...makes me want to plant sweet gums. 😁

On Jan 31, 2018 9:09 PM, "Amy Downing" <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> We look for Red Crossbills, Pine Siskins, and and all finches in the ample
> supply of Sweet Gum in NW Ohio—Hancock County.
>
> > On Jan 31, 2018, at 7:12 PM, James Muller <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> >
> > I believe there were posts here or on Facebook about Red Crossbills
> feeding
> > in gum trees as well.
> >
> > James Muller
> >
> > On Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:10 PM Joseph Lautenbach <
> [log in to unmask]>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Hi All,
> >>
> >> I had the day off from work, so I went to Delaware SP and surrounding
> area
> >> this morning. While I was there I encountered the previously reported
> >> Common Redpoll (at least 2), Pine Siskins (at least 6), and very large
> >> flock of American Goldfinch (~200). It was fascinating watching these
> birds
> >> forage in the sweetgums, I watched them for 30 or 40 minutes. I recently
> >> moved to Ohio from further north and had no idea that sweetgums
> provided a
> >> valuable food source. I thought it was very interesting to see northern
> >> species like redpolls and siskins foraging on a relatively southern tree
> >> species. I was also curious as to whether the finches were drawn to the
> >> sweetgums because of quality or quantity.
> >>
> >> Once I got home, I tried to do a little research on food quality of
> >> sweetgums. I was able find a manuscript focused on pen-reared quail food
> >> preferences (Journal of Wildlife Management, 1945). In the manuscript,
> they
> >> discuss protein and fat levels of various wild food sources. Sweetgums
> >> average almost 15% crude protein, a pretty high content, not as high as
> >> other species tested, but in the upper tier of native species evaluated
> in
> >> the study. Given the number of sweet gum trees in the area and the
> >> relatively high nutritional value, it is no wonder there are so many
> >> finches there. I would have to assume that sweetgums may be difficult
> for
> >> other species to access.
> >>
> >> The whole time I was there, the only other species I saw foraging on
> >> sweetgum was the Carolina Chickadee. I would be curious to hear what
> other
> >> species people have observed foraging on sweetgums (specifically on the
> >> seeds, I would imagine woodpeckers would forage on decaying and dying
> trees
> >> for insects etc.), as well as more information on the value of
> sweetgums as
> >> a food resource. I'm new to Ohio, so I don't have a ton of experience
> with
> >> sweetgum, any information would be interesting to me.
> >>
> >> I checked other sweetgums in the state park for finches, but did not see
> >> any today. The Sweetgum picnic area was a little more sheltered from the
> >> wind than the other other areas I saw lots of sweetgums. Given the
> strong
> >> winds today, perhaps all the finches were concentrated in the picnic
> area
> >> to avoid wind. On a less windy day the finch flock may disperse more to
> >> take advantage of all the sweet gums planted throughout the park.
> >>
> >> I also saw the northern shrike that was previously reported along
> Panhandle
> >> Road at the Delaware Wildlife Area. It was great to see some northern
> birds
> >> today.
> >>
> >> Best,
> >>
> >> Joseph Lautenbach
> >> Delaware, OH
> >>
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> Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
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