So little activity

[What was that?]

I've only been birding for a couple of years, so little experience here.

Checking last years posts (inthe Toronto Reports section).
Last year, in June, there were 28 posts (last posts actually). This year there are only 17.

I feel that there is less to see this year. Last year I saw so many birds of all types, yet this year I see many fewer and with less diversity.
I know my style of birding is not serious, I like to walk around and see stuff. So the more birds of any given species, the greater liklihood of me seeing it.

Old timers, is this year a normal year, was last year abnormal, are both years totally normal and I'm just not seeing anything?

Thanks.
Graham
(blind as a bat?)

[Lloyd]

My last three visits to Pt. Pelee National Park have been dismal to say the least. I usually guage overall activity on what I see there. But I have to admit that since I go Mother's Day weekend, I'm probably too early for any accurate counts. It seemed the foliage anywhere was in full bloom before any great bird numbers appeared which put a damper on spotting and identifying. I live in Willowdale and Robin numbers are huge in my neighbourhood compared to last year, whereas Grackle numbers are down and it's rare for me to see a Blue Jay. A lot of my fellow workers who live all around the GTA are, at my insistance, telling me of greater numbers of the usual species at their backyard feeders so I'm a little bewildered as to whether there's a steady decline in numbers or it's just too hot and too "bushy".

[ravynne40]

Graham, I'm just blaming the heat! I see birds flying and hiding into trees to keep cool. Plus..I tried going out in this heat and it was miserable, so I figure if we are hot..so are the birds.
this is only my second summer birding, I haven't had too much trouble though..I can't wait to find me a drunken cedar waxwing once the fruits start to ferment!!!

[JTF]

Normal for most areas especially this year with lots of hot weather. Sept will pick up and then were into owls and hawks,

[Andreas Jonsson]

Shorebird fall migration has already started. Check out your local marsh/beach at the next rain.

[Axeman]

freel re: shorebird migration already started? Is that typical?

[Leslie]

I seem to recall that shorebirds start migrating south at the end of July.
A week ago Sunday one of the Algonquin Park naturalists spotted a baltimore oriole on the airfield at Lake of Two Rivers (during the insect walk, but hey) & told us assembled listeners that's early for migration.  And there seemed to be an awful lot of loons flying over the lake & calling, but I never got around to asking if that is also early migration (from the unsuccessful nesters).

[Cody]

I seem to recall that shorebirds start migrating south at the end of July.

Fall shorebird migration has already begun. It started over a month ago. A good website to see reports is the ONTbirds Archives  http://mailman.hwcn.org/pipermail/ontbirds/.