Birders, I'm forwarding this from the ID Frontiers list as it addresses a question raised on ONTBIRDS recently.
Allen Chartier [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1442 West River Park Drive Inkster, MI 48141 Website: http://www.amazilia.net Michigan HummerNet: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/index.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Idzikowski" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 9:32 PM Subject: Re: [BIRDWG01] Eurasian Finches in the Great Lakes Region -- What's going on? > Wisconsin this year alone has had 1 Eur Siskin, 2 confirmed nestings of > Great Tit, an unconfirmed sighting of a Blue Tit and continuous postings of > Eur Goldfinch and a single Eur Greenfinch. Chaffinch have been reported in > the last 3 years as well. The explanation that was originally put forth was > that this was due to an importer going out of business in NE Illinois in > 2002, but Eur Goldfinch were on the increase well before that. > > It's interesting to note that this increase in these exotics corresponds to > a steady move northward of records of Mockingbirds and Carolina Wrens, the > former now approaching Lake Superior's shores as winters remain warm and > feeders increase. Could these birds be increasing due to a steady release > from various sources such as the pet trade, importers and ship assists; the > mild winters together with abundant winter feeding increases survival. > Maybe someone is starting some sort of program like the 19th Century > Acclimization Societies where Old World birds were released to make > immigrants feel at home- and to garner votes in regional elections? Or are > all those very experienced field people in the Canadian Maritimes spending > far too much time watching larids as we do on the western Great lakes while > flocks of Eurasians sneak westward overhead? > > John Idzikowski, Milwaukee > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alan Wormington" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 6:53 PM > Subject: [BIRDWG01] Eurasian Finches in the Great Lakes Region -- What's > going on? > > > > Everyone, > > > > Maybe no one else has noticed this, but this past spring there was a > > substantial flurry of European finches scattered across the Great Lakes > > Region. Far too many (one would think) to involve just escaped caged > > birds. > > > > I am generally referring to European Goldfinches, but there was also a > > male Eurasian Siskin (Whitefish Point, Michigan) and a Chaffinch (Silver > > Islet, Lake Superior, Ontario). Perhaps there were other species as well > > that I did not hear about. > > > > And the European Goldfinches have turned up at peculiar locations -- > > Gimli (correct spelling? -- anyways, it is located south of Churchill), > > and numerous birds scattered across far northern Ontario. > > > > I can't devote any time to this, but perhaps some individual might be > > interested in tracking down all these records to try to make some sense > > of it all. At the very least, regional editors for North American Birds > > should include these sightings in their reports to ensure that they are > > put on record. > > > > Alan Wormington, > > Leamington, Ontario
