News Release
Eagle Nature Foundation, Ltd.
300 East Hickory Street, Apple River, IL 61001
Phone: 815-594-2306 Fax: 815-594-2305 Web Site: eaglenature.com
e-mail: eaglenature.tni@juno.com Tax Exempt No. 36-4015400
| For Immediate Release | September 10, 2018 |
2018 Big Bird Day Results
On September 8th Mr. Ingram conducted his 2018 Big Bird Day. He started conducting his Big Bird Days to document the decline of the avian population in his area. This year definitely documented this decline.
It has documented it so well, that he will not be conducting another one. In over 13 hours he saw only 88 birds of 25 species, not one of which was migrating. Compare this with his 2016 Big Bird Day results of 230 birds of 39 species, with the majority of them migrating.
He spent many hours during that day starring at an empty sky, something he had never done before in his life. Walking through the prairie, or through the woods, there were no bird calls to be heard other than three blue jays. These documentations can be seen in his new book, “Silent Fall”, which should be received from the printer some time next month.
His statement which was made several years ago that the number of birds that may be seen migrating, or otherwise, in this area is steadily declining, has now been documented. Each Fall he is seeing fewer and fewer birds at his feeders and migrating over Apple Creek. It is actually worse than he imagined.
September 8th falls right in the middle of the Fall migration for many birds. In the past migrating birds could be seen all day long, especially in the evening, just before sunset. But not one single migrating bird was seen on this day in 2018.
Mr. Ingram was looking for birds from 6:30 am until 7:45 pm. He never saw any swallows, martins, swifts, hawks, goatsuckers, or blackbirds; migrating or otherwise. But he did see 2 migrating monarch butterflies. Maybe we have more monarchs left alive than we do birds.
During his 13+ hours of looking, he only one individual of 11 different species. They were: bald eagle, kestrel, downy woodpecker, least flycatcher, pewee, house wren, white-breasted nuthatch, red-breasted nuthatch, black-capped chickadee, catbird and cardinal.
He saw 2 each of the following species: mourning dove, crow, red-bellied woodpecker, robin and purple finch. Other birds seen were: 17 goldfinches, 15 starlings, 7 house finches, 6 blue jays, 6 collared doves, 5 cedar waxwings, 4 hummingbirds, 4 house sparrows and 3 Canadian geese. That was all the birds he saw in 13 hours.
If we lose our birds we will be losing our natural insect and pest controls. Steps must be taken as soon as possible to lessen the loss of our birds.
For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306