Magpies on Antelope Island begin their nesting activities in February. Usually…
This is an older photo of a Black-billed Magpie carrying a beakful of mud to its domed nest on Antelope Island. This particular photo was taken in early March but, depending on weather, the island’s magpies can begin nesting activities as early as late January and nest building/refurbishing is typically in full swing by February. Not so this year.
For the last several years I’ve noticed dwindling numbers of magpies on the island and this year I haven’t seen a single magpie on my last three trips to the island, which is highly unusual (I look for them, hard). So it goes without saying that I haven’t seen them nesting. Usually, magpies are ubiquitous on the north end of the island year-round, so their apparent absence is disturbing.
A week ago today I had a long visit with Park Manager Wendy Wilson and Park Naturalist Trish Ackley. During our conversation I posed this question to Wendy, “What’s happened to the magpies on the island?” and told her I hadn’t seen any on my last three visits. She looked at me quizzically for a moment and then said “You’re right. It’s been a while since I’ve seen any too.” Then Trish chimed in by saying that she hadn’t seen any magpies on the island for quite a while either.
Wendy, as Park Manager, actually lives on the island full time so she ought to know.
I’m curious, have any of my readers who are local seen any magpies on the island recently? And if you have, are you seeing as many as usual?
Just because I haven’t seen any doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t there, somewhere. But throw Wendy’s and Trish’s observations into the mix and I can’t help but be concerned.
Ron
We visited my father-in-law in Olympus Cove (SLC) for the holidays. That has always been decent area for neighborhood birding. Other than California Quail — which I rarely see at home in California, I saw very few birds. Only three magpies.
Our favorite local spots in San Bernardino have been sparse since the crazy snowstorm we had a year ago. It’s more than a little disconcerting.
Sad, isn’t it Bob.
I have seen a couple the last times I was there, which was in January. The magpies along with a couple of ravens were on the east side where all the Russian Olive trees are close to the mud flats. They were in the tops of the trees.
I don’t know if avian influenza has hit them like some other birds, I am out of the loop and not involved in the rehab. I haven’t renewed memberships to organizations and receiving news letters. I do know from reading last year that GHO are affected by avian influenza. And I suspect your hypothesis on harriers is correct with them being around ducks and wetland habitat where there are carriers of avian influenza. We know West Nile is deadly in corvids and the island is swarming with mosquitoes. I know West Nile is still monitored but news does not report it like it use too. I guess just another disease we have permanently among us and it’s old hat now. I am going out to the island this week while I have some time before we head back down to St George next week.
Good to know you saw a couple of them in January, April. It’s been months since I’ve seen any on the island and the last time I only saw one. And I really LOOK for them.
My son worked at the High West distillery in Wanship until about a year ago. He said magpies were common there.
I wonder if they still are.
Ron,
I haven’t been on the island for a while. I’ll have to check it out.
PLease let me know if you see any.
A few years ago here on the Front Range in Colorado, I noticed I wasn’t seeing any magpies. However, I did see quite a few last summer. I hope yours make a return.
I hope so too, Linda.
The first time I ever saw a magpie, it was in the woodsy foothills
west of Park City, UT, ( before any “development” of the area )–
maybe a member of your posse has observed magpies in the
mountainous terrain to the east of the GSL’s basin ?
Could be, Kris. I haven’t heard from any of them yet.
A disturbing development indeed. Wish I had an answer for you. But I am no where near to be of any help.
Thanks, Michael.
I think your concerns about avian flu are totally valid. What you read about the known effects of it is terrifying. Who knows what we don’t know about it. Corvids were also hit hard by West Nile, right?
Our magpies here in Central Washington seem to me to be more erratic recently. Sometimes we’ll have a lot, and then there won’t be any for weeks. We are losing a lot of our hay fields/farms to development, which makes me worry about the bird loss, too.
“Corvids were also hit hard by West Nile, right?”
As I recall, they were Carolyn. It’s sure a possibility in this case.
I monitor Osprey nests in Rhode Island. A couple years ago we had a pair of Great Horned Owls that devastated the nests in one area called the Great Swamp. We had virtually no fledglings in that area for a couple years. The adults had abandoned the area !!
I know that you have GHO’s on AI. Could this be attributed to them ?
“I know that you have GHO’s on AI. Could this be attributed to them?”
I highly doubt it, Gary. There have been Great Horned Owls at two places on the island (the hay barn and Garr Ranch) for many years but the island’s magpies have flourished.
We still have plenty – wish I could tell them to head S! 😉 Haven’t had as many in the yard the last couple of years in summer as Grackles are running them out. Downside is limited nest options for GHO’s – we DO miss the GHO’s! Hope the avian influenze isn’t getting them or any other birds for that matter…….
“We still have plenty”
Good to know, Judy. Wish I knew what was going on with them on the island.
Interesting post Ron. I have only ever seen a Magpie in person at Taos NM. Am surprised at this photo because I had no idea they built their nests with mud etc. Everything I know about Magpies comes from reading your posts. Sure wish we had them here. In our Prescott booklet of birds they are not even listed which means that they never even accidentally appear here during migrations etc.
PS – beautiful bird and photo
Everett, I’m surprised that you’re out of their range in Prescott, although based on what you said I don’t doubt it.
Magpie nests are constructed mostly out of twigs but they line the interior cup of their domed nest with mud.
Thanks Ron – I double checked and our list of Prescott birds that includes all who ever came here during migrations etc there is no mention of Magpies
It is rarely a good thing when common bird residents go missing.
Agreed, Kathy. I have to wonder if it might be avian influenza…