Last call (?) for crossbill reports

[Allen T. Chartier]

Greetings birders,

I have just uploaded an updated web page and map for the White-winged Crossbills that Chip Francke and I have been tracking. 

www.amazilia.net/WWCR.htm

There are currently 799 reports from all 83 of Michigan's counties (a few of these are Red Crossbills). The only county lacking a peak count is Menominee. February 28 is the last day of the Winter season for the Michigan Bird Survey, so if you have any more White-winged Crossbill reports between December 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009, please send them to me or Chip. I will also be checking eBird one more time, and will make a second request from the folks at the Great Backyard Bird Count for individual checklist details to help complete this report.

It will be interesting to see how long these crossbills linger in the Lower Peninsula, and if any stay to nest. We are considering continuing to track crossbills into the spring to determine late county dates and possible nestings. It seems that the number of reports has declined considerably in the last two weeks, and the flock sizes have also decreased by quite a bit. Have they gone back north already? Are they quiet because they're nesting? Let us know what you find.

Allen Chartier (amazilia1 at comcast.net)
Chip Francke (Francke at charter.net)

Allen T. Chartier
amazilia1 at comcast.net
Inkster, Michigan, USA
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Website: www.amazilia.net
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Every day, the hummingbird eats its own weight in food.
You may wonder how it weighs the food. 
It doesn't. It just eats another hummingbird. 
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