Sometimes

A Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is a species of bird that I see just sometimes. Yes, winter, but not every winter. Just sometimes.

It’s a bird that from one winter to another is totally unpredictable whether it will migrate into one area or another. This is called an irruptive species. They will pay attention to the condition of cone crops in their area in the autumn. If they feel those crops are insufficient they will migrate to another area. Sometimes this happens every other year but the timing and areas where they will end up can’t be counted on.

I haven’t seen any Pine Siskin yet this winter. I’ve had some come to my feeders and birdbaths in 2015 and 2019. I’m still hoping to see some before this winter comes to an end. My camera and I will be all set to get pictures if some come by though. I’m hoping!

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.