Where Have All Our Bird Friends Gone?

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inEnvironmentTags:, , ,
With no birds at the feeder, Izzy watches dogs walking their owners

We were away for the majority of last month, and although I filled the bird feeder before leaving, I was surprised to find it half-full upon my return.  (Normally, between the birds and squirrels, the feeder is emptied within 3-4 days’ time.)  Even more surprisingly, I’ve seen a total of only 5 birds in our front yard during the 4 weeks I’ve been back.  

During the pandemic, I read an article about hundreds of thousands of birds, including warblers, bluebirds, sparrows, blackbirds, and flycatchers, that were found dead in New Mexico.  It is thought these birds were forced to flee areas further West that were burning with widespread wildfires before they had enough fat on their bodies to complete their regular migrations.  This sad & frightening result of global warming still haunts me.

Steller’s Jays usually frequent our yard

And after weeks without birdsong outside my Northern Arizona home, my thoughts have returned to the planet’s ongoing destruction.  I find the absence of that auditory delight both sad and terrifying.  And my precious kitty Izzy is now starting her daily naps by 10:00 am, two to three hours earlier than usual, because she has no friends to interact with at the front window. 😦

A Hummingbird visitor from last year

At first I thought the birds abandoned us because they didn’t like the new feed I had purchased, so I ordered another bag of seeds I’d used in the past.  Still no birds.  Then I decided the cat next door had “hunted” and killed one of them near the feeder & word had gotten out through the all-bird network to avoid the area.  After a couple weeks of silently cursing the neighbor cat each time I saw the vacant feeder, I overheard a couple ladies at a gardening presentation discussing the disappearance of their birds.

Acorn Woodpeckers are typically a common sight here

Since then, I’ve learned from a local Nature expert that birds can still be found in large numbers in surrounding forest lands.  Maybe the combination of almost 14 feet of snow over the winter and the untimely monsoon-like rains that fell last month created watering holes that they find irresistible.  I did see many large areas covered with water on my return flight from Phoenix, a sight I can’t remember ever having seen.

I am grateful for the abundance of moisture we’ve had this year, and I’m thrilled to know our forests are still teeming with the little feathered guys.  But Izzy and I continue to hope for the return of our bird friends to the feeder & woods around our house.  Our world seems eerie without the sweet sights and sounds of them.

Tired of doing nothing

Winged Blessings,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

58 thoughts on “Where Have All Our Bird Friends Gone?”

  1. Hello Lisa! How have you been. I am so sorry the birds aren’t around. Normally they always are in my yard, but lately I haven’t seen many. I don’t know what’s going on but I hope they return soon. I like your pics of your cat Lizzy, she is cute. Let’s just pray they will return so their sweet music can be enjoyed once more, and Lizzy will be happy to see her bird friends. As always, stay safe in your travels, and God bless you my friend.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your very kind comment, Shaunelius. Many readers here seem to think we are starting to see the dwindling effects of extinction. ☹️ I’m hoping that’s not true. The thought of life without birds is super sad. Many blessings to you too, my friend. 🌞

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  3. How unfortunate that there are fewer birds – I hope they return soon, so you can enjoy their beauty and song. Perhaps they’ve all come down to Phoenix? We’ve had the mildest summer I can since maybe the early-90s…it still feels like March. Anyways, we have more birds than I’ve ever seen here, and more species too. I have had to refill the feeder daily, so thank goodness to Costco for the 20lb seed bags. When it finally heats up, hopefully they’ll head north for the cooler weather and to keep you company.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  5. Our world is changing rapidly and nature tries to adapt… this can have concequences related to normal habitats. Who knows…. Here in Belgium we have seeen also a lot of changes in the last decades…. a lot of plants, insects and birds, that were common, have almost disappeared.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      1. My pleasure Lisa 😉

        I’ve seen that you visited (and liked) 2 page of my old site. That site is no longer supported by me and it’s replaced since 1th march 2023 by my new website/blog. You can find the link here underneath:

        Mijn Exploraties

        The site translates into english by means of the google translation option on the top right of every page. There is also an option to follow if interested.

        Have a nice weekend and many greets,
        Rudi

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Ok, Rudi, I’ve followed, but can’t seem to post a comment. This is what I tried to say about your post Summer Love: I love the lyrics & the photos are gorgeous, Rudi. My favorite is the snakeweed! You’ve done a great job with this new site! 🌞

        Like

  6. The exact same thing has been happening here, in West Michigan. The red-winged blackbirds, grackles, and starlings are still around, and some cardinals and “trillers” but most of the smaller birds like chickadees, wrens, and all woodpecker species have disappeared. I thought it was due to the bully blackbirds and grackles, but when I read this I have to wonder 😦

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Sadly, it seems we’re not the only ones missing our birds, Lisa. Other readers are going through the same. This vacancy has certainly made me appreciate them more. Now, I’m always on the lookout for them when driving or walking, and listening for their songs anytime I’m outside. Good to see you here, my friend. 🌞

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. We read and hear that around the world so many plants, insects and animals are changing, disappearing because of climate change and the impact of humans on the planet. But we are also earthlings and perhaps also these things are happening to us, and we just cannot see them! 🙏

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Agreed, Ashley! I definitely think worsening pollution is adversely affecting humans. And who knows how long it will be before we go the way of other extinct animals?! On a lighter note, I hope you & Carol are feeling good & enjoying some nice weather. Thanks so much for visiting! 🌞

      Like

      Reply

  10. Welcome back, Lisa! I’m sorry about your lack of birds. We seem to have the usual amount here, although I haven’t been to the Preserve for some time, so I can’t vouch for that. I’ve only seen a Steller’s Jay once and your other bird never.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  11. Hi Lisa, I can absolutely understand both you and Izzy missing the bird life you once enjoyed. But hopefully they’ll return and in the meantime take heart in knowing that amongst forests and creeks birds are still thriving. I know here they are for I can hear them. Sending love your way. 💚

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  12. That cat is so beautiful. The second photo is fun.
    I miss using our bird feeder. We stopped using it because we always get feral cats in our yard and they go after the birds, so it felt like the bird feeder was a trap. Urgh.
    We get so many beautiful birds in New Jersey, especially cardinals, blue jays, mourning doves, and sparrows.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

      1. Wow, cheers to a fellow Jersey girl! This state rocks so hard! So much culture, each town has its unique charm. I love it.
        Yes, we’ve seen wild turkeys too in our travels — and hawks!!
        Enjoy the weekend 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  14. Fear not, birds are naturally resilient. I am confident you will be hearing the sweet sounds of tweeties in the future. There are way to many factors to ever be able to know what the true catalyst is or more likely catalysts are responsible for a “change”. Meanwhile their natural food sources should be flourishing!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  16. The harsh truth is human beings have destroyed large part of the ecosystem ever since they become intelligent thousands of years ago. But now that can change. Human beings have the inner capability to take care of species other than their own. Once we move away from our own survival, we should take care of survival of other species too.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

      1. Sure, we will! In fact a lot of things for the ecosystem have improved in the past 100 years when compared to the past 1000 years. So we are on the right path although it is not protected as such. And such pessimistic projections too are necessary.

        Liked by 2 people

  17. Hello 🥰 I’m so sorry to hear that the beautiful sounds of birdsong have been absent from your life recently. One of the toughest parts about moving from the Netherlands to London is instead of birds I usually fall asleep and wake up to police/ambulance sirens or the sounds of the busy motorway near our flat. And, wow, I didn’t know that that was what happened to birds when they migrated before they were ready. How heart-breaking.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

      1. Yes, I only moved 2 months ago. I’m doing much better now. Things were going very badly in The Netherlands so I took some time to clean my life up, shaved most of my hair down, and moved to London where I’m surrounded by some really great and supportive people. It was only after all of that that I felt ready to return and I’m doing so much better over here now. I missed reading your incredible posts 😊 Now that I live with my sister, I’ve now been able to go vegan, mostly inspired by you so thank you so much for that.

        Liked by 2 people

  18. Birds provide such a joyous presence of nature around us! I hope the numbers of birds around you increase again, so you and Izzy can enjoy their joy again.

    My wife and I live near a wildlife sanctuary here in New Zealand, so we are fortunate enough to have native birds rest in the trees out front of our house most days. I would be devastated if they stopped hanging around.

    Peace to you and your family, and thank you for sharing, thought sad your story seems.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Hamish, hi! Living near a wildlife sanctuary must be dreamy! Some of our birds have returned, thank God, but not the smaller ones in large numbers like we were used to seeing. But I am grateful I can once again hear them singing when I go outside! I appreciate your visit & hope your week is splendid! ☀️

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I am glad to hear the birds are back in your area to grace you with song once again. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words and I hope this week is going well for you too!

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Dear Lisa,

      Hello! As your “avian friend” visiting your blog once again, I concur with Hamish and hope that all of them or even more will return in good time.

      Meanwhile, I would like to resonate with your excellent post entitled “Where Have All Our Bird Friends Gone?” with the following image and message delivered to you by my soaring colleague in the sky:


      Hold Fast To Dreams!

      For if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

      Happy mid-April to you and Hamish! May your days and nights in April be even more satisfying!

      Wishing you and Hamish a productive 2024 doing or enjoying whatever that satisfies you the most!

      Yours sincerely,
      SoundEagle

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  20. Our whole world is changing…and quickly it seems. While there are still birds in our area, the weather here has been so dry here in Ohio it reminds me of the desert in Arizona. Grass is brown and small creeks are completely dried up. With all that, the birds may be moving to a happier home!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to doerfpub Cancel reply