Where Are the Sparrows?

Does your genealogy desk sit in front of a window? Do you find yourself looking out that window watching the birds and squirrels?

If so, then welcome to the 'genealogy bird watching club'.

My computer sits in front of a window that overlooks two of our large trees. I have feeders in those trees and at various other places in the yard. We also have a water heater in our bird bath to provide fresh water for the birds (and other wildlife).

Over the years, I've participated in Project Feeder Watch to count the birds at my feeders. Below is a picture of my bird counting 'journal' from 2006.

For the most part, our feeders attracted the same types of birds year after year -- until this year.

When I started paying attention to the types of birds after Christmas, I noticed that we didn't have any sparrows visiting our feeders. Also missing are the collared doves. 

Consistent visitors to our yard this winter have been the golden finches, juncos, blue jays, nuthatches and several varieties of woodpeckers. I've also seen the hawk who has been an annual visitor to our yard during the winter.

So, what has changed? 

• our bird bath moved about 20 feet to the north and now sits under our Red Bud tree instead of under a Locust tree which was cut down
• our platform feeder isn't in use this year.

I sincerely doubt that those two changes in our yard are keeping the sparrows away. 

Our weather this past month has been cold, snowy and icy -- which in the past meant lots of birds at our feeders. 

Seeing this change in the wildlife out my office window makes me wonder what changes my pioneer ancestors faced. Did they encounter seasons when the game was scarce? Would that have caused them to move elsewhere? Are there any journals, diaries or other records talking about a lack of game?

Hopefully, this month has just been an anomaly and that the sparrows will return.