Well, the recent wave of pine siskins here at our farm is over. Delightful
birds! Nice to have them around, if only for a little over a week. As noted
elsewhere, they seem to be associated in some way with the weather system
surrounding TS/Hurricane Sandy. We received a total of 2.8 inches of rain
from that system, a welcome contribution to the groundwater aquifer after
the somewhat brutal and extraordinary summer depletion.

Anyway, for the record, pine siskins showed up at the feeders (sunflower
and nyger) here on Flint Ridge, Hopewell Township, Muskingum County,
Saturday, October 27, around a dozen of them. Their numbers grew daily for
a few days, peaking at around thirty on Thursday and Friday of last week
(November 1st and 2nd). They seemed to be around in greater numbers each
morning rather than later in the afternoon, perhaps fanning out to forage
somewhere in the surrounding fields. I never found them out there, only at
the feeders, although I did see some goldfinches at the same time afield,
and I checked repeatedly for their congeners. Over the past weekend numbers
dwindled, down to a dozen or so on Sunday. Monday morning (11/5) there were
three pine siskins at the feeders. I have not seen any since.

Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County

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