Gregoire & many others find, are intensely educational & enlightening both to you & to others with whom you share your sightings. We're all gaining in this educational process & thank you for the part you play. Fritzie Gas in Union Springs is $3.52.9. On 6/14/2014 5:17 PM, Melissa Groo wrote: A pair of Robins were frantically alarm-calling and repeatedly flying at a chipmunk sitting on a branch near their nest, and in the midst of eating one of their nestlings. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
