Here in Tromsø, N.Norway (c 70*N) the last months have been the poorest in
birds that I can remember from my more than 30 years in this house. When I came
back from my Africa/Madagascar trips in early November there was a frost
period already, and so the feeding in my garden may have started too late to
attract the local birds: many people feed the birds here. But I hear also
others complain of the dearth oif tits and Greenfinches in their gardens. In
addition, December has been uncommonly mild, with a mean temperature more than
5*C higher than the mean for the last thirty years, resulting also in the first
snow-free Christmas I have experienced here. (Now we have frost again, but only
a very thin veneer of snow, scarcely enough to cover the ground, but sufficient
to help quite a bit with the very scarce daylight in these sunless months---the
sun won't be visible here until 21. January.)
In addition, the rowans (Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia have had a very meagre
season, so there are very few berries, which means that all the thrushes have
left early, and we have had no influxes of Bohemian Waxwings or Pine Grosbeaks.
And for some reason---possibly the long period with frequent stormy winds we
have had in December-- there are very few waterbirds to be seen on the sound
also, apart from a few Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Even the Eiders
and the cormorants are scarce these days.
The long and short of this is that my feeding tube with sun flower seeds stays
almost untouched already for a month or so, and that my only 2006 bird hitherto
is the inevitable Black-billed Magpie! (Just bad luck that I did not also see
his nephew the Hooded Crow as yet; there are enough of them around.
May I use the opportunity to wish you all a great 2008, at home, at work and at
play?
Wim
Vader, Tromsø Museum
9037
Tromsø, Norway
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