Re: Eruption.... vs "Irruption" and the correct answer is =
Down East Nature Tours
Hello all,
In my last email I mistakenly typed the word "eruption" and wanted to point out that Cadillac Mountain has not start to erupt White-winged crossbills!!
"Irruption" was the correct answer!
What is an "Irruption?" I was always wondering what that looked like until the late summer of 1999.. I was Walking down the Valley Cove trail with clients when a women came out of the woods saying "I don't know what they are.. but there is a cacophony of sound back there in the woods!!! Her Eyes were as wide as oranges.... The couple I was with was enthralled and I was totally excited to see what the heck was going on.
We had been seeing small flocks of birds that summer but this was a total treat and surprise!! As we approached the taller old growth trees along the trail every Red Spruce had at least 25 White-winged Crossbills.... It was amazing and I guesstimated 500-700 birds scattered throughout the forest and along the Valley Cove trail right out to the Sound. All you could hear was cones and hitting the ground and the amazing "cacophony" of buzzy fluttering trills... amazing!
These periodic bird irruptions add a little excitement to winter birding.Some of the birds most commonly associated with these winter "irruptions" are the winter finches (Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, White-winged Crossbill, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Common Redpoll, and Evening Grosbeak), and certainly other species like Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bohemian Waxwing, Black-capped Chickadee, and Varied Thrush will also stage periodic winter irruptions.
Sorry about the typo...
Michael
President Down East Nature Tours
Founder and Director 13th Acadia Birding Festival
Co-founder of the Penobscot Watershed Eco Center
150 Knox Road
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
207-288-8128
207-479-4256
IN...@downeastnaturetours.com
www.downeastnaturetours.com