Common FEEDBACK: Where are the birds? .. and friends??

[Raven11:11]

I have commented on the lack of overall wildlife and all birds, all. I see the HB's are gone, its too cool for them. But not a RW-blackbird? not a 1 woodpecker on our apple tree?
Tons of snails. Tons.  Earwigs. In numbers last month. None now.
No starlings, used to see flocks. Daily.
20 or so Juncos. Gone.
Seagulls - like the wind. Gone.
Pigeons? Fewer... few.
All birds of prey that frequented our area in the same flight paths, ya, and I know and could draw a string and show you. gone. food sources, gone.
Zero butterfly. Saw several daily all past 20yrs. Usually. Few at least.

You get my drift?

.... not to sound so negative but this is really making me open my eyes, because nothing alive is around???

Location; North Etobicoke, Humber College Arb.,  region.

ps, read my post from past years and I know the tons of deer and coyote and pheasants and rabbits that I would see in plenty along the Humber river bike path here left then , 10yrs ago .. and then a person I know who works on the train tracks near Union Station tells me of massive deer and coyotes and practically Rhino's ( :shock: ) hanging out downtown along the tracks and I understand their travel routes.   Etc.

Do we blame the temp? Pollutants?

[Dinusaur]

You must be seeing house sparrows though. They have taken over my backyard.
I agree about butterflies, I haven't seen any around my milkweed garden (if you call it a garden) this year. Probably too much rain for their liking.

[Raven11:11]

yes Dino, ironically, today for the 1st time in weeks++ I saw 7-10  Euro Starling .. few.

the House Sparrows are down 90%. We used to have tons. I am not inflating these %'s one bit.  I too my hour long walk, or less, and did not see any of the 200+ pigeons where they sit along the road, nor others ... and they were always there even with a turkey vulture or hawk nearby... always.

[cloaca]

Since you mentioned Juncos, I'll use them as an example of what you're seeing:

Migration.

[Raven11:11]

:lol:  ... sure, but there were several guys we have of each species that hang out in our yard year round.  .. I hope you are right.  but somehow my gut feel, which has been spot on since my first major horse wager & subsequent win tells me yes too .. but the others?

ps., as @ 7pm now I heard the Cardinal couple arguing out back. But did not see them.

[MEGHAN]

I assume by HB’s you are referring to Hummingbirds. Not too cold for them. I usually have them at least till the end of September even into October. This is prime time for them. They are really anywhere they are normally seen.
Red-winged blackbirds and Starlings,  I never have these guys at my feeders. But at work, here in South West Mississauga there are literally thousands here every day.
I have Woodpeckers in or close to my yard daily. Dozens of young Nuthatches and 2 families of Blue Jays.
No Junco’s. But then again I never really see any in summer.
Seagulls..Down at the lake they are out in full numbers.
Pigeons..can’t comment. Never see them really. My yard is Pigeon free!!
There are at least 10 Red Tail Hawks at my  work all day every day. At least 2 families.  Raptor numbers good, from what I see.
I wouldn’t say zero butterflies but that’s the only part of your post where I will agree with you. Numbers are down on them.
As for nothing alive being around….nothing like that on my travels.  I feel it is a typical summer.

I haven't heard Chicken Little...so I don't think the sky is falling just yet.

[Raven11:11]

Good one Meghan,    

I seem to notice your neck of the woods and Oakville has many more birds overall than North Etobicoke.  Many other people  past posts confirm this.

The environment and other variables birds like seem to be there, maybe it is a open buffet freebee Sobeys for birds?   ?

I did not know hummers / HB;s were able to take the weather as such .. I learn daily, thanks.

[BetCrooks]

Are you sure you don't have any new cat/s in your neighbourhood? That's what it sounds like to me, unfortunately.

[Raven11:11]

Excellent Q?

 .... and as a former cat owner (rescue) and HUGE lover of all animals I observe pretty much all and every breathing thing in my area, I have the time. Due to severe Scoliosis I have had to stop working and am stuck here in my nest mostly. 1 Wing clipped.   I walk and swim and get out for a bit of air but chronic pain keeps me from being overseas today where I used to travel yearly when working my 50-60 hrs weekly , off topic.?..

..  my point is that I walk around my area and have 2 other sets of eyes at home who also love animals and if I do not see a new cat someone else will, .. 5am .. etc.. 100%.

We used to have 2-3 brown tabby cats pass through the area and in recent years .... The most recent big orange one had a few kittens and now dissapeared. No other feral cats hang around. We have vantage points on all routes and walking paths as per the way our home is set. park in back, major street near front and no obstructions .. etc.. 2 other European neighbors also concur.  All other neighbors would not know the difference between a bicycle and live rhino if standing on a cul de sac.  100%.
Cultural and fact.

No cats. No more hawks .. confirmed by Otto my old mans fellow retired German Cop. No kidding.

[mr.sharp-photo]

we still get a great range of birds. saw a few goldfinches in my front yard, hear the waxwings daily, hearing the chickadees quite a bit. saw a hummer for a second today.

but there are some weird things missing this year. like, zero blue jays in Toronto. Zero.
and orioles: haven't seen any for a month.

[Raven11:11]

When our feeder was up we had a family of B J's drop by almost to the precise time daily, 5..am .. and 5;30pm.. and sometimes during mid day. when we put out whole shelled peanuts we got the huge male to within 3 foot of the back door.  they love peanuts.  Sunflower seeds in shell .. wow.  

Not 1 this year.

And even though we stopped feeding a while back they all still dropped by.. others on my street do and they say the same.

[Bird Brain]

Hi Raven 11:11

All the birds seem to be out here at Lake Aquitaine and Maplewood Park!  Lots of adults and juv. at the moment, especially Cardinals, Grackles, House Sparrows, RWBB's, Starlings, etc.  Sighted an adult male Cardinal feeding a baby this morning at Maplewood Park and an adult male RWBB feeding a baby at Lake Aquitaine last week.  

Mainly seeing a few Cabbage White butterflies but lots of Cottontail Rabbits.

[Raven11:11]

GREAT TO HEAR SOME1 IS ...