Leaving snags

[Carma Sue Henry]

A small stand of Douglas fir were severely damaged in the 2015 drought.  By the time we moved here in 2017 they were all dead.  I barely managed to convince Steve and our friend Danny (who were rightly worried about fire hazard) to leave six as standing snags for the birds and any other creatures that might be able to use them.  After 9 years use as excellent Acorn Woodpecker larders, and perches and homes to many other birds and squirrels, they are getting thinner and shorter and the remaining branches are falling off.  This year's AW nest chamber undermined a huge branch, which fell a few days ago and, as shown in the vid, a Turkey Vulture was just too heavy for another smaller branch.  We've piled up many of the fallen branches but still need to do more.  

I hope the snags will stand for a few more years.  They are great habitat and the AWs still find room lower on the trunks to make new storage holes.  

Carma

Logsdon Ridge