...makes me want to plant sweet gums. 😁 On Jan 31, 2018 9:09 PM, "Amy Downing" < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > We look for Red Crossbills, Pine Siskins, and and all finches in the ample > supply of Sweet Gum in NW Ohio—Hancock County. > > > On Jan 31, 2018, at 7:12 PM, James Muller <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > > I believe there were posts here or on Facebook about Red Crossbills > feeding > > in gum trees as well. > > > > James Muller > > > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:10 PM Joseph Lautenbach < > [log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > > > >> Hi All, > >> > >> I had the day off from work, so I went to Delaware SP and surrounding > area > >> this morning. While I was there I encountered the previously reported > >> Common Redpoll (at least 2), Pine Siskins (at least 6), and very large > >> flock of American Goldfinch (~200). It was fascinating watching these > birds > >> forage in the sweetgums, I watched them for 30 or 40 minutes. I recently > >> moved to Ohio from further north and had no idea that sweetgums > provided a > >> valuable food source. I thought it was very interesting to see northern > >> species like redpolls and siskins foraging on a relatively southern tree > >> species. I was also curious as to whether the finches were drawn to the > >> sweetgums because of quality or quantity. > >> > >> Once I got home, I tried to do a little research on food quality of > >> sweetgums. I was able find a manuscript focused on pen-reared quail food > >> preferences (Journal of Wildlife Management, 1945). In the manuscript, > they > >> discuss protein and fat levels of various wild food sources. Sweetgums > >> average almost 15% crude protein, a pretty high content, not as high as > >> other species tested, but in the upper tier of native species evaluated > in > >> the study. Given the number of sweet gum trees in the area and the > >> relatively high nutritional value, it is no wonder there are so many > >> finches there. I would have to assume that sweetgums may be difficult > for > >> other species to access. > >> > >> The whole time I was there, the only other species I saw foraging on > >> sweetgum was the Carolina Chickadee. I would be curious to hear what > other > >> species people have observed foraging on sweetgums (specifically on the > >> seeds, I would imagine woodpeckers would forage on decaying and dying > trees > >> for insects etc.), as well as more information on the value of > sweetgums as > >> a food resource. I'm new to Ohio, so I don't have a ton of experience > with > >> sweetgum, any information would be interesting to me. > >> > >> I checked other sweetgums in the state park for finches, but did not see > >> any today. The Sweetgum picnic area was a little more sheltered from the > >> wind than the other other areas I saw lots of sweetgums. Given the > strong > >> winds today, perhaps all the finches were concentrated in the picnic > area > >> to avoid wind. On a less windy day the finch flock may disperse more to > >> take advantage of all the sweet gums planted throughout the park. > >> > >> I also saw the northern shrike that was previously reported along > Panhandle > >> Road at the Delaware Wildlife Area. It was great to see some northern > birds > >> today. > >> > >> Best, > >> > >> Joseph Lautenbach > >> Delaware, OH > >> > >> ______________________________________________________________________ > >> > >> Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. > >> Please consider joining our Society, at > >> www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. > >> Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > >> > >> > >> You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > >> listserv.miamioh.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. > > Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/ > membership.php. > > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > > > > > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > > listserv.miamioh.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. > Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/ > membership.php. > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > listserv.miamioh.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. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]