[Birdtalk] DRUNK SISKINS??

[Matthew J. Williams]

Jeff & all,
   This is certainly an interesting topic.  I just observed the exact 
same thing yesterday with an individual Pine Siskin in our yard in 
Midvale.  It climbed around on some things (chicken wire, tomato 
cages) on our back patio before it mustered the strength to fly up 
into a nearby tree.  There are quite a few Siskins in our 
neighborhood still so I don't think this is an unwell straggler.  It 
may have been unwell.  I think I'm going to stop feeding for a bit 
and probably clean the feeders as a precaution for next 
fall/winter.  Any other theories out there.  I just thought it was a 
one-time strange occurrence but it's interesting that others are 
observing it too...around the same time of year.

Matt Williams
Midvale, UT