Thanks Haans and Barbara.  They are a pleasure to have around and now there's the bonus of nest watching.

> Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 22:08:12 -0400
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Nesting Juncoes
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> I also have hosted nesting Juncos since moving the Munson Twp in 1987.  At first the Juncos were seen only in the hemlock ravines at the far back of our property where the temperature was significantly cooler than the rest of the area  - then they began eating bugs from the light fixture on an outbuilding and nesting near that building.  I now yearly have several nestings, at least 4 adults and they nest in hemlocks and in low shrubbery - there are two ravines with water most of the summer and they frequent the bird feeder as well as continuing to pluck bugs/moths from the light fixture.  the first nest this year had a cowbird but I have only seen baby juncos since then.
> 
> On Jun 24, 2013, at 10:01 PM, Haans Petruschke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> > Nesting Juncos have been on the rise for the past 20 years in Lake Geauga,
> > Portage, Summit and Cuyahoga counties.  Look at the OBBA results for the
> > original atlas versus today. The question is why is this confined to these
> > counties? and why have they not spread to the unglaciated counties of the
> > Ohio Allegheny plateau?  I think it is quality of habitat/geography and
> > climate.  We have seen major maturation of forests in this area over the
> > past 50 years, without too much forest fragmentation as subdivisons don't
> > get built where there are ravines and valleys. Plus our climate is very
> > different along the lake than in the more southerly parts of the state.
> > 
> > In the last edition of Birds of the Cleveland Region I think the status of
> > nesting Junco was changed to: common in appropriate habitat.  But status
> > has not kept up with reality on a state wide level.
> > 
> > I've been interested in nesting Juncos for more than a decade and it is my
> > observation that they nest with the right combination of conditions.  These
> > include nearby: high quality running water, healthy forest ecosystem, and
> > elevation change.  It also helps if there are foraging areas that have a
> > thick herbaceous layer.
> > 
> > Birds do habituate.  That is their behavior changes based upon leaning.
> > Changes in behavior do not have to pass through the needle's eye of
> > genetic mutation and evolutionary adaptation.  Juncos have learned how to
> > make a living year round in our area, and I certainly enjoy having them.
> > 
> > Haans
> > Kirtland
> > 
> > 
> > On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 9:38 PM, maryann sedivy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > 
> >> There is a Dark-eyed Junco nesting in a hanging basket on my front porch.
> >> I think we were equally startled when I watered the flowers the other day.
> >> This is interesting.  It seems in the past few years that more Juncos are
> >> year round residents. It used to be that they could be found in cool
> >> woodland ravines in our area; places like Stebbins Gulch in Lake County or
> >> the West Woods in Geauga County.  Yet I've noticed them for about the past
> >> 5  years or more year round on my property--which isn't entirely typical
> >> habitat for a junco-although there are woods nearby. This year is the first
> >> time to have the actual nest right at my door!  A friend told my that her
> >> neighbor also has Juncos nesting in a flower basket on the porch.
> >> What's going on with the Juncos?  Anybody else have them nesting?
> >> 
> >> Mary Ann Sedivy
> >> Newbury
> >> Geauga County
> >> 
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> ______________________________________________________________________
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> Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
> Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
> Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
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