Wow! I've seen them flock but not in those numbers! They gather in an empty lot next to where I work and we watch their aerial stunts, it's like they play follow the leader but the leader changes every few moments. What's interesting is that two of our most invasive alien species of birds (european starlings and house sparrows) are both considered endangered in Britain. Makes you wonder if they don't get to the point where the species has outgrown it's natural boundaries and begins to decline. I know I would gladly ship all my starlings over there! We have another winter storm moving through tonight and the birds seemed to know as they were all very actively feeding at dusk. Typically the last birds that I see in the evening are cardinals and tonight when I looked out I counted 43! That was just at the back feeders so I'm sure that count is low. I tried to get a picture of as many as possible but the best I could do was 17. Taken through the window with flash so not my best but you get the idea ... Here is a link that might be useful:

There is (or was) a small planting at the Secrest Arboretum in Ohio. They were doing well, but not as good as other species. I also had one planted in my garden in eastern Ohio. It grew about 2' (~.66m) per year for several years, but had to be cut down because of a change in the garden plans. It was about 15' (5 m) tall when cut. Hot, humid summers are really only problems as far they promote diseases. For example, root-rots in Abies, Leucocytospora canker on Picea pungens, Seridium and other diseases of Leyand cypress. As far as I know, there is no conclusive evidence for physiological disruption of conifers due to hot, humid summers. I would think that with the relatively low elevations for L. occidentalis in its native range, it should do well in the northeast. However, one shouldn't expect the same growth rates as L. decidua, L. kaempferi or L. x marschslinsii.

Hi Azura, I have the book Birds of Denver and the Front Range that was given to me by my brother who owns a Wild Bird Supply store in Illinois, but I find I use my original book far more often. Sometimes I use the Denver book, but its more for a cross reference to compare pictures. My "main" book is A Guide to Field Identification Birds of North America by Golden Press, New York and I like the pictures and the way its set up better. That book was also given to me by my brother when I first started bird watching (now called birdingbut I still prefer bird watching!) There are other Colorado birding books available, but I dont know anything about them. Heres a list of the Most Frequently Seen Birds of the Denver Area which can be really helpful when youre first starting to identify them and trying to eliminate all the ones in the "complete" bird book that arent even a possibility. The ones youll see most often around here are House Sparrows (not really sparrows!), House Finches, Black-capped Chickadees, Pigeons & Doves, Blackbirds, Blue Jays, several different Juncos when theyre migrating thru in spring and fall (and sometimes in winter), and, especially if you put suet out, Flickers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Downy Woodpeckers. Oh, and Robins, of courseI have them all winter. If you put out some feeders youll see a lot more birds than if you just watch for them, but I recommend staying away from millet or "all purpose" bird seed as it just attracts dozens and dozens of House Sparrows that will keep many other birds away. I recommend safflower seed, thistle seed, black oil sunflower seed and suet. That will get you at least all of the birds I mentioned above (except the House Sparrows), and many more, but just not as many of each. I love to watch the chickadees, but still havent attracted much of a following at this house, which is only a couple miles away from my last house where I had lots of them. But little by little theyre showing up. If you put the feeders near deciduous trees, thatll help even more. Heres a link to the best online bird identification site Ive found. Click on "all birds." AND, if youve never heard of it before, heres a link to Bird Cam where you can watch Eagles, Falcons, Kestrels, Ospreys, and Owls laying their eggs and raising their young. Its fascinating to check in on them every now and then. Check out the Eagle Cam. They should be laying their eggs pretty soon. Just in case all you see when you go there is an empty nest, remember that these are live cams, and the Eagles come and go! Enjoy our feathered relatives, Skybird (without the feathers!)

Misty, if you've never seen it, check out the PBS video, A Murder of Crows. It's about the intelligence of blackbirds, and it's pretty amazing! I've seen it on TV a couple times. http://video.pbs.org/video/1621910826/ I’m not a big fan of blackbirds! It’s not because I don’t like them “as birds,” it’s because they EAT all the seed I put out for the “little birds,” and I can’t afford to feed the BIG birds! I’ve developed a Blackbird Dispersal System so I can scare them away without hurting them, but they are VERY smart, and they keep coming back several times each time they show up—until they realize that the “scarer” is going to “appear” every time they come—and then they—all of them, at the feeders AND in the trees—go away and usually don’t come back for a day or two—to try again! There have been some VERY cool “animal” shows on PBS lately! The “animal homes” series that’s on right now is amazing! Also linked on that page. And if you click “see all” there are many more possibilities, including Leave it to Beavers, which was just on (TV) last week, and it’s absolutely incredible to see in such detail “what they do” and HOW they do it—and how good, and necessary, they are for the environment! If you have time, I highly recommend it! (Full episodes of “animal homes” are available on the “see all” page!) Easy enough to link things now, so here IS the “see all” page!!! http://video.pbs.org/program/nature/episodes/ Gotta go! P.S. Zach, I never managed to get back here to post, but I LOVE all the pics you posted. Thanks for posting them. I didn’t have a “very successful” bird count this year! Very few birds, and not much besides the normal “regulars” I have. Definitely no “murder” of robins this year! Misty I love your “icicle bluebird pic!” Feel very sorry for the bluebird—but love the pic! P.P.S. Since I already have WebAlbums up, here’s a pic (not very close up!) of a Golden Eagle on the Ute Mountain Tribal Park last spring! This is the only Golden I’ve ever seen! https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lKmHq6gaCDC_S3BtFXaMIQPPcO__tq0XI6jlKd1A8Lg?feat=directlink