I wonder...could it be the raptors?

No, I'm not talking about those junky Gamo supersonic pellets, but the real raptors, hawks and falcons, in my case.
I cannot find ANY birds around home at all now, no Robins, Song Sparrows, finches, Mockingbirds, Red Wing Blackbirds, Grackles, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Crows, or even the ones I dislike and actually shoot, those being pigeons, starlings, and English Sparrows.
As a matter of fact, I have killed exactly one pest bird since I have gotten my CFXs, a male English Sparrow, and even he was alone.
It's really weird, because earlier this year, there were all kinds of birds, including the pests that I would have taken out with my Gamo CFX...had I gotten it yet.
Now, all of a sudden, I don't see any birds at all, save the occasional Mourning Dove, but they don't stick around at all, leaving in less than five minutes, and I don't shoot doves anyway.
I couldn't help noticing, though, that there are all kinds of Kestrels (some of you might know them as Sparrow Hawks) in the area, in fact, about a dozen patrol my country block.
I also occasionally see the much less common Cooper's Hawk, but that notorious bird killer is even warier than the Kestrels.
My suspicion is that the raptors in my area have either eaten or spooked away all the songbirds and pests to the point that it is nearly silent now.
It's almost eerily quiet now, due to the lack of ANY birds...very strange.
Anyone have experience with this?
And yes, I know that it is very illegal to shoot raptors, so I know that is not an option.
I'm just not sure what happened to drive away all the birds, and I don't know how to get them to return.

[longislandhunter]

Raptors in the area certainly would have some impact on seeing less birds but I doubt they would drive all of them away or be capable of killing and eating that many.  Perhaps it simply the time of year and a majority of the birds have begun the start of their migrations??  I know by me the starlings, which were here by the thousands all summer, have started moving on and their numbers have dwindled significantly over the past 2 weeks.  

Jeff

[tat2dman]

Here in Indiana to Jeff,they sit for a second and call then head south.Thinkin of followen em.But what 2 do with the wife?

[davee1]

here in Calif birds have started moving south. Much less activity. Have lots of Kestrels, yesterday they were eating dragonflies. Typically late Sept and into October is when I notice a decrease in the bird activity. We have Coopers, RedShouldered, and lots of other hawks here...but their presence has not ever affected the songbird population. I think its just time for them to move south.

I've got a similar situation at my place. There is a hawk of some kind (maybe broad-winged, or sharp-shinned; my big brother would know, but I don't) that's been cruisin' the 'hood over the last couple months, but I didn't consider the possibility that it would have affected the noticeably absent starlings. I guess it would surprise me if that was the cause, but who knows. Still have crows comin' out the ying-yang, but lately they've been in other peoples yards out of range for the most part. I think they're laughing at me...

Funny thing is that I spent last week up in Kentucky and Indiana visiting relatives, and there seemed to be no lack of songbirds and pest/vermin birds (starlings, grackles, crows) as well.

As an aside I saw a nice fat groundhog running back and forth between a couple of grain bins and the shop building one morning at the farm my Dad grew up on; of course, I hadn't thought to bring any armament. Oh well, maybe next year.

Bryan

West Nile Virus?

Cheers
Mark

[shadow]

Here in South Dakota it's migration time for most of our feathered friend's. The Grackles are flocking up and moving out in the hundred's. Ed

longislandhunter - 9/27/2007  1:17 AM

Raptors in the area certainly would have some impact on seeing less birds but I doubt they would drive all of them away or be capable of killing and eating that many.  Perhaps it simply the time of year and a majority of the birds have begun the start of their migrations??  I know by me the starlings, which were here by the thousands all summer, have started moving on and their numbers have dwindled significantly over the past 2 weeks.  

Jeff

Well, I might think that, except that the Starlings are absolutely a few miles away in town, where they roost in the evenings.
Also, the scarcity of birds in my area (IN) has been in this state since about July.
Very strange, as the year round birds, such as Cardinals, Song Sparrows, and Starlings, are not hear at all.
As I said, it's eerily quiet outside now.
Very odd, as it wasn't this way last or any other year that I can remember.
That guy who mentioned West Nile Virus has gotten me to thinking.
Dunno, but I am still suspicious of those Kestrels, even though I have a particular fondness for raptors.

You ever seen the movie 'Birds'???

[shadow]

Hehe, it was just on two day's ago and that's about what it look's like when they come across the field's. Ed

[r1derbike]

Same here.  H-birds already gone.  No birds but a few stray crows that make too much noise, and never give me a clean shot.

May be a bad winter.  Feel it in my bones already.

Charles