Doug Fir and ornithology

[ArtB]

Have some acreage of DF and red alder with a cabin near Mossyrock WA. Have had for 40 years or so.

Related to ornithology as I rarely in 40 years see a bird near the cabin. As far as I know, there is only the neighbor's house within 60 miles to the south and east, all GP nat forest or state/Wyhsr/etc DF forest, 3rd growh. The neighbors yard (1/4 mile south) IS full of birds as they have large feeder year around.

Find turkey feathers like pic below occasionally, but have never seen a turkey. Only am there 3-5 days a year.

So, the question for folks knowledgeable about birds and DF stands: is it just the neighbor's feeder is more attractive or is there a general dearth of birds in DF stands?
Our place in town is 3 ac of DF and there are all kinds of birds, even Pileated woodpeckers and occasional bald eagle - but then the place 'in town' is now surrounded by subdivisions with very few if any large trees so probably no place else for the critters to go?

edit ps: deer and elk, occasional bear now coming back after state initiative outlawed hunting with dogs a few years back. 13 YO grandson thought he saw a sasquatch last year down by the creek <G>, probably a bear, but gs said it was bigger than me and standing up.

 

[northmanlogging]

Not a bird brain... however I've been seeing wild turkeys on this side of the cascades. Even a few on the islands, I don't think the critters care much about which kind of tree they rest their butts in, as long as they got some fud to eat...

 

[Red Elm]

I've never been to the PNW, so my knowledge of the avian biology of the area is extremely limited, but yes, monocultures (areas containing a single species of plant life) would typically hold fewer species of birds than a more diverse area. The larger the tract, the more this would be compounded in its interior areas. The lack of availability of water and suitable nest sites would compound this as well.

 

[treeslayer2003]

^^^ what he said...........pine plantations here hold little wild life after it gets tall and shades out undergrowth.

turkeys move alot, they can be here today and 5 miles away tomorrow.............at least around here and we have a few around.

 

[slowp]

I don't see any shortage of birds in DF stands. Our DF stands are not pure DF, you'll see hemlock growing in it, cedar, and alder. Hemlock will always seed in from the edge. I walk through the private ground by my house and often see and hear grouse. I've not seen any turkeys, but turkeys do live in the Alsea, OR area. They were planted there. That's a Doug-fir growing area.

 

[madhatte]

I've spooked a few great horned owls into blasting past me; that's always a pants-crapping experience. Those guys are HUGE! I see plenty of grouse, corvids, and all sorts of little tweety things. Birds are doing well here, I think.

 

[paccity]

have not had them this year but for a long time i had a nesting pair of green herons in the df in the back . kinda rare from what the bird book says.