Irregular cone production is the rule amomg pines and most other conifers. Having had a big crop last year, it should be expected that these trees would have few or none this year.

There are a dozen 100' E white pines near me, and haven't noticed any cones on them for several yrs. The trees are all healthy.

I think cone production decreases in general on older trees like those, say, 70 yrs plus.

"I think cone production decreases in general on older trees like those, say, 70 yrs plus"

Not true; I've got some cones off 'Methuselah', 4,830 years and counting.

Resin

Thanks for all the info.
I'm still not sure if I should be concerned with the brown tips coinciding with the lack of cones or if this is normal, too. There would be no way to spray these giants (nor can I inspect for bugs) but would some kind of conifer food help?
There's been 2 years with big pinecone amounts that I know of, by the frequent gutter cleanings I have done in not quite 2 years I've lived here...neighbor's tree but over my gutters!!! Last year it was clogged with pine cones, this year, I've been out almost every rain storm unclogging the needles. And, yes, this is with gutter covers!
Last winter, a little red squirrel piled all 8 trees with 2 foot high mounds of cones for his winter bounty and sat daily, munching and strewing the empty cobs about. I guess he'll find a new winter home.
The birds did have a few pinenut frenzies but way up top and not for days and days like last fall.
I'm also fighting a bit of lilac blight (again, her lilacs but half are over my property line and front half are under the pines) and at least licked it enough to get lots of new growth and a load of blooms this spring after no blooms the first spring I moved here. Could there be a connection considering they are close by? Can a lilac fungus effect a pine? Doesn't seem likely but I moved here from Brooklyn...what do I know??!
I'm game to go with the idea they fluctuate production and keep an eye out. But any ideas how I can make sure to keep them healthy would be welcome.

"There's been 2 years with big pinecone amounts that I know of"

There's your answer - two heavy crops, so the tree is taking a rest this year.

"brown tips"

That could be next years cones. The cones take 18 months from pollination to maturity; when they are 6 months old, they are small (about 1-2cm long) and brown, at the tips of the shoots. Can you post some photos?

Resin

I'm not an expert but here's what I've observed. Last year our white spruces were covered, and I mean *covered* with cones. Each tree has literally hundred of cones, mostly in the top half of the tree. This year the same trees have very few, if any cones. Some have none at all, at least that I can see. The trees are healthy and have lots of new growth, just no cones this year.

HTH,

Dave