I still have one feeding on the suet cakes in my backyard here in NE Hocking County. I've had several all winter, but now can only accurately count one this weekend. I saw an earlier message from someone studying them. Ann Cramer Price Rd., Logan, OH ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Baran" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 6:47 AM Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Do you have Red-breasted Nuthatches coming to your feeders? > We had a Red-Breasted Nuthatch at the feeder this morning in Hilliard, OH. > > > Bob > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of > Aaron Boone > Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 1:15 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [Ohio-birds] Do you have Red-breasted Nuthatches coming to your > feeders? > > > Hello everyone, > > > > Last summer, the Atlas received 14 records (2 confirmed & 3 probable) of > Red-breasted Nuthatch in Ohio. To date, OBBA2 has received 38 records of > this fascinating species in 29 different Atlas blocks. During the first > Atlas (1982-1987), Red-breasted Nuthatches were recorded from 21 Atlas > blocks. (View stats for the species at > http://bird.atlasing.org/Atlas/OH/Main?viewResults=1). > > > > If anyone has Red-breasted Nuthatches coming to their feeders right now, I'd > like to encourage everyone to keep track of these birds to see if they stay > into the summer. This past fall was a huge invasion year for these > nuthatches. A quick check of eBird data from 2005-2008 shows that > Red-breasted Nuthatches were included on 31% of submitted checklists during > the week of November 1, 2007. This same week in November 2005 and 2006 > showed an 8% and 4% detection rate, respectively. Similarly, nuthatches > seem to have been detected more frequently this winter than the previous 3 > winters. As recently as last week, Red-breasted Nuthatches were included on > 11% of submitted checklists. The Great Backyard Bird Count also helps to > substantiate their increased presence in Ohio this winter with 235 > individuals counted over 4 days in February 2007 and 1,208 individuals > counted this February! > > > > Will this be an indication of increased nesting presence for this species in > Ohio during the coming Atlas season? My prediction will be 'Yes'. Their > summering presence in Ohio seems to increase after these invasion years when > many birds winter in the state. It certainly will be interesting to see how > things unfold. Nesting in Ohio was first confirmed in Ashtabula County back > in 1929 and the sparse breeding presence of this species in Northeast Ohio > was continually noted from the 1950s through the 1970s. A statewide nesting > distribution materialized during Ohio's first breeding bird atlas, and birds > were noted mostly from the northeastern counties while birds were also > detected in some northwestern counties (particularly the Oak Openings > Region) and one nesting confirmation from Hamilton County (summering/nesting > records from the Hocking Hills also were recorded before and after the Atlas > period). > > > > Spring movements of Red-breasted Nuthatches take place from mid-April to > late-May. For this reason, OBBA2 set their safe dates to begin June 1st. > However, nesting activities for the species can be initiated in mid-April > (egg dates have been recorded during early May in Ontario) so keep a look > out for breeding activities. If you continue to observe Red-breasted > Nuthatches at your feeders or anywhere else starting in April, please pay > close attention to what these birds are doing. Typical nesting habitat for > this nuthatch is coniferous woods, hemlock forests, pine plantations, or > ornamental conifers in urban settings. Some breeding behaviors to watch for > would be the males "courtship song" (described as a repeated series of > plaintive, nasal "waa-aa-n" notes) which is given incessantly from the tops > of trees while exhibiting a unique upward-extended body posture. Other > behaviors are courtship feeding and courtship flights. Nest cavities > typically occur in dead trunks or limbs at heights of 10-30 ft. and pitch > globules are applied around the entrance hole.monitor any cavities you find > with this characteristic. Fledged young can appear in June and July. > > > > Please keep us informed about your Red-breasted Nuthatch observations. > These observations will be important to document for Ohio's second project. > If you would like more information on the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II and > how to participate, please contact me and I'll send you information right > away. Good birding! > > > > Aaron Boone > > Project Coordinator > > Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II > > (614) 247-6458 > > [log in to unmask] > > <http://www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/> www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/ > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > 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/. > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > 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/. > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ 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/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]