# Wild Side Ornithology Club



## freedombecki

Yeah, I could've named this "Aesthetics of Ornithology", but would you then have opened the door to that amazing world filled with foreign-language visitors to your backyard, shoreline, National Park vacation lands, or at a friend's farm?

Welcome to Shangri-La! Birds are a blast, but thanks to Alfred Hitchcock's epic film, "Birds" our entire culture (well, not all) grew suspicious of our global companions as fearsome interlopers rather than the caroling community and vermin eliminators who gather at backyard feeders across the civilized world, looking for a meal and leaving a song in our hearts and free fertilizer for our lawns and even the beautiful meadow flowers we see out in the country lands of America.

If you have a favorite bird, or know what kind of bird is so beloved in your state, please share a picture or two of birds you may have photographed. Because I am approximately the world's worst photographer, I will try to share credited public domain photos to those who kindly list their pictures as nonprofit use for amateurs who just love birds and want to share a picture of a particular type of bird with those who have a love for birds in common.

Thanks for opening the lost-leader thread, and as time goes on, I hope you enjoy the amazing world of birds, and I'm hoping one or two of you are avid birders, members of the Audubon Society, or registered ornithologists. Hey, I'm none of the above, but I love birds and admire anyone who has a degree in ornithology and respects those elusive little warblers as well as those fearsome wilderness vamps known as snowy owls, one of whom sideswiped my car on a dark, cold road in a snowstorm in Wyoming 20 years ago. Actually, it was a full-frontal assault with him diving at me, and I saw the bright yellow of his huge eyes just before he changed course and flew upwards as I was just driving down the road on the way home between Laramie and Clark's Corner. He frightened me so completely, my heart was thumping for half an hour afterward, and I'll never forget it.

Most of my experiences watching and enjoying birds have been very good ones, and they're worth every minute I spent enjoying observing their playful antics on edging out the competition at the bird feeder. And the farm where we live now has the special treat of being a favorite spot of those fabulous and inimitable summer tanagers.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufkcx-UqljM]Snowy Owl Invasion - YouTube[/ame]

Some links that may help acquaint you with a wild bird you've seen that you cannot quite name yet and other resources for understanding our feathered friends:

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Macauly Library

Patuxent Bird Identification Center

What Bird - Novel Way to Identify the Bird you just heard or saw​
Smithsonian Institution, National Bird Collection

British Trust for Ornithology

Birds of North America - Life Histories of breeding birds

Birds of Mexico Checklist

Birds of Canada Checklist

Birds of the USA

Nature Worldwide Birds


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## freedombecki

Another take on To Kill a Mockingbird....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDqjX7gRyA]Bird Bullies Cat EPIC FAIL!!! w/YouTube Editor - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

Mountain Bluebirds
Eye candy!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv3Hj2WSWec]Mountain Bluebird - Unbelievably blue!!!! - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

The Return of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher from Mexican Winter Vacation

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJeNNswljo"]Return of the Flycatchers - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

Misidentification of the Mockingbird--claimed to be a scissortail--at least this mockingbird comes out okay...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVvf5vZzyQQ]cat vs scissor tail - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

The people of 5 states claim the Mockingbird as their State Bird. They really are characters if you are ever lucky enough to have them frequent your back yard. 







Mockingbird - Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee State Bird​


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## freedombecki

hm, what? 40 views and no takers? Maybe my smutty little thread nomenclature was just too much for the true-blue ornithologists, although as science-lovers, many of them are high-minded enough to overlook such inanities to get attention to bird issues. I could always have called it the "Fowler's Blind" which would justaposition birders with hunters in war mode. /blush

I cannot, however, not carry forward without mentioning another bird that is nothing short of eye candy if you can ignore the carping...

_Cardinalis cardinalis_






photo credits

But the Cardinal is not just another pretty face in the Aviary Kingdom, they boast being the state bird in several states--Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. ​


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## freedombecki

My Audubon calendar shows the blue bunting's feathers as today's bird picture of the day. I love the bird-a-day calendar. It's a one-place resource for seeing the awesome birds of North America. These birds are just too pretty for words.




​ 
Photo Credits, The Indigo Bunting: The smallest Sparrow Warbler



> You will meet the Indigo Bunting in pastures, along the edges of  swamps or along roadsides that are lined with trees or bushes anytime  between the later part of May and September. He is the deepest ultramarine blue and certainly cannot be confused with other blue birds.  The front of his head and chin are a rich indigo blue, green on his  back and underparts. His wings are dusky brown with blue edges. His tail  feathers are also blue edged and his bill and feet are dark. His  general shape is rounded and canary-like, resembling the body of the  goldfinch. He is 5 ¾ inches in length.


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## Baruch Menachem

Every guys favorite bird... The tit.


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## freedombecki

Last week, I got the treat of the year. A red-bellied woodpecker was rattling the bird feeder around, so I looked up from my quilt task at the ironing board to have the pleasure of seeing one of the prettiest birds ever--and I made quick mental notes of him before he flew off. He had a dark barred back and a smooth head that had a large band of red from top to just above where his wings attach. That red was absolutely the loveliest shade of scarlet, and with the white underneath showing, I thought "well, I've never seen that woodpecker before, but I know he's not the red bellied type." Ha! I looked up what I remembered, and indeed, sighting a red belly on a red-bellied woodpecker is rare, because most of them do not show one causing some ornithologists to think their name is a misnomer. There are actually some that do have a small red spot, but they may be the exception rather than the rule. I saw no red mark, but this bird was nervous and didn't care to see me seeing him enjoying the woodpecker mix I bought a couple of weeks back, just to see if woodpeckers really are out there and if they really would come to feed on tempting snacks on our large front porch. I now know, they do!

Here's the closest one I could find to the one I saw, but I have to tell you the fellow on my front porch was stunning, sharp, cautious if not paranoid, and a thorough character, rattling his beak against the bird feeder a few times to see if he could get anything out of it. Nope! He had to eat what was at the lower end, just like everybody else, so he grabbed a few delectable bits of seeds and fruits woodpeckers like and was off. I was just standing there thinking how lucky I was to get to see one up close. The window is only a couple of feet away from the bird feeder, and the ironing board was set in front of the front bay window close to the bird feeder, on purpose. 





photo credits and link to _Melanerpes carolinus_ information​


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## freedombecki

Baruch Menachem said:


> Every guys favorite bird... The tit.



He's beautiful, Baruch.


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## freedombecki

America's only all-red bird​
Soon the Summer tanagers will be back. It seems last year they stayed a longer time than usual, possibly because our pond didn't dry up completely in last year's terrible drought, so there was food and water. They're so pretty I can't even describe them, but Cornell Ornithology Lab has a Sound link on their Summer tanager page, and you can scroll and click on the word "Sound," and you will be transferred to a page where you can click on the gray key and hear the song of the Summer tanager. So many of them come here, they're eye candy in our rural Walker County homestead. 

Breeding Bird Survey in North America published at the USGS Pautuxent Bird ID Center





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## freedombecki

And while we're on Flag Colors,
Blue Jays are just about everywhere






And according to the USGS, here are locations you can see them:




​


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## strollingbones

freedombecki said:


> The people of 5 states claim the Mockingbird as their State Bird. They really are characters if you are ever lucky enough to have them frequent your back yard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mockingbird - Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee State Bird​



for a few years we had a mockingbird that did a ringing phone.....that was  just a joy

she would wake you at the crack of dawn......you would answer the phone and cuss


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## strollingbones

i have been lucky enough to hold a hummingbird....what an experience


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## freedombecki

strollingbones said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> The people of 5 states claim the Mockingbird as their State Bird. They really are characters if you are ever lucky enough to have them frequent your back yard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mockingbird - Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee State Bird​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for a few years we had a mockingbird that did a ringing phone.....that was  just a joy
> 
> she would wake you at the crack of dawn......you would answer the phone and cuss
Click to expand...

!!!lol!!! Strollingbones, your very own Lily Tomlin singing one ringy-dingys over and over. 
We have the know-it-all Mockingbird family around here when they show up en masse. You never know what they're gonna come up with, but *sigh* Your Lily Tomlin bird must love you, because I've never heard her. Some mockingbirds are said to learn the mimics of over 100 birds, but your bird must have descended from a family that nested at the operator's house of Ma Belle last century! (or something!)

That is just too funny!


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## NLT

OP title threw me off, I thought it was a thread about Dante. My bad


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## freedombecki

Some can talk with the animals...
Mynah bird, mimicking handlers

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYNCAT6NJ8c]talking mynah bird "Banjo" - YouTube[/ame]
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## freedombecki

Baby robins hatching, time lapse photography

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDKgLfWheoI]Baby Robin Hatching - YouTube[/ame]

And more...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIt4QZZO4]Baby Robin Birds are hatching on my windows (2) - YouTube[/ame]

​


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## Ernie S.

Check out this eagle cam. It's very addicting.


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## freedombecki

Thanks, Ernie. Great show. ​ 
The Summer tanager has a following at you tube it seems:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI3pZ3t2i4E]Summer Tanager[/ame]​[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI3pZ3t2i4E"][/ame]


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## freedombecki

Song of the yellow warbler
and a little nest-building, too.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pgQfRnw3LI]Yellow Warbler Singing & Building Nest - YouTube[/ame]​


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## Si modo

Upon seeing the title, I thought this was about del.

After seeing the content, it is!


(Joking, del...)


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## freedombecki

Indigo bunting singing

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJTaV95E9Qg"]Indigo Bunting - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

A Trio of Blue Birds
Eastern Bluebird, Indigo Bunting, and Blue Groesbeak

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNXmcPT565w]Blue Songbirds.mov - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

The Sound of Spring in Birdsong

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU9RO_v52e4]The sounds of spring - bird songs - YouTube[/ame]​


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## Foxfyre

The Roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.  We get a lot of videos of them, but it is almost impossible to get a home video of a roadrunner really stretched out running full steam because they are so fast.  But they are highly intelligent, funny with a sense of humor, and sometimes pretty sociable.

Kudos to this homeowner who got this footage of a roadrunner playing with their cat:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URTdcHpPm0k&feature=player_emb]CAT AND ROADRUNNER - YouTube[/ame]


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## Si modo

I thought this was a cool finding when it first came out:  City mockingbirds can tell the difference between individual people : Not Exactly Rocket Science


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## freedombecki

Sunrise with Songbirds
Lovely Birds of Texas 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdIQ0o2DEbg]"Sunrise with Song Birds" 15min Sunrise w/o Music - YouTube[/ame]

​


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## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> The Roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.  We get a lot of videos of them, but it is almost impossible to get a home video of a roadrunner really stretched out running full steam because they are so fast.  But they are highly intelligent, funny with a sense of humor, and sometimes pretty sociable.
> 
> Kudos to this homeowner who got this footage of a roadrunner playing with their cat:
> 
> CAT AND ROADRUNNER - YouTube


What a character, Foxfyre.


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## Baruch Menachem

freedombecki said:


> Another take on To Kill a Mockingbird....
> 
> Bird Bullies Cat EPIC FAIL!!! w/YouTube Editor - YouTube​



Cat might have been looking for the nest and the chicks.    One brave bird.


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## Big Black Dog

I am a little confused about the purpose of this thread.  I was prepared to post a picture that could be used as the "standard" for all small measurements.  Sorry.


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## freedombecki

Baruch Menachem said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Another take on To Kill a Mockingbird....
> 
> Bird Bullies Cat EPIC FAIL!!! w/YouTube Editor - YouTube​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cat might have been looking for the nest and the chicks.    One brave bird.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I thought, Baruch, but someone already had a panacea that the bird was just vicious and that the cat refused to be its victim. The cat probably ate the eggs or chicks, too. *sigh*

I love mockingbirds. They're such characters.

Sorry, Baruch. The popup says <you have given out too much reputation in 24 hours. Try back again later.>


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## Foxfyre

freedombecki said:


> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.  We get a lot of videos of them, but it is almost impossible to get a home video of a roadrunner really stretched out running full steam because they are so fast.  But they are highly intelligent, funny with a sense of humor, and sometimes pretty sociable.
> 
> Kudos to this homeowner who got this footage of a roadrunner playing with their cat:
> 
> CAT AND ROADRUNNER - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> What a character, Foxfyre.
Click to expand...


They really are.  They can make a cat or dog or even a coyote's life miserable when they know they can do it safely.  And they seem to know.

However this isn't really about the bird, but this footage of an angry mother rabbit attacking a snake is one of the most amazing things I've seen.  But note the curious bird who approaches to watch the show.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E_SxwbotS0]Rabbit Attacks Snake - YouTube[/ame]

Science has long taught us that these are creatures operating on pure instinct with no ability of independent thought.   I have never believed that and the older I get, the less I believe it.


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## freedombecki

Big Black Dog said:


> I am a little confused about the purpose of this thread.  I was prepared to post a picture that could be used as the "standard" for all small measurements.  Sorry.





_Mea maxima culpa_, Big Black Dog. Glad you made it to 1500 today.  I still have two to go. *sigh* to 1000. <hint, hint>


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## Baruch Menachem

Big Black Dog said:


> I am a little confused about the purpose of this thread.  I was prepared to post a picture that could be used as the "standard" for all small measurements.  Sorry.



If that is what you are looking for, here is the internet standard:


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## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.  We get a lot of videos of them, but it is almost impossible to get a home video of a roadrunner really stretched out running full steam because they are so fast.  But they are highly intelligent, funny with a sense of humor, and sometimes pretty sociable.
> 
> Kudos to this homeowner who got this footage of a roadrunner playing with their cat:
> 
> CAT AND ROADRUNNER - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> What a character, Foxfyre.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> They really are.  They can make a cat or dog or even a coyote's life miserable when they know they can do it safely.  And they seem to know.
> 
> However this isn't really about the bird, but this footage of an angry mother rabbit attacking a snake is one of the most amazing things I've seen.  But note the curious bird who approaches to watch the show.
> 
> [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E_SxwbotS0"]Rabbit Attacks Snake - YouTube[/ame]
> 
> Science has long taught us that these are creatures operating on pure instinct with no ability of independent thought.   I have never believed that and the older I get, the less I believe it.
Click to expand...


Rabbits will attack predators. It's hard to say whether the rabbit diverted the snake away from her underground nest or was trying to get her babies back.

I reran the video three times, and the bird has the head shape and a suspicious v-neck marking that wants me to say it could be a Western Meadowlark, but I'm not 100% certa_in._ Most of the meadowlarks in Wyoming, where we lived for 35 years, were very, very shy. However, it could be that curiosity got the better of the bird's no-contact senses or it could've thought while the rabbit's away... baby rabbits can be quite tiny at first.


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## freedombecki

The Western Meadowlark has a truly beautiful song. It is the state bird of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming. On our ranch in Wyoming, you can hear and sometimes see them, but they don't like to be on the human radar scope and will hide, with one except_ion. Sometimes they will sit on a fence for hours.

__[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk4S2spFdcs"]Western Meadowlark - YouTube[/ame]_​


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## freedombecki

The mockingbird

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMpe34Aign4]Northern Mockingbird Sings - YouTube[/ame]

Hope you enjoy this link as much as I did: Do mockingbirds have their own special call or do they mimick other birds?​


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## Foxfyre

freedombecki said:


> Rabbits will attack predators. It's hard to say whether the rabbit diverted the snake away from her underground nest or was trying to get her babies back.
> 
> I reran the video three times, and the bird has the head shape and a suspicious v-neck marking that wants me to say it could be a Western Meadowlark, but I'm not 100% certa_in._ Most of the meadowlarks in Wyoming, where we lived for 35 years, were very, very shy. However, it could be that curiosity got the better of the bird's no-contact senses or it could've thought while the rabbit's away... baby rabbits can be quite tiny at first.



Maybe, but I've never seen rabbits be concerned about the meadowlarks that are both herbivorous and carnivorous but seem interested, at least to me, in smaller insects.  And I don't know.  You may be right that the bird in the video is a meadowlark, but if it is, it is an unusualy large one.  Or maybe I'm just not remembering them all that well as we have been gone from Kansas a long time now.


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## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Rabbits will attack predators. It's hard to say whether the rabbit diverted the snake away from her underground nest or was trying to get her babies back.
> 
> I reran the video three times, and the bird has the head shape and a suspicious v-neck marking that wants me to say it could be a Western Meadowlark, but I'm not 100% certa_in._ Most of the meadowlarks in Wyoming, where we lived for 35 years, were very, very shy. However, it could be that curiosity got the better of the bird's no-contact senses or it could've thought while the rabbit's away... baby rabbits can be quite tiny at first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe, but I've never seen rabbits be concerned about the meadowlarks that are both herbivorous and carnivorous but seem interested, at least to me, in smaller insects.  And I don't know.  You may be right that the bird in the video is a meadowlark, but if it is, it is an unusualy large one.  Or maybe I'm just not remembering them all that well as we have been gone from Kansas a long time now.
Click to expand...

The ones who live on our ranch vary between 8" to 9 1/2". They're very wonderful birds. You'd be walking out in the scrublands, and suddenly that distinctive little sweet gurgle comes out of nowhere, blesses the air for a while, then drops back into a respectful silence--unless there are several engaging in the chant. I think the Western Meadowlark may be larger than the Eastern one. Their warbles are distinctively different, but so pretty (to me).


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## freedombecki

strollingbones said:


> i have been lucky enough to hold a hummingbird....what an experience


That takes a large amount of animal magnetism and love for birds, sb. They must  totally trust your hands.


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## freedombecki

Here is a page that offers 5 free bird songs from Cornell Laboratory for Birds. Enjoy!

Also, here's a really nice bird, the Dark eyed junco:






Dark eyed junco, information, songs etc.

There are a lot of facts about this bird at the link, and to hear the sounds of the sundry "races" of dark-eyed Junco, scroll down and follow instructions. It's definitely worth the trip over to Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Enjoy! 

If you are out in the field and hear such a sound, you are advised to walk around to flush them out. You will be looking at a dark bird, although the markings vary between species. The birds hang around on the ground looking for fallen seeds, etc. One observer said he thought they made their calls while absentmindedly walking around on the ground, looking for food.​


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## Foxfyre

Humming birds though are among the most social of all the wild birds and it only takes a little patience to get them to lose their fear of humans.

This video is a good illustration:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEZkwJulBY]Hand feeding Hummingbirds - YouTube[/ame]


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## Si modo

Although Snowball isn't IN the wild, he IS wild.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJOZp2ZftCw]Snowball (TM) - Another One Bites The Dust - YouTube[/ame]


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## freedombecki

Foxfyre, that was a happy showing of what a little patience can do, and there was also some breathtaking photos of Alaska, too. Katchekan? Those waterfalls shown later were fab. Thanks.


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## Foxfyre

freedombecki said:


> Foxfyre, that was a happy showing of what a little patience can do, and there was also some breathtaking photos of Alaska, too. Katchekan? Those waterfalls shown later were fab. Thanks.



A few years ago we were blessed with a cruise from Seward, Alaska through the inside passage and then on to Vancouver.   One of our ports of call was Ketchikan.  A wonderful place.  And there were lots and lots of hummers.


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## freedombecki

Oh, Si modo, That cockatoo got da beat!


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## Si modo

freedombecki said:


> Oh, Si modo, That cockatoo got da beat!


He is awesome.

And, he has quite a few scientists curious.  Cool stuff.


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## freedombecki

I confess, Si, I had to come back today and watch the comedic Cockatoo. He has more energy than Jack LaLanne back when.


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## freedombecki

The first summer tanager was at the far east back fence in a tree, just sitting there doing nothing, his stunning plumage a sharp contrast to the greens and browns of spring. He hopped to the other side of the tree trunk he was near when he saw me, but I was hooked. Sidestepping to get a better look, he flew away to a nearby tree.

These birds are just the most beautiful pilgrims imaginable. A few days later, I saw another, but this bird lacked the color, and was on the orange side of red, same beak and head shape, though. One year we had more tanagers than cardinals, which have the black patch and crest.

Tanagers are the Miss Americas of the red bird group, imho. They're pretty, they're least aggressive, and they're never not pretty.

Just thinking out loud. I love tanagers, and we see several types throughout the warm times of the year. And they seem crazy about this area, because they're about a lot.


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## freedombecki

I'm hearing a lot of birdsong, and I was thinking that I sure see a lot of tanagers, cardinals, and mockingbirds when the blackberries. I did a search on what birds are attracted, and got more than I asked for. A lot of other animals benefit, too, not to mention insects I already knew about due to their presence during this bountiful time of year when blackberries ripen. Here's what I pulled up:

[SIZE=+1]Some of the birds and animals that eat blackberry fruits are: Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Bluebird, Common Crow, Great Crested Flycatcher, Common Grackle, Blue Jay, Eastern Kingbird, Norhtern Mockingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Phoebe, Tufted Titmouse, Cedar Waxwing, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Striped Skunk, Virginia Opossum, Red Fox, Raccoon, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Meadow Vole, White-footed Mouse, and Eastern Chipmunk. White-tailed Deer, Eastern Cottontail, and Beaver eat the leaves and stems.

[/SIZE]​Source

It's not clear to me which of the local ones I see here (mentioned above) go for the blackberries or the insects that feed from them. Maybe it's fruit and bonus protein.


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## freedombecki

Are Swans Lethal?

ABC News
April 16, 2012

An angry swan is being blamed for knocking a man out of his kayak in a Chicago pond and then continuing to attack until the man drowned. Anthony Hensley, 37 of villa Park, IL, worked for a company called Knox Swan & Dog which used swans and dogs to keep geese off the condominium's properties.

Hensley was in a kayak on the condo's retention pond checking on the animals Saturday morning when one of the swans swam at him, causing him to fall out of his kayak into the water. Two witnesses saw Hensley struggling to stay above water and resurfaced a few times in the pond. He was not wearing a life vest.​


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## Foxfyre

freedombecki said:


> Are Swans Lethal?
> 
> ABC News
> April 16, 2012
> 
> An angry swan is being blamed for knocking a man out of his kayak in a Chicago pond and then continuing to attack until the man drowned. Anthony Hensley, 37 of villa Park, IL, worked for a company called Knox Swan & Dog which used swans and dogs to keep geese off the condominium's properties.
> 
> Hensley was in a kayak on the condo's retention pond checking on the animals Saturday morning when one of the swans swam at him, causing him to fall out of his kayak into the water. Two witnesses saw Hensley struggling to stay above water and resurfaced a few times in the pond. He was not wearing a life vest.​



One place we lived in Pittsburg KS was across the street from a small inner city lake that was home to a bunch of ducks and three large swans, two white, one black.  The black one was the largest of the three and the most adventuresome frequently crossing the street into neighboring yards, including ours.  I learned quite quickly just to keep the kids indoors when that swan came to visit.  He would swell up like a poisonous toad, twist his neck, hunch his shoulders, and hiss and, if you tried to shoo him, he would lunge at you.  There was no scaring him off.  He was ready to do serious damage.


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## freedombecki

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REltaaei2ts"]Trumpeter Swans of Monticello Minnesota - YouTube[/ame]​


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## freedombecki

Out on the lake out back, I've noticed a pair of these gorgeous ducks, beautiful in every way, swimming and hiding out under the small clump of china berry trees across the lake from my bay window lookout. When they fly, it's a trip, because their wings have such a pattern it looks like they're an army of creatures instead of one duck, and when two of them fly side by side, they look like they could cut down the Red Baron! 





photo credits here

Some birds take on a whole new dimension in flight. Loons have that quality, and the Fulvous whistling ducks here are a double-take waiting to happen in flight. I'll see if I can find a picture that does what I just saw about 5 minutes ago to illustrate this. (That may not be able to be shared, but you'll know it if you have a pair around you and you notice them flying across water.) I can't describe their unique and beautiful motions in flight. Too much going on in feather patterns, I guess.​


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## freedombecki

Here's another someone took about 100 miles from here:


photo credits here
	
​


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## freedombecki

I'm looking at fully the biggest Great egret ever to appear here at our 2.5 acre lake they built to wrap around 2 sides of the back fence of the house yard. He is utterly magnificent. At first I thought he was swimming, but not so. He is walking on a long pair of legs so gracefully, he seems to be floating, but you can see his full image on the lake surface, so you know it's the Great egret and not a swan. Great egret has flown across the lake several times, establishing pecking order, maybe. The Great blue heron has been biding his time here all year, but I think he defers to the egret and leaves if there is too much of a fluff going on, on the part of Great egret. The heron blends in the shadows of the tree reflections on the lake, but not the Great egret. He's showy, and he's fabulously beautiful, not to mention elegant, and he knows it. He has the keys to the kingdom, and all are his subjects! "I'll take the shade, little fulvous whistling duck nuisances," his strut announces, and "I prefer this fishing area for my afternoon _hors d'oeuvres_, Sir Great Heron. Scoot along now." And the minions do as decreed.


----------



## freedombecki

For the three days up until yesterday, I saw these awesome fliers over the pond/lake I hadn't noticed for the last two years. They were fully black water birds, except for offwhite white wing patches which made their flight such a remarkable thing to see; they had black beaks similar in shape to loons, but the kicker was the hot, bright, demonic-looking legs, and I mean to tell you they were red. I thought, "there are six of these cutie pies, and while we might get mixed up about white and black markings, the red legs and an occasional red patch around the mouth must mean something." So I dutifully plugged my observations into Bing! and dozens of birds, totally unrelated to what bird I was seeing, so I looked up at what I had loaded, and failed to put the red legs bit in. When I did that, the same name kept coming up, "Black Guillimot." So I clicked on a few of them, but noticed the wing patches were a pure, glistening white, whereas the birds I saw had offwhite wing patches, but were in every other way identical, especially their beautiful heads and beaks. They look like thoroughbreds, except they're birds. Today, when I went into images for _Cepphys grylle_, Latin name for the Black guillimot, sure enough, I found some dead ringers for the little tribe that visited my lake for 2 1/2 days. I don't know if I will get to sight them again for a few months, because for some reason unbeknownst to me, they are not frequent visitors to Walker County Texas, but one of the sources said some of them winter feed as shorebirds in the south before heading up to Canada's St. Lawrence River basin area, Maine, and the northern Adirondacks. Also, it said they breed inland, not at the shore, which may be one reason they visited our lake in spite of a perpetual Great Blue Heron loner and an annual family of Great Egrets who quibble with him over who has pecking rights on whatever it is at the bottom of the shallows of our lake they find is cuisine. I know I may never have the privilege of seeing any more, and I don't know why they're headed north at this post-spring flight, but the last time I saw them, they flew north, so I'm pretty sure they graced me with their fabulous vision of flight for 3 short days, and oh, how I totally loved seeing them.






Isn't he stunning! Oh, wait, I can only describe how stunning his vision was as several of them were flying over the lake. They are amazing fliers, dazzling would be the word I was trying to come up with. They're absolutely dazzling. Oh, yes, and the reason I saw the confusing red around the beak area infrequently? Well, here's a visual on that reason:




​


----------



## freedombecki

One other thing I noticed by looking at literally hundreds of photos of Black Guillimots online is that some of them do appear to have off-white wing coloration in a minority of the pictures. That tells me location, diet, and heck, maybe they just flew through some dust devil country, of which there is plenty wherever land clearing has taken place on the Gulf coastal areas. Oh, how lovely it would be if they flew outside over the lake every single day of the year, and what a rare treat I may have gotten. *sigh*

And you'd just have to see one in flight to "get it" as to why there are so many photographs of them online. People are stricken if not smashed by their enchanting, dazzling beauty in flight.


----------



## freedombecki

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq88cglxaeo]Duck underwater swimming Might be a Black guillemot - YouTube[/ame]

This I couldn't have seen the other day when the black guillimots were flying around the lake area, but someone was kind enough to leave pictures of this certainly unique creature in their part of the world, and I'm sure they were seeing the same specie of bird I saw when I didn't know what I was looking at. They are competitors, from some of the videos I've been watching, and they catch what little swimmers they're after, from the skies and to and under the water.​


----------



## freedombecki

Some Guillimots of another specie, flying in European northlands:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGrmPqLH1lY]The Flight of the Guillemots, Stora Karlsö, 1 November 2010 - YouTube[/ame]

I can't detract from the amazing spectre these birds are, but I have to say the show the black Guillimots put on here was total dazzle. The wing movements are, however similar. It's just that that white patch atop the wing on the Black Guillimot is like a finger snap next to silence by comparison. It's just a visual difference, I'm sure, but wow, these "common" guillimots are funky too. ​


----------



## freedombecki

A little of my wish came true yesterday. I kept seeing darkish birds darting back and forth but landing beyond the Holly tree that is getting so large, it's starting to be a view obstruction. I need to clean up the base so I can watch those little characters. It's just that there are about 25 different pairs of birds nesting/eating berries in the tree. I've seen songbirds of every make and model in that small tree. I'm glad I left it standing, but when the birds fly away this fall, I have GOT to trim the lower limbs, and I may just wear a raincoat with hat and do it sooner. I do not want to disturb nests, but if the Guillimot family is staying, I want to see the gray chicks for myself. 

Oh, yes, and just before dark last night, I was looking out there and there were those red legs, cute flight, Black Guillimot flying to the northwest side of the lake/pond. I really should call it a manmade lake, it's 2.5 acres, and definitely not a pond. Plus the resident Great Blue Heron and daily Great Egret visits make it a ton of fun for me.


----------



## freedombecki

Yesterday, I was wondering after seeing several videos of them disappearing from view, just how deep these seabirds dive for pray when they have to. I found the following source here:

*DETAILED INFORMATION*

*General feeding behaviour*
Black Guillemots are mostly bottom feeders, searching bottom vegetation  for fish, but may also take prey in transit between bottom and surface  [9, 10, 11, 13, 14]. They propel themselves through the water using  primarily their wings.

*Foraging habitat  breeding season, migration and wintering period*
Black Guillemots feed mainly in shallow inshore waters during the  breeding season, especially within the littoral-sublittoral boundary,  but more offshore in winter [15]. They are considered the most inshore  of alcids and are rarely found far offshore [27]. Black Guillemots in  the Bay of Fundy, Canada, generally preferred waters of moderate current  velocity (3068 cm/s) and intermediate depth (1731 m) [26], which  appears to be related to minimizing energy expenditure. They also  appeared to use passive drift with ebbing tides and short-distance  flights to reposition in optimum feeding zones.
The species tends to forage over hard-bottomed areas or ledges [26, 32].  In Shetland, U.K., Black Guillemots tend to forage where the seabed is  rocky and vegetated with dense stands of Laminaria kelp [18], reflecting  the habitat preferences of their main prey - butterfish _Pholis gunnellus_  and blennies (Blenniidae); in the Bay of Fundy, birds preferred islands  with extensive underwater ledges, presumably because these harboured  sufficient prey and provided protection from fast-moving tidal waters  [26].
In areas where coastal waters freeze, birds move into offshore pack ice  [7], and birds often forage along ice edges over pelagic waters and feed  on less diverse fauna under sea ice [5, 23]. For instance, the observed  distribution of Black Guillemots in March, April, and May in Jones  Sound, North West Territories, Canada, coincides with the location of  open water and associated ice edges but after the ice margin recedes and  shorelines open, the distribution of Black Guillemots tends to reflect  the location of breeding colonies [31]. Switching of foraging strategies  allows successful overwintering in high-arctic latitudes.





​


----------



## koshergrl

My favorites:






Belted kingfisher






[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUwgjKCcnxI]Belted Kingfisher - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## koshergrl




----------



## koshergrl

Flicker:


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## koshergrl

I love crows...the crows here are gregarious..they will steal your lunch out of your hand (bag and all) and I don't know how many times I've seen people chasing after them at waysides, trying to retrieve their goodies, still securely packaged....

My son also had a go-around with them when he was quite young...a crow stole his burger out of his hand.

We have a murder (murder of crows, it's great) that live in my neighborhood, and they make the rounds. I have the kids throw out any leftovers that might be in the car...stray fries, bits of sandwiches, cookies....in the morning as we're leaving...the crows watch and as soon as we pull back out of the driveway, they descend. Love them.


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## koshergrl

And of course, hummingbirds..


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


>


Thanks for posting the Steller's Jay, Koshergrl. We used to have one of those hanging around the bird feeder in Wyoming, and I've actually seen one here in East Texas, although I think they're usually more west coast than anything. They have been known to follow rivers and waterways down south, so their sightings here are rare, I think. - Nope, the CBC says they are indeed occasionally found here in East Texas:

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/CBCMap/ra4780.gif

Patuxent Bird Identification Map of Steller's Jay, CBC






Maybe that is the large blue bird that has been flying to and from the Holly tree to the lake, which is about 20 yards from my perch upstairs by the bay window. They just fly so fast, though, I can't say for sure, but I don't know what else would be that size and shade of dark blue. ​


----------



## koshergrl

They're pretty common here. The route the kids and I take to their school takes us through the pretty neighborhood where I grew up (there were a lot fewer houses and streets when I was a girl though) and there is a Stellar who lives on one of those streets and hangs out in a big fir, he's very funny and social.


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## koshergrl

We also have these:


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## freedombecki

This bird, I love. It is the state bird of two states I've lived in, and it's song is one of the sweetest trills in the bird kingdom.

Western Meadowlark




Birdlist's Birds of Oregon​


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## koshergrl

And snowy plovers...we have nesting grounds:






Which means you can't take your dogs to certain areas at certain times of the year...


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## koshergrl

freedombecki said:


> This bird, I love. It is the state bird of two states I've lived in, and it's song is one of the sweetest trills in the bird kingdom.
> 
> Western Meadowlark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Birdlist's Birds of Oregon​


 
Oh thank you! Love meadowlarks!


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## koshergrl

And sandpipers:


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## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> They're pretty common here. The route the kids and I take to their school takes us through the pretty neighborhood where I grew up (there were a lot fewer houses and streets when I was a girl though) and there is a Stellar who lives on one of those streets and hangs out in a big fir, he's very funny and social.


The Stellers Jays really are corkers, no doubt about it. They love peanuts mixed in with a nice mix of songbird seeds and nuts. Their color is _so_ blue!

Right now, I'm listening to another corker--the mockingbird is speiling about 55 different mocked songs a minute. lol

Oh, yes, and they say the more songs the male mockingbird knows, the girl birds view him as an alpha male. People have recorded them going through a list of over 100 different bird and human trills, sounds, and songs. hahahaha. They do it for love.


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## koshergrl

We also have these....






I don't remember pelicans around here when I was a girl, but we definitely have them now, which probably means they were a native population that was knocked back and has come back. 











Double crested cormorant...they've become a nuisance...they eat salmon, which is a problem.


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## koshergrl

Snow geese. I remember as a girl we would always drive out to South Jetty when they migrated in, to see them.


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## koshergrl

Chickadee.


----------



## koshergrl

And of course:







And:











Blue heron are fairly common, but they're always fascinating. They're so big...and they hang out in the coolest places...


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## koshergrl

This makes me want to go out and bird watch.

But I've got baseball closing ceremonies tonight, darnit.

We're closing in on the end of the year (school/sports) though, whew, it's been a race!


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## koshergrl

Horned grebe:






I've always liked grebes. They're like our version of the loon, though I don't know that they have a call like a loon.

Plus they have red eyes.


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## koshergrl

We love eagles...you never forget seeing an eagle pull a fish out of the water.






Osprey, or seahawk.


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## koshergrl

Peregrine...they're migratory, and there aren't a lot, but they do come through and they nest on the coastal cliffs. Very cool.


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## koshergrl

freedombecki said:


> Here's another someone took about 100 miles from here:
> 
> 
> 
> photo credits here
> 
> ​


 
Ducks are amazing fliers. My father loved to hunt birds (and fish). He used to dream he was a duck, flying over water and land. The funny thing is...nobody else I know has dreams of flying. Except me! I have always dreamed I could fly. Sometimes I'm flying as me....but on a few memorable instances I've been an eagle, soaring over vast distances and terrain. Those are dreams worth having.


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## koshergrl

And the honkers. They fly at night, too. Every morning, my wakeup call is Canadian geese flying over my house.


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## koshergrl

We spent today at a lake, free fishing weekend...the kids caught a few each..and the whole time they were fishing, we were treated to a show by the resident osprey and eagles.

At one point I saw 4 osprey circling directly overhead...and we saw them dive (and catch fish) several times. 

Also two bald eagles, who wheeled over, scree'd and chattered....we heard vocalizations the entire time from all of them, sometimes at each other. They seem to be a little competitive with each other (ospreys/eagles). 

We were also honored with a visit from a vulture....and comorants.


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## bigrebnc1775

Foxfyre said:


> The Roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.  We get a lot of videos of them, but it is almost impossible to get a home video of a roadrunner really stretched out running full steam because they are so fast.  But they are highly intelligent, funny with a sense of humor, and sometimes pretty sociable.
> 
> Kudos to this homeowner who got this footage of a roadrunner playing with their cat:
> 
> CAT AND ROADRUNNER - YouTube


----------



## editec

As I read your post the birds outside my window are doing their morning routine.

I happen to live in a lovely place where birding is an everyday event.

Thus far I have indentified about 40 species of birds and there's three species as yet I have not been able to indentify.

I don't have a camera that's really good enough to capture good pictures of my feathered neighbors.

But to give you an idea of the sort of birding events that are fairly common here?

A month or so ago my Maine coon Cat lost her prey to a red tailed hawk in a knock down drag out fight that occured in my chincese goosberry arbor.

It was fantastic to witness this 20 or 30 second scuffle as that hawk stole my cat's capture.

My cat was less than impressed though.


----------



## asaratis




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## freedombecki

asaratis said:


>


Cute birdie, asaratis. Thanks.


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## freedombecki

editec said:


> As I read your post the birds outside my window are doing their morning routine.
> 
> I happen to live in a lovely place where birding is an everyday event.
> 
> Thus far I have indentified about 40 species of birds and there's three species as yet I have not been able to indentify.
> 
> I don't have a camera that's really good enough to capture good pictures of my feathered neighbors.
> 
> But to give you an idea of the sort of birding events that are fairly common here?
> 
> A month or so ago my Maine coon Cat lost her prey to a red tailed hawk in a knock down drag out fight that occured in my chincese goosberry arbor.
> 
> It was fantastic to witness this 20 or 30 second scuffle as that hawk stole my cat's capture.
> 
> My cat was less than impressed though.


I bet she was!

Maine enjoys the Black-capped chickadee a lot during the year, I understand, since they named it the state bird there.






Credits

I understand wild turkeys are common in Maine, too. They're supposed to be here, too, but I haven't seen a single one in 3 years, and we live out in a place where they could be if I knew what seeds to plant for them to forage that would do well in the Piney Woods area. Our soil here is the texture (but not the color) of gunpowder. It's kind of a tannish color by looking at the edge of our little lake out there.​


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## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> Ducks are amazing fliers. My father loved to hunt birds (and fish). He used to dream he was a duck, flying over water and land. The funny thing is...nobody else I know has dreams of flying. Except me! I have always dreamed I could fly. Sometimes I'm flying as me....but on a few memorable instances I've been an eagle, soaring over vast distances and terrain. Those are dreams worth having.


Well, when I was young, I dreamed I could fly. The dreams were so real and vivid I thought, I know I can, and I spent a lifetime showing people how easy it was to fly in my dreams. I'd wake up, thinking, well, one of these days, I'll fly, that's all there is to it. I was still flying in my dreams at night into my thirties. But in my dreams, I'm not a bird. I'm fully human, and it's up, up, and away; come on everyone, it's easy. hahahaha! 

I'm glad you mentioned that, koshergrl. It's been such a long time ago, I'd forgotten about that part of my life, albeit the ethereal part.

Oh, now that I have a front row seat I still cannot account for why our lake is enjoying the presence of Black guillemots. They're supposed to be up in the arctic regions, yet these cute little goonies are circling my lake all the time and loving it. I'm enjoying watching them, too.

I found a shot of one flying - in a more expected location--Scotland, which is a lot further north that we.







​Credits, at Wikipedia


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## koshergrl

Saw a blue heron today. Got a picture but can't load it for some reason.

My picture wasn't very good anyway, kinda fuzzy.


----------



## editec

Yes, Becki, turkeys are rather commonly seen hereabouts. They've were reindroduced a while back (over a decade, I think) and their population is thriving here.  

It is quite common to see flocks of ten or twenty or thirty foraging in people yards near the woods.  

To date, however, I have yet to see even one _on my land_ so, no, wild turkey is NOT yet among the 40 species of birds I include as having been sited on my land.

We also have blue herons who roost in the woods near the mill pond, Koshergirl. I often see two or three here at once. They are AMAZINGLY huge birds.

They're so primative looking its like having minature blue teradactals flying around the neighborhood.

They're seriously predators, too.

You'll thank GOD you're not a small animal, reptile or fish when you see one strike its prey.


----------



## koshergrl

I have pics of dozens of wild turkeys somewhere...


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## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> I have pics of dozens of wild turkeys somewhere...


I sure hope you find them sometime soon and share them, koshergrl. A good shot of an American wild turkey is a coveted one.


----------



## freedombecki

editec said:


> Yes, Becki, turkeys are rather commonly seen hereabouts. They've were reindroduced a while back (over a decade, I think) and their population is thriving here.
> 
> It is quite common to see flocks of ten or twenty or thirty foraging in people yards near the woods.
> 
> To date, however, I have yet to see even one _on my land_ so, no, wild turkey is NOT yet among the 40 species of birds I include as having been sited on my land.
> 
> We also have blue herons who roost in the woods near the mill pond, Koshergirl. I often see two or three here at once. They are AMAZINGLY huge birds.
> 
> They're so primative looking its like having minature blue teradactals flying around the neighborhood.
> 
> They're seriously predators, too.
> 
> You'll thank GOD you're not a small animal, reptile or fish when you see one strike its prey.


Editec, if you ever see turkeys nearby again, I hope you have your camera in your car or handy somewhere! I'd positively love to see a Maine turkey. I saw two swarms of turkeys in the 35 years I lived in Wyoming. They ranged near Bate's Creek between Horton's Corner and Medicine Bow on the road to Laramie. They were so terribly awesome and a tribe. Once there were about 20 of them, and the other time there were at least 50.

That's a great description of the Great Blue heron, and needless to mention, its near relative the Great Egret. You're right. The Blue heron does closely fit the description of reconstructed and imaged Pteradactyls





Credits Heinrich Harder​


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## koshergrl

That's my pic of a great blue heron taken last weekend, lol. Next year my gift to myself is going to be a better camera. This one is a new little nikon digital...but I want a mirrorless with telephoto...


----------



## koshergrl




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## freedombecki

Just awesome pictures of a flock of turkeys, koshergrl. Thank you!


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## freedombecki

_Meleagris gallopavo_

Struttin' they stuff, too. 




Credits: wikimedia​


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## koshergrl

The wild ones were doing the strut thing the day we took those pics and I thought I had some in my pics, but I don't see any in the group I put up here...

Those pics are in central oregon...I also knew where they hung out on the reservation around Pendleton, too....


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> The wild ones were doing the strut thing the day we took those pics and I thought I had some in my pics, but I don't see any in the group I put up here...
> 
> Those pics are in central oregon...I also knew where they hung out on the reservation around Pendleton, too....


Hopefully they'll show up. It takes a long time to sort through and find stuff sometimes. We kind of stopped doing albums when the kids left the nest. Now we have a crate full of pictures we took of places we went. I don't think any pictures have been taken since we got here. All our computers from Wyoming had weird problems when we got here, so we took them to computer repair shop, who dispatched all our photographs into thin air when they fixed what we thought were minor glitches. Oh, 'scuse me for whining. What was I thinking?


----------



## koshergrl

I save my photos to photobucket and to facebook anymore, so if I want to I can go online and have prints made. I lost a lot of pictures from my computers as well.


----------



## freedombecki

I'm sorry you lost pictures off your computer. It's a real bummer.


----------



## koshergrl

That's okay, the net loss wasn't so great. I got my digital about 4 years ago, and I lost the pics about 3 years ago...many of them I had on photobucket, so I'm still ahead of the game.

The thing with digital cameras is the sheer volume of pics is immense. I mean, I have maybe 18 pictures of me growing up, lol. Maybe that many of my older boys. I have literally thousands of my two younger kids...most taken in the last 5 years!! I have to remind myself to move out from behind my camera and actually experience things myself, instead of always from behind the camera...


----------



## freedombecki

The summer tanagers are truly beautiful this year. they're just everywhere here. Photo credits at USGS Patuxent Bird Identification Center, Summer Tanager page





BBS map:





By looking at the map our government furnishes, I know our area is in one of the largest bird count areas for summer tanagers. I was noticing a couple of years ago, we had at least 10 regular visitors daily, and I wasn't outside that much. That means we likely had over 100 different tanagers in our yard every single day from the middle of June till cool weather set in. They are such amazing and beautiful creatures whose pictures never justify the brilliant sight they make when flying across the yard, the lake, or up in the tall trees around. They are also glamour pusses around bird feeders and porches during the summer. Gosh, they're so gorgeous, beautiful in every way. We also get all the tanagers here. It is just that the scarlet tanagers make such a bold statement. Their males are totally red, and the females are able to raise families because they are so dull colored as to call no attention to themselves or their brood. Dimorphic sexes is nature's way of helping species to propagate. Otherwise, I'm afraid their numbers would be quite decimated around trophy hunting species like _Homo erectus._​ 




​


----------



## kacunxx

I'm sorry you lost pictures off your computer. It's a real bummer.


----------



## freedombecki

Thaqnks, kacunxx. I adjusted to the loss.


----------



## freedombecki

Barnacle geese (_Branta leucopsis_)



​
Barnacle geese (_Branta leucopsis_) have limited range in breeding season from Eastern Greenland to Northern Scotland, and they are so loved by collectors, an interest in them in other northern parts is carrying forward in other arctic regions such as this enclave in Helsinki, Finland for the especially-revered migratory avian:






I was writing a poem about migratory gees when the first picture I ran into in Bing! was the Barnacle goose. I thought "those geese with warts all over their faces?" The answer was in semantics. Apparently, the name barnacle for the goose was in use in ancient England prior to the naming of the "barnacles" or  a type of arthropod belonging to infraclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea. As Wikipedia explains, "The Barnacle Goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. Its specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek _leuko-_ "white", and _opsis_ "faced". In English, the term "barnacle" originally referred only to this species of goose and only later to the crustacean barnacles. It is sometimes claimed that the word comes from a Celtic word for "limpet", but the sense-history seems to go in the opposite direction."
​
So much for present-day confusion as to the origin of words, it seems.


----------



## koshergrl

I love geese.


----------



## freedombecki

FromMersehead RSPB Reserve, Dumfries and Galloway, November 2011.
 Up to  30,000 birds from the Svalbard breeding population winter in the area.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u24ymqmSoIE]Barnacle Geese - Branta leucopsis - YouTube[/ame]

Not sure whether their foraging was getting worms, insects, or cutworms, but they were sure enjoying their meal in part of the above video. At other times, many played while the few kept watch over the flock with chary eye.​


----------



## freedombecki

Here's another group, captured on film and shared at youtube, of Branta leucopsis flock. Their foraging for bugs/worms or whatever in the field reminds me of aeration equipment we pay the big bucks for for aeration of lawns in the USA. No wonder these little jewels are "favorites of collectors." You don't have to hire staff to keep the grounds of your park with these charming characters doing the work! In all likelihood, they fertilize for free, too.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3NRmEfbweQ"]Bernache nonnette (Branta leucopsis) - YouTube[/ame]

Recommended that you go to the lower screen, select the full screen icon at the lower far right and enjoy these little go-getters up close and personal. The difference is amazing.​ 
​


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> I love geese.


Thanks, I do too, koshergrl. Twice in 3 years, I've seen a flock of very small pure white geese, whose specie I cannot find in my books. They're not large, so I know they're not the large white geese, and they're about the size of chickens but have all the look and characteristic of their larger counterparts. I did not see them this spring, but I was sewing a lot and not at my usual window near the computer. I may move my sewing machine to be closer to the computer, but it will take discipline to keep from getting my papers swamped in with fabric stacks. I do charm quilts, averaging 300 different fabrics per quilt sometimes, and that's only because the charity quilts are done sized with a large 12-year-old in mind at maximum size (less than 80")

I'd like to be able to get a picture of the flock next year. It's only here a couple of days to a week, as I recollect. They like my 2.5-acre little lake.


----------



## koshergrl

My mother said her grandmother told her that three domestic geese ate as much pasture as a cow..it's true, they eat grass as well as everything else. They will keep a pasture groomed and fertilized. 

We have snow geese here..they migrate through and hang out on the deflation plain between the river and the ocean; but they are pretty large. Not as big as Canadian Geese but still good sized.

I was looking at information on snow geese and ran across this:

Ross' Goose:






"A tiny white goose with black wingtips, the Ross's Goose is like a miniature version of the more abundant Snow Goose. It breeds in the central Arctic and winters primarily in central California, but it is becoming more frequent farther east."
Ross's Goose, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology


----------



## Foxfyre

Our annual Festival of the Cranes (sandhill cranes) begins tomorrow at the Bosque del Apache wildlife preserve just south of Albuquerque.

This time of year you still have a lot of birds migrating and passing through plus thousands and thousands that will winter in the Bosque del Apache:






Don't know whether any of our bird watchers among friends and family will come this year, but I'm hoping Hombre and I will find time to drive down and get a few good photos.  Every now and then we see a whooping crane among the sandhills that were used as surrogate parents.

I believe this is a photo Hombre took that is still used in Festival promos:






This one didn't win, but they do hold a photography contest every year during the festival.


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> My mother said her grandmother told her that three domestic geese ate as much pasture as a cow..it's true, they eat grass as well as everything else. They will keep a pasture groomed and fertilized.
> 
> We have snow geese here..they migrate through and hang out on the deflation plain between the river and the ocean; but they are pretty large. Not as big as Canadian Geese but still good sized.
> 
> I was looking at information on snow geese and ran across this:
> 
> Ross' Goose:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "A tiny white goose with black wingtips, the Ross's Goose is like a miniature version of the more abundant Snow Goose. It breeds in the central Arctic and winters primarily in central California, but it is becoming more frequent farther east."
> Ross's Goose, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology


Thanks, koshergrl. Ross's Geese are different from the ones I saw. Our flock has thinner necks, smoother, zero black on them. They almost look like domestic pure white geese, except they're much smaller. The only characteristic that was outstanding to me was that they were geese as opposed to any other type of fowl that are attracted to lakes for their sheer sake of being near the water while they played mostly on the grassy field as a few enjoyed swimming.


----------



## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> Our annual Festival of the Cranes (sandhill cranes) begins tomorrow at the Bosque del Apache wildlife preserve just south of Albuquerque.
> 
> This time of year you still have a lot of birds migrating and passing through plus thousands and thousands that will winter in the Bosque del Apache:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't know whether any of our bird watchers among friends and family will come this year, but I'm hoping Hombre and I will find time to drive down and get a few good photos.  Every now and then we see a whooping crane among the sandhills that were used as surrogate parents.
> 
> I believe this is a photo Hombre took that is still used in Festival promos:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one didn't win, but they do hold a photography contest every year during the festival.


It's an exquisite photograph, Foxfyre. Thanks for sharing it. Hope you enjoy the festival. My heart is so there.


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## Foxfyre

A shot from this year's Festival of the Cranes.  These aren't cranes, obviously, but gives a general impression of what it is like in the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Preserve this time of year.  Remember, this is right smack dab in the center of one of America's driest deserts.


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## Spoonman

blue heron  - with a deer in the background


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## Spoonman

Cardinal


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## Spoonman

will be a Robin someday


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## Spoonman

Robins


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## Spoonman

Wren


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## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> A shot from this year's Festival of the Cranes.  These aren't cranes, obviously, but gives a general impression of what it is like in the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Preserve this time of year.  Remember, this is right smack dab in the center of one of America's driest deserts.


That's so totally awesome and looks like an experience, Foxfyre. Thanks for sharing it.


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> blue heron  - with a deer in the background


Wow, Spoonman. Just wow.

That is .. I'm just speechless.


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> Wren


I think the photographer has animal magnetism...


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## freedombecki

Wow, Spoonman. Thanks for gracing this thread with some truly beautiful shots of birds.

I'm enthralled with every one of them.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Wow, Spoonman. Thanks for gracing this thread with some truly beautiful shots of birds.
> 
> I'm enthralled with every one of them.



I love birds, some of them even love me too.  that little wren i was holding fell out of it's nest before it could fly.  I was working in the shed and i saw it come hopping over. there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood so i put him back in his nest until he was ready.


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## Spoonman




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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Thanks for gracing this thread with some truly beautiful shots of birds.
> 
> I'm enthralled with every one of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love birds, some of them even love me too.  that little wren i was holding fell out of it's nest before it could fly.  I was working in the shed and i saw it come hopping over. there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood so i put him back in his nest until he was ready.
Click to expand...

Wow, Spoonman. Birds are safer at your house. And it looks like they are treated to a feast, too.

What a happy world you have made for some of the finest creatures on this orb, spoonman. I'm so proud to know ya.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Thanks for gracing this thread with some truly beautiful shots of birds.
> 
> I'm enthralled with every one of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love birds, some of them even love me too.  that little wren i was holding fell out of it's nest before it could fly.  I was working in the shed and i saw it come hopping over. there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood so i put him back in his nest until he was ready.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Birds are safer at your house. And it looks like they are treated to a feast, too.
> 
> What a happy world you have made for some of the finest creatures on this orb, spoonman. I'm so proud to know ya.
Click to expand...


i picked it up from my father.  he would stand out in the back yard with seed in his hand and the birds would land on him and eat.  I started with a feeded outside my home office window. now i have lots of stations all throughout the yard.  plus a ton of bird houses too.   two years ago i had a wood pecker who showed up eveyday for suet.  at first when it was out i would open the window to replace it. he would fly off into a tree about 20 feet away.  after a few weeks whe nthe suet ran out he would hop on the window sill and peck on the window.


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## Foxfyre

I should report that the photo of the golden tree reflected in the water I posted earlier was not Hombre's photo, though he submitted one very similar to that--I'm pretty sure it was the same tree--a few years ago, and they did use it in their promos for awhile.  But after studying the photo I posted, I am now certain it was this year's winner of the Festival of the Cranes photo contest.

The third place winner was this one of a sunset during the festival, and I think it is incredible.  But we can't take credit for it either.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love birds, some of them even love me too.  that little wren i was holding fell out of it's nest before it could fly.  I was working in the shed and i saw it come hopping over. there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood so i put him back in his nest until he was ready.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Birds are safer at your house. And it looks like they are treated to a feast, too.
> 
> What a happy world you have made for some of the finest creatures on this orb, spoonman. I'm so proud to know ya.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> i picked it up from my father.  he would stand out in the back yard with seed in his hand and the birds would land on him and eat.  I started with a feeded outside my home office window. now i have lots of stations all throughout the yard.  plus a ton of bird houses too.   two years ago i had a wood pecker who showed up eveyday for suet.  at first when it was out i would open the window to replace it. he would fly off into a tree about 20 feet away.  after a few weeks whe nthe suet ran out he would hop on the window sill and peck on the window.
Click to expand...

You talk their talk, Spoonman. I'm not surprised why any of them wouldn't just love to hop up on your hand and dine so well, knowing you would look out for their best interests. Kudos.


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## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> I should report that the photo of the golden tree reflected in the water I posted earlier was not Hombre's photo, though he submitted one very similar to that--I'm pretty sure it was the same tree--a few years ago, and they did use it in their promos for awhile.  But after studying the photo I posted, I am now certain it was this year's winner of the Festival of the Cranes photo contest.
> 
> The third place winner was this one of a sunset during the festival, and I think it is incredible.  But we can't take credit for it either.


Foxfyre, you do New Mexico proud to share its beauty here. No wonder birds love it so. What a wonderful heritage NM owns in its natural wonders and bird paradise aspects.


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## Spoonman




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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>


What will they be when they grow up, Spoonman?


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What will they be when they grow up, Spoonman?
Click to expand...


let's see.  that looks like it was taken in a nest that is located on our gazebo.  So they would be robins


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What will they be when they grow up, Spoonman?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> let's see.  that looks like it was taken in a nest that is located on our gazebo.  So they would be robins
Click to expand...

Oh, Spoonman, they're so precious. They're so tiny and PINK.  I'd have never guessed their type.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> What will they be when they grow up, Spoonman?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> let's see.  that looks like it was taken in a nest that is located on our gazebo.  So they would be robins
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh, Spoonman, they're so precious. They're so tiny and PINK.  I'd have never guessed their type.
Click to expand...


here is one of those babies just out of the nest


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## Spoonman

here is a little older and again out of the nest


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## freedombecki

Thank you Spoonman. They certainly don't look like the grownups, but this one  reminds me of what's important to them: "EMP - TY!!!"


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Thank you Spoonman. They certainly don't look like the grownups, but this one  reminds me of what's important to them: "EMP - TY!!!"



its funny because no matter who gets close to the nest the mouths open.  they don't care if it's their mother or not


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## Spoonman

this was from the last lot they had this year.   this year they had 3 rounds of babies


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## freedombecki

Well, send them over to my yard and help with the grub population eating my little acre of St. Augustine grass! 

(I have never used pesticides, and it takes a while for the local birds to catch on).


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Well, send them over to my yard and help with the grub population eating my little acre of St. Augustine grass!
> 
> (I have never used pesticides, and it takes a while for the local birds to catch on).



get yourself a container of earthworms and let them go on your lawn.  a healthy worm population aerates the ground and attracts birds


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## Spoonman

some more robbins


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## Connery

I waited for months to take a snap one of these guys...


Hummingbird


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, send them over to my yard and help with the grub population eating my little acre of St. Augustine grass!
> 
> (I have never used pesticides, and it takes a while for the local birds to catch on).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> get yourself a container of earthworms and let them go on your lawn.  a healthy worm population aerates the ground and attracts birds
Click to expand...

Earthworms? Will the earthworms eat the grubs?


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, send them over to my yard and help with the grub population eating my little acre of St. Augustine grass!
> 
> (I have never used pesticides, and it takes a while for the local birds to catch on).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> get yourself a container of earthworms and let them go on your lawn.  a healthy worm population aerates the ground and attracts birds
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Earthworms? Will the earthworms eat the grubs?
Click to expand...


no, but they will attract birds who do


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## Spoonman

Connery said:


> I waited for months to take a snap one of these guys...
> 
> 
> Hummingbird





pretty clean shots for a hummingbird


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## Spoonman

Baby wrens


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## Spoonman




----------



## Connery

Spoonman said:


> Connery said:
> 
> 
> 
> I waited for months to take a snap one of these guys...
> 
> 
> Hummingbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pretty clean shots for a hummingbird
Click to expand...


Thanks when I say months I mean months. Waiting and staying still. These little guys would come close to my head and the moment I would reach for my camera...zoom.....this guy was just a lucky shot...


----------



## Spoonman

Connery said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Connery said:
> 
> 
> 
> I waited for months to take a snap one of these guys...
> 
> 
> Hummingbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pretty clean shots for a hummingbird
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Thanks when I say months I mean months. Waiting and staying still. These little guys would come close to my head and the moment I would reach for my camera...zoom.....this guy was just a lucky shot...
Click to expand...



i've noticed they are a lot more human tolerant early in the morning.  but it seems as the day goes on they become even more skittish.


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## Connery

Spoonman said:


> Connery said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> pretty clean shots for a hummingbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks when I say months I mean months. Waiting and staying still. These little guys would come close to my head and the moment I would reach for my camera...zoom.....this guy was just a lucky shot...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> i've noticed they are a lot more human tolerant early in the morning.  but it seems as the day goes on they become even more skittish.
Click to expand...


I agree, they are hungry, they want the goods and used to go between the two feeders I would have up. To hear one whizz by and feel the wind caused by their wings is something very unique and fun.


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## Spoonman

Connery said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Connery said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks when I say months I mean months. Waiting and staying still. These little guys would come close to my head and the moment I would reach for my camera...zoom.....this guy was just a lucky shot...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i've noticed they are a lot more human tolerant early in the morning.  but it seems as the day goes on they become even more skittish.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I agree, they are hungry, they want the goods and used to go between the two feeders I would have up. To hear one whizz by and feel the wind caused by their wings is something very unique and fun.
Click to expand...


in the summer i eat breakfast on the deck every morning.  this is usually around 5:45 - 6.  they are out there buzzing around.  they could almost care less I am there.


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## Spoonman

i see you like butterflies too.


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## Spoonman




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## freedombecki

Spoonman, what a treat. I've been spending too much time in the quilt room & missed this thread for a few weeks. I adore wrens, thanks for their nest photos; and a cute member of the woodpecker/flicker family? Not to mention those lovely brown ones. The pictures of the multiple monarchs on those purple flowers are one of the prettiest combinations.

Kudos!


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## freedombecki

Connery said:


> I waited for months to take a snap one of these guys...
> 
> Hummingbird


OH, my goodness. They're fabulous, Connery. How did I miss these?

Thanks for sharing. They're just out of this world.


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> i see you like butterflies too.


Spoonman, I can't make up my mind which of these butterfly pics is the best. #2 shows the monarch in his best light (well, #1 did too), but there's something about #3 that says "ditto". because the monarchs are both sitting at the same angle and look like carbon copies, just in different sizes likely due to distance from lens?

I only saw a couple of them this year. Our drought last year was cruel, and  this year, my dear husband took out the milkweed plants I didn't mow for 2 months in the back pasture one day. The pasture looked great, though. *sigh*


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## Connery

I was in Greenwich Village a few months ago and took these photos.


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## Connery

Nice to sit and enjoy these guys...


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## freedombecki

They're cute, Connery. Downy woodpeckers? (I'm not very good at ids in the woodpecker/flicker/sapsucker group). There are so many kinds!


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## Foxfyre

This clip was on the news last night.  We have always known that small pets were vulnerable to the golden eagles when we lived up on the mountain.  Two pairs regularly cruised over our house, much to the concern of the birds and critters who lived around us and visited our feeders.

But this eagle took a toddler.  He was unable to gain altititude however and, with the mother in hot pursuit, dropped the kid.  According to the news report, the child was unhurt.  But how scary would this be?. . . .

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDEQiqcpAB0]Golden eagle snatches small child/ small kid/ toddler in canada - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

This clip was on the news last night.  We have always known that small  pets were vulnerable to the golden eagles when we lived up on the  mountain.  Two pairs regularly cruised over our house, much to the  concern of the birds and critters who lived around us and visited our  feeders.

But this eagle took a toddler.  He was unable to gain altititude however  and, with the mother in hot pursuit, dropped the kid.  According to the  news report, the child was unhurt.  But how scary would this be?. . . .

        [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDEQiqcpAB0"] [/ame]http : // www. youtube . com/watch?v = CDEQiqcpAB0

Aye, yi-yi, Foxfyre! That's something. I'm glad the eagle dropped the idea of snatching a baby from its mother and that the child was not harmed.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> i see you like butterflies too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman, I can't make up my mind which of these butterfly pics is the best. #2 shows the monarch in his best light (well, #1 did too), but there's something about #3 that says "ditto". because the monarchs are both sitting at the same angle and look like carbon copies, just in different sizes likely due to distance from lens?
> 
> I only saw a couple of them this year. Our drought last year was cruel, and  this year, my dear husband took out the milkweed plants I didn't mow for 2 months in the back pasture one day. The pasture looked great, though. *sigh*
Click to expand...


I took about 15 pictures that day over about a 10 minute period.  I have a large mound of butterfly bushes by one of my ponds.  its probably about a 10' x 12' plot of it.  I would say there had to be at least 100 + butterflies swarming them that day.


----------



## Foxfyre

We were fortunate enough to be in Monterey CA during the monarch butterfly migration a few years ago.  There is a particular grove of threes there, designated as a butterfly sanctuary, where the butterflies stop over.  Millions or at least tens of thousands of them.  It was an amazing sight.


----------



## Connery

freedombecki said:


> They're cute, Connery. Downy woodpeckers? (I'm not very good at ids in the woodpecker/flicker/sapsucker group). There are so many kinds!




Yes these guys are Downy Headed woodpeckers..


----------



## Connery

This Barn Owl is daylight is a rare treat...I think the owl was as curious of me as I was of it....


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> i see you like butterflies too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman, I can't make up my mind which of these butterfly pics is the best. #2 shows the monarch in his best light (well, #1 did too), but there's something about #3 that says "ditto". because the monarchs are both sitting at the same angle and look like carbon copies, just in different sizes likely due to distance from lens?
> 
> I only saw a couple of them this year. Our drought last year was cruel, and  this year, my dear husband took out the milkweed plants I didn't mow for 2 months in the back pasture one day. The pasture looked great, though. *sigh*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I took about 15 pictures that day over about a 10 minute period.  I have a large mound of butterfly bushes by one of my ponds.  its probably about a 10' x 12' plot of it.  I would say there had to be at least 100 + butterflies swarming them that day.
Click to expand...

Wow. Those butterfly bushes are just beautiful, Spoonman. My green thumb turned brown when I started a quilt store. Thanks for sharing your pictures, though. I love plants, and should try to garden if I ever get well again. Butterfly bushes would be first on my list. My mother planted bottle brush plants that were really pretty, except a different color, a bright sahed of magenta.


----------



## freedombecki

Connery said:


> This Barn Owl is daylight is a rare treat...I think the owl was as curious of me as I was of it....


He's a beautiful creature, Connery. Thanks for sharing.


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## freedombecki

Was walking around the lake out back today and saw the great white egret flying overhead. He's still in the vicinity, but they are shy birds, and he may have chosen not to land since a human was in the area. They're so beautiful when flying, and he was gliding.


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## Spoonman




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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>


Wow. The snow on the roof of the birdhouse brings the idea of having food so close to home as a real advantage in the wintertime! What lucky birds.


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## Connery

Just some quick photos just outside my living room window.


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## Connery

Here are a few more outside my living room window....


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## Spoonman

you can't beat cardinals in winter.  especially where there's lots of them


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## PoliticalChic

strollingbones said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> The people of 5 states claim the Mockingbird as their State Bird. They really are characters if you are ever lucky enough to have them frequent your back yard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mockingbird - Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee State Bird​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for a few years we had a mockingbird that did a ringing phone.....that was  just a joy
> 
> she would wake you at the crack of dawn......you would answer the phone and cuss
Click to expand...



We had a mockingbird that - seriously- learned the varied sound of car alarms.


----------



## freedombecki

PoliticalChic said:


> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> The people of 5 states claim the Mockingbird as their State Bird. They really are characters if you are ever lucky enough to have them frequent your back yard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mockingbird - Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee State Bird​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for a few years we had a mockingbird that did a ringing phone.....that was  just a joy
> 
> she would wake you at the crack of dawn......you would answer the phone and cuss
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> We had a mockingbird that - seriously- learned the varied sound of car alarms.
Click to expand...

 Never a dull moment with some of the little characters! They're so amusing to watch--pushy, bright, quick, and full of antics and challenges. They never stop being little clowns, except when it's time to eat. Even then, it's fun to watch them be themselves. One day when I was picking blackberries growing by the fence, one was eyeballing me and staying ahead of me by 1 foot, eating his way down the other side of the fence. What a riot.


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## Spoonman




----------



## asaratis




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## Spoonman




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## Spoonman

now this was a strange cardinal on my feeder this morning


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## asaratis

Spoonman said:


> now this was a strange cardinal on my feeder this morning



What a waste of a pecker!


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## Spoonman

another cardinal - this was actualy taken early last spring.


----------



## freedombecki

She is exquisite, Spoonman. Thanks! And the board nanny says I have to spread some around first, too.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> She is exquisite, Spoonman. Thanks! And the board nanny says I have to spread some around first, too.



ah yes,  a frequent problem i come across too


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## Spoonman

this guy was taken a few years ago in north eastern Pa.


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> this guy was taken a few years ago in north eastern Pa.


He's exquisite, Spoonman. You are an artist with a camera.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> this guy was taken a few years ago in north eastern Pa.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's exquisite, Spoonman. You are an artist with a camera.
Click to expand...


thanks, its always been a hobby of mine.  now digital makes it so much easier.  that pic was actually taken on film before i went digital.


----------



## Spoonman

when i was framing this shot the bird wasn't in it. I was just taking the reservoir. by the time i clicked it had flown in.  I didn't know it was there until i looked at the picture later.


----------



## freedombecki

Totally awesome, Spoonman. You do eye candy.


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## Spoonman

this is one of my favorite shots.  again, taken on film.


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> this is one of my favorite shots. again, taken on film.


 He's most elegant, even in the midst. I love blue herons. Thanks for sharing a very beautiful work, Spoonman. Move over a little, Ansel Adams. I think your replacement is here.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> this is one of my favorite shots. again, taken on film.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's most elegant, even in the midst. I love blue herons. Thanks for sharing a very beautiful work, Spoonman. Move over a little, Ansel Adams. I think your replacement is here.
Click to expand...


----------



## koshergrl

What gorgeous pictures..........


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> What gorgeous pictures..........



thank you


----------



## koshergrl

I haven't been out and about much to see the wildlife, and my camera doesn't have a telephoto lens...but spring is coming, and I'm feeling the draw. I know the eagles are congregating at Eagle Creek back home like they do every year at this time....i saw pictures in the tribal paper, and it made me a little homesick.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> I haven't been out and about much to see the wildlife, and my camera doesn't have a telephoto lens...but spring is coming, and I'm feeling the draw. I know the eagles are congregating at Eagle Creek back home like they do every year at this time....i saw pictures in the tribal paper, and it made me a little homesick.



ou can get a fairly god digital camera with  zoom lens.  i have a sony cybershot 12.1 megapixel.   i love the thing.


----------



## koshergrl

Yes, one can...if one has money to buy it, lol.

I currently don't. I have my little digital which is a nice little camera, but sadly inadequate for birding.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Yes, one can...if one has money to buy it, lol.
> 
> I currently don't. I have my little digital which is a nice little camera, but sadly inadequate for birding.



i hear you.  most of the other shots i posted were done without a zoom.  put a feeder outside your window and let the birds come to you.


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Up where Eagles fly o'er the mountain high...

[ame=http://youtu.be/AkzwE6ufhDY]Where the Eagle flies - YouTube[/ame]

(Except Spoonman's eagle would be something to see if he did videos...)


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> Yes, one can...if one has money to buy it, lol.
> 
> I currently don't. I have my little digital which is a nice little camera, but sadly inadequate for birding.


 A lot of blue ribbons hang by photos taken by amateurs with one of those at state fairs... Just sayin'.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, one can...if one has money to buy it, lol.
> 
> I currently don't. I have my little digital which is a nice little camera, but sadly inadequate for birding.
> 
> 
> 
> A lot of blue ribbons hang by photos taken by amateurs with one of those at state fairs... Just sayin'.
Click to expand...


i used to have a few places i would send my photos to.  lots of them have been used in calendars, marketing brochres and stuff.  now there are sites on line where  you can post photos and if someone wants to use them you get paid for them.  i haven't hooked up with any of them yet, but i should.  one of these days i;ll get around to it.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Up where Eagles fly o'er the mountain high...
> 
> Where the Eagle flies - YouTube
> 
> (Except Spoonman's eagle would be something to see if he did videos...)



i do take some videos.  not sure if i have any birds though


----------



## Spoonman

now this is the music that should have accompanied your eagle video

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKn9n7VQQJ0]John Denver - Eagle and the Hawk - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> now this is the music that should have accompanied your eagle video
> 
> John Denver - Eagle and the Hawk - YouTube


 
That's rather nice, Spoonman. That's one I never heard, and I liked John Denver, too.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> now this is the music that should have accompanied your eagle video
> 
> John Denver - Eagle and the Hawk - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's rather nice, Spoonman. That's one I never heard, and I liked John Denver, too.
Click to expand...


glad you liked it.  he has one of my favorite voices


----------



## Foxfyre

I don't know if a dragonfly qualifies as a 'wildside pecker' but this was just too pretty not to post:


----------



## Spoonman

how about this guy?  i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in.  when i got back it had flown away.  i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed


----------



## UKRider

Spoonman said:


> how about this guy?  i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in.  when i got back it had flown away.  i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed



Too cool!  It's catching a breath, then.  



I admit to thinking this was a thread of a different variety.


----------



## Foxfyre

UKRider said:


> I admit to thinking this was a thread of a different variety.



LOL.  I think Becki was really creative with her title for this thread.  Has no doubt generated a lot of looks it otherwise wouldn't have gotten.


----------



## Spoonman

UKRider said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> how about this guy?  i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in.  when i got back it had flown away.  i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Too cool!  It's catching a breath, then.
> 
> 
> 
> I admit to thinking this was a thread of a different variety.
Click to expand...


yea, i think it just got blown out of place and wasn't quite awake yet.  lol


----------



## Spoonman

i have to admit, I love the ducks


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> how about this guy? i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in. when i got back it had flown away. i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed


 Wow, that must've been some kind of windstorm! Thanks for sharing the story that it found its way back to the air.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> i have to admit, I love the ducks


 Oh I love mallards! They're adorable, Spoonman! Thanks!


----------



## freedombecki

UKRider said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> how about this guy? i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in. when i got back it had flown away. i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Too cool! It's catching a breath, then.
> 
> 
> 
> I admit to thinking this was a thread of a different variety.
Click to expand...

 I've always loved the birds, UKRider. I wanted to start a thread here, but was overwhelmed by the <ahem> political banter. I decided to go with the flow of stuff as a ruse. I'm truly a rather tame person mostly, but I was a little !shocked! by the banter.  

I'm getting used to it a lot better now. I've lived a very sheltered life and didn't know it until a couple of years ago.


----------



## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> I don't know if a dragonfly qualifies as a 'wildside pecker' but this was just too pretty not to post:


 Oh, Foxfyre, I'm so partial to blue. Thanks for sharing one of the most beautiful dragonfly shots I've ever seen. Seems I saw some of those somewhere when I was growing up. Not sure where, but they are astonishing when you see that metallic flash of blue darting around.


----------



## Spoonman

sometimes it is difficult to tell when they are sitting in a tree in the distance, is it a crow, or is it a raven.  with a zoom lense the head and beak give it away.  but once they take flight, you know it's a raven.  they glide in the air like a hawk.


----------



## Spoonman

first time i ever caught an eagle in flight


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> first time i ever caught an eagle in flight


 Wow, Spoonman. He's totally perfect.


----------



## freedombecki

Yesterday, I went to the feed store to buy birdseed. We had a lot of cardinals here earlier, so I got some cardinal mix that attracts a few others as well. The other day, a jay was not happy because we ran out of seed too quickly, and he was hungry, so I got jaybird (and a few other species that like the same foods) mix. Another for woodpecker & their accompanying birds of another feather that like the same. 

Today, I heard some new songs, and they were happy ones. Unfortunately, most of my day was taken up by the confusing task of shopping quilt fabrics, visiting with friends, and then hustling home only to be too tired to sew any for the rest of the day.

Time to get some eye droppers, hope for a good night's sleep, and put this day to rest. May God bless and keep us all in friendships and good spirits.

"*Matthew 5:4
*Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (NIV) "


----------



## freedombecki

[ame=http://youtu.be/3OJcUPWkNis]A Birdsong for your Tinnitus - YouTube[/ame]

At youtube, written below the video are these words:



> This video is dedicated to all tinnitus sufferers. Having suffered for two years now from a non-relenting high pitch sound, I found some comfort in listening to birdsongs, from the digital radio station called 'Birdsong. You need to adjust the tone trebble and bass controls to suit your tinnitus. For high frequency/pitch tinnitus, the trebble should maximum and the bass adjusted to minimum, to cut the low frequency background noise and emphasiz the high frequency.


----------



## Connery

This is right outside my window. It took me a while to notice this guy, he blended in so well. 






Snoozing on a Sunny Winter's Day


----------



## freedombecki

You have sharp eyes, Connery! He's beautiful!


----------



## freedombecki

For the last couple of weeks, I have been seeing a bird I misidentified as an "Eastern Bluebird." There was something wrong, and I couldn't figure out why Eastern Blueirds show orange chests, when this particular bird had a definite bright red breast, a brighter red than I've seen on most Eastern Bluebirds, so I couldn't figure out if it were diet, a subspecie or what, but today, I found quite by accident the little guy who has been hopping on the fence around the pool and especially on the grass over the dead-grass grub areas in the back yard.

The bird is a WESTERN bluebird. I know not how I missed the specie, because I thought we had only Eastern bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds in the US. Wrong! Here's a picture of the Western bluebird, _Sialia mexicana: Credits, Western Bluebird, Discover Life dot org_





Larry Thompson has a lot of pictures he's loaned to Discover Life, just scroll down and see his many photos of this charming creature.


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Brrr! It looks cold outside, Spoonman. Those pictures of birds at the feeders in deep snow are beautiful! Thanks for sharing them.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Brrr! It looks cold outside, Spoonman. Those pictures of birds at the feeders in deep snow are beautiful! Thanks for sharing them.



if you look at the red one you can see it is leaning forward a little.  it eventually leaned all the way over to the glass.  no big deal except most of the seed fell out when it did that.  so it ended up feeding more squirrels then birds


----------



## Foxfyre

freedombecki said:


> For the last couple of weeks, I have been seeing a bird I misidentified as an "Eastern Bluebird." There was something wrong, and I couldn't figure out why Eastern Blueirds show orange chests, when this particular bird had a definite bright red breast, a brighter red than I've seen on most Eastern Bluebirds, so I couldn't figure out if it were diet, a subspecie or what, but today, I found quite by accident the little guy who has been hopping on the fence around the pool and especially on the grass over the dead-grass grub areas in the back yard.
> 
> The bird is a WESTERN bluebird. I know not how I missed the specie, because I thought we had only Eastern bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds in the US. Wrong! Here's a picture of the Western bluebird, _Sialia mexicana: Credits, Western Bluebird, Discover Life dot org_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Larry Thompson has a lot of pictures he's loaned to Discover Life, just scroll down and see his many photos of this charming creature.



Interesting.  When we lived up on the mountains, there were colonies of blue birds, but I don't recall seeing one with a red breast.  All of ours had whiteish or grey breasts:






Edit:  Okay I did find some with some red markings, but still the blue isn't as blue as your photo Becki, and the red not nearly as pronounced:


----------



## Connery




----------



## Spoonman

Foxfyre said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> For the last couple of weeks, I have been seeing a bird I misidentified as an "Eastern Bluebird." There was something wrong, and I couldn't figure out why Eastern Blueirds show orange chests, when this particular bird had a definite bright red breast, a brighter red than I've seen on most Eastern Bluebirds, so I couldn't figure out if it were diet, a subspecie or what, but today, I found quite by accident the little guy who has been hopping on the fence around the pool and especially on the grass over the dead-grass grub areas in the back yard.
> 
> The bird is a WESTERN bluebird. I know not how I missed the specie, because I thought we had only Eastern bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds in the US. Wrong! Here's a picture of the Western bluebird, _Sialia mexicana: Credits, Western Bluebird, Discover Life dot org_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Larry Thompson has a lot of pictures he's loaned to Discover Life, just scroll down and see his many photos of this charming creature.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting.  When we lived up on the mountains, there were colonies of blue birds, but I don't recall seeing one with a red breast.  All of ours had whiteish or grey breasts:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit:  Okay I did find some with some red markings, but still the blue isn't as blue as your photo Becki, and the red not nearly as pronounced:
Click to expand...


wow, the top one looks more like an indigo bunting


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## Spoonman

geese over the reservoir







a wide angle shot


----------



## Spoonman

heading home from a long winter


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> geese over the reservoir
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> a wide angle shot


I'm gonna faint, Spoonman!

I think your geese are a kind of auk called the Common Murre or Common Guillemot.

Last year, a tribe of Black Guillemots visited Freedom Lake (200yds NE of here) and fished a lot. They were wonderful! And they flew circles around the graceful egrets, so they went unchallenged in my observation. 

Thank you so much for posting these amazing birds. I just wonder if in masse they are as frenetic looking as the Black Guillemots (which have white patches on their wings that make their quick wing flaps look like someone throwing confetti around when they're thick in any given area.)

They (Common guillemots) fly really far north in summer, and the North American tribes have thinner bills than their EU cousins, but seem to go by the same name.

Unless you're sure they're something else. I found pictures that looked like your birds at Wikipedia Common Murre page (Common Guillemot) or _Uria aalge._


----------



## freedombecki

Connery said:


>


 What fabulous use for snow--a backdrop for amazing bird pictures, Connery.


----------



## freedombecki

Foxfyre said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> For the last couple of weeks, I have been seeing a bird I misidentified as an "Eastern Bluebird." There was something wrong, and I couldn't figure out why Eastern Blueirds show orange chests, when this particular bird had a definite bright red breast, a brighter red than I've seen on most Eastern Bluebirds, so I couldn't figure out if it were diet, a subspecie or what, but today, I found quite by accident the little guy who has been hopping on the fence around the pool and especially on the grass over the dead-grass grub areas in the back yard.
> 
> The bird is a WESTERN bluebird. I know not how I missed the specie, because I thought we had only Eastern bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds in the US. Wrong! Here's a picture of the Western bluebird, _Sialia mexicana: Credits, Western Bluebird, Discover Life dot org_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Larry Thompson has a lot of pictures he's loaned to Discover Life, just scroll down and see his many photos of this charming creature.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting. When we lived up on the mountains, there were colonies of blue birds, but I don't recall seeing one with a red breast. All of ours had whiteish or grey breasts:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Okay I did find some with some red markings, but still the blue isn't as blue as your photo Becki, and the red not nearly as pronounced:
Click to expand...

You were looking at a Mountain Bluebird (all blue) and a Western Bluebird in his offseason color schema OR an immature male. Female bluebirds may have a hint of blue, but they're basically little brownish birds. Wintertime bird identification in Wyoming was most difficult because almost all the species vacation far, far south and don't show up until the threat of heavy snows and sub zero temperatures are over.

This morning, I think all the grackles that are going to fly north were roosting in the little trees stationed around the WalMart parking lot, and many of them were hopping all over the empty areas of the parking lot. Thanks for sharing those pictures. I can't tell you what a soul-lifting experience it is to come here and see what other Americans are seeing in their areas.



Oh, and Foxfyre, one other thing--I found the darkest blue photo of a Western bluebird as I could find online that was okay to bring here, but nothing I saw could compare to the brilliant deep sapphire blue of the ones that have been hanging around our yard. I see a couple of dozen of both males and females, and they're pigging out on those darn grubs. Also, their underneath reddish parts are not a tad orange. They're an alive cherry red, like DMC embroidery floss #321 red. I think someone at the coffee shop mentioned that birds were a good way to rid the yard of grubs. Man, those tiny little Western Bluebirds are pigging out on 'em. And I'm as happy as a clam. The feeder with the fruit brought all kinds of new bird calls to the yard, and what I'm hearing are not just mockingbirds. When the mocking birds start the trilling, they go through a litany of calls. I'm hearing repeat calls of birds that don't remotely sound like mockingbirds. The mockingbirds are so cute. They flit and skit around like quick-witted wrens, but they're four times the size of a wren. They're comical some days, and preciously energetic others.


----------



## Connery

freedombecki said:


> Connery said:
> 
> 
> 
> What fabulous use for snow--a backdrop for amazing bird pictures, Connery.
Click to expand...


Thank you becki!!!! These guys come and provide such peace and tranquility, soothes the soul...


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Brrr! It looks cold outside, Spoonman. Those pictures of birds at the feeders in deep snow are beautiful! Thanks for sharing them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if you look at the red one you can see it is leaning forward a little. it eventually leaned all the way over to the glass. no big deal except most of the seed fell out when it did that. so it ended up feeding more squirrels then birds
Click to expand...

 Birds can be twits with all that free food.


----------



## freedombecki

Connery said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Connery said:
> 
> 
> 
> What fabulous use for snow--a backdrop for amazing bird pictures, Connery.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Thank you becki!!!! These guys come and provide such peace and tranquility, soothes the soul...
Click to expand...

 You have some great birds there. There's nothing as beautiful as a bright red cardinal against snow or other drab winter backdrop. Three or four times a day, I can look out from my bay window perch and see a dozen or more cardinals flying around, playing and bantering around. But once in a while, there's an alpha male who knows exactly how gorgeous he is showing off by romping and gliding all over the yard, now here, now there, now gone, and now back again. There's a holly tree that blocks my view of Lake Freedom, which I'd like to chop down, but it could be some of that fruit is responsible for the brilliant colors I get to see on Cards and Western bluebirds. I may trim it from beneath, though, to catch a glimpse of the mischievous egret who likes solitary confinement and makes a beeline for the tree's blocked view where he cannot by human be seen. Actually, it could be he just has a favorite fishing spot there. He's pretty okay with me walking around this year. Last year the Great egrets lit out any time we walked in the direction of the back yard. This year, it's "Oh, it's you. So what."  That means they know full well they are safe at Freedom Lake, at least from the residents.


----------



## Foxfyre

Spoonman said:


> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> For the last couple of weeks, I have been seeing a bird I misidentified as an "Eastern Bluebird." There was something wrong, and I couldn't figure out why Eastern Blueirds show orange chests, when this particular bird had a definite bright red breast, a brighter red than I've seen on most Eastern Bluebirds, so I couldn't figure out if it were diet, a subspecie or what, but today, I found quite by accident the little guy who has been hopping on the fence around the pool and especially on the grass over the dead-grass grub areas in the back yard.
> 
> The bird is a WESTERN bluebird. I know not how I missed the specie, because I thought we had only Eastern bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds in the US. Wrong! Here's a picture of the Western bluebird, _Sialia mexicana: Credits, Western Bluebird, Discover Life dot org_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Larry Thompson has a lot of pictures he's loaned to Discover Life, just scroll down and see his many photos of this charming creature.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting.  When we lived up on the mountains, there were colonies of blue birds, but I don't recall seeing one with a red breast.  All of ours had whiteish or grey breasts:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit:  Okay I did find some with some red markings, but still the blue isn't as blue as your photo Becki, and the red not nearly as pronounced:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> wow, the top one looks more like an indigo bunting
Click to expand...


It would not be impossible I suppose, but I've never seen one at the altitude this photo was taken.  Buntings don't generally visit conifer forests and that is definitely a pinon tree in the background.   I'm pretty sure it is one of our mountain bluebirds.  Many are quite pale though the lighting on that one leaves something to be desired.


----------



## Spoonman

hawk flying overhead


----------



## koshergrl

Spoonman said:


> how about this guy? i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in. when i got back it had flown away. i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed


 
Or it was dying of rabies.

Word to the wise..don't pick up fallen/dead creatures. Particularly NOCTURNALS who are out/down during the day...they are either really sick, injured, or something, and they do carry a variety of diseases, including rabies. 

Also a mistake to pick up fallen/downed birds of prey. They can and will latch on convulsively with their talons, and you will be a hurting unit. If you must pick them up, throw a jacket or something over them first, that will give them something to grab onto and cover their eyes, then pick them up only from behind, so you can hold their wings down and keep their feet away from you.

Oddly, they don't strike much with their mouths...at least not that I've noticed.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> how about this guy? i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in. when i got back it had flown away. i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or it was dying of rabies.
> 
> Word to the wise..don't pick up fallen/dead creatures. Particularly NOCTURNALS who are out/down during the day...they are either really sick, injured, or something, and they do carry a variety of diseases, including rabies.
> 
> Also a mistake to pick up fallen/downed birds of prey. They can and will latch on convulsively with their talons, and you will be a hurting unit. If you must pick them up, throw a jacket or something over them first, that will give them something to grab onto and cover their eyes, then pick them up only from behind, so you can hold their wings down and keep their feet away from you.
> 
> Oddly, they don't strike much with their mouths...at least not that I've noticed.
Click to expand...


we have a bunch of them living in the eves of the shed.  i think it was sleeping and just blew out.  it was super windy that day.  it flew away with in a few minutes.  i just went to get a box and it was gone


----------



## koshergrl

Foxfyre said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting. When we lived up on the mountains, there were colonies of blue birds, but I don't recall seeing one with a red breast. All of ours had whiteish or grey breasts:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Okay I did find some with some red markings, but still the blue isn't as blue as your photo Becki, and the red not nearly as pronounced:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> wow, the top one looks more like an indigo bunting
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It would not be impossible I suppose, but I've never seen one at the altitude this photo was taken. Buntings don't generally visit conifer forests and that is definitely a pinon tree in the background. I'm pretty sure it is one of our mountain bluebirds. Many are quite pale though the lighting on that one leaves something to be desired.
Click to expand...

 

yeah, but then birds live to make liars out of people. 

I've seen great horneds nesting waaaaayyyyy out of their typical zones....and I've seen bluebirds where there aren't supposed to be any, either. 

I saw a bald eagle hunting pigeons just a couple of blocks from my house, in a residential neighborhood....we don't live in alaska, but we aren't very far as the *crow* flies, from the river, lakes, and the ocean...you  never know who might show up in your backyard.

My dogs currently all have a vendetta with the crows of our neighborhood. The crows (there's a group of probably 11 or so) flit from rooftop to rooftop, scoping out available goodies left out....I know crows as great theives of dog food...I had a half hound/half shepherd dog that used to hide around the corner of the house and wait for the crows to come down to eat out of her bowl, so she could run and bark at them.

Anyway, these crows come and land on the rooftops and fences around our back yard and tease my dogs, lolol....I'll have to take a picture for you guys.


----------



## koshergrl

Spoonman said:


> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> how about this guy? i thought it was dead and went to get a box to put it in. when i got back it had flown away. i think the wind must have just blown it out of the eves of the shed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or it was dying of rabies.
> 
> Word to the wise..don't pick up fallen/dead creatures. Particularly NOCTURNALS who are out/down during the day...they are either really sick, injured, or something, and they do carry a variety of diseases, including rabies.
> 
> Also a mistake to pick up fallen/downed birds of prey. They can and will latch on convulsively with their talons, and you will be a hurting unit. If you must pick them up, throw a jacket or something over them first, that will give them something to grab onto and cover their eyes, then pick them up only from behind, so you can hold their wings down and keep their feet away from you.
> 
> Oddly, they don't strike much with their mouths...at least not that I've noticed.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> we have a bunch of them living in the eves of the shed. i think it was sleeping and just blew out. it was super windy that day. it flew away with in a few minutes. i just went to get a box and it was gone
Click to expand...

 
I like bats in theory. I don't want to see them except when they're flying overhead. 

I do enjoy watching them hunt in the light from street lights, though. And I don't mind watching them hunt over water...they come in at dusk in a big group and whirl around, getting the bugs that come up off the water, it's wild. They stay until the bugs are picked off, then they move onto their next spot.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Or it was dying of rabies.
> 
> Word to the wise..don't pick up fallen/dead creatures. Particularly NOCTURNALS who are out/down during the day...they are either really sick, injured, or something, and they do carry a variety of diseases, including rabies.
> 
> Also a mistake to pick up fallen/downed birds of prey. They can and will latch on convulsively with their talons, and you will be a hurting unit. If you must pick them up, throw a jacket or something over them first, that will give them something to grab onto and cover their eyes, then pick them up only from behind, so you can hold their wings down and keep their feet away from you.
> 
> Oddly, they don't strike much with their mouths...at least not that I've noticed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> we have a bunch of them living in the eves of the shed. i think it was sleeping and just blew out. it was super windy that day. it flew away with in a few minutes. i just went to get a box and it was gone
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I like bats in theory. I don't want to see them except when they're flying overhead.
> 
> I do enjoy watching them hunt in the light from street lights, though. And I don't mind watching them hunt over water...they come in at dusk in a big group and whirl around, getting the bugs that come up off the water, it's wild. They stay until the bugs are picked off, then they move onto their next spot.
Click to expand...


i enjoy them.  they never bother you. yea, they swoop kind of close often, but they never hit you.


----------



## Foxfyre

Some more of our mountain bluebirds at the top of Sandia Crest that forms the eastern boundary of Albuquerque.  At 10,600+ feet:


----------



## koshergrl

Spoonman said:


> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> we have a bunch of them living in the eves of the shed. i think it was sleeping and just blew out. it was super windy that day. it flew away with in a few minutes. i just went to get a box and it was gone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like bats in theory. I don't want to see them except when they're flying overhead.
> 
> I do enjoy watching them hunt in the light from street lights, though. And I don't mind watching them hunt over water...they come in at dusk in a big group and whirl around, getting the bugs that come up off the water, it's wild. They stay until the bugs are picked off, then they move onto their next spot.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> i enjoy them. they never bother you. yea, they swoop kind of close often, but they never hit you.
Click to expand...

 
Well they'll hurt you if you happen to pick up rabies from them...


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like bats in theory. I don't want to see them except when they're flying overhead.
> 
> I do enjoy watching them hunt in the light from street lights, though. And I don't mind watching them hunt over water...they come in at dusk in a big group and whirl around, getting the bugs that come up off the water, it's wild. They stay until the bugs are picked off, then they move onto their next spot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i enjoy them. they never bother you. yea, they swoop kind of close often, but they never hit you.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Well they'll hurt you if you happen to pick up rabies from them...
Click to expand...


rabies from raccoons and skunks is a bigger issue in our area.  i'm sure some bats carry the disease as well, but they tend not to go after humans.  you have to be more careful of their droppings if they accumulate in an enclosed area


----------



## Spoonman

another geese shot


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> another geese shot


 Wow Spoonman, That's a unique shot showing the pattern their tail feathers make. In some species that's called barring. Whatever it's called it's so distinctive and seldom seen in the way you snapped them, and the water pattern left by their departure is something to see.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> another geese shot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow Spoonman, That's a unique shot showing the pattern their tail feathers make. In some species that's called barring. Whatever it's called it's so distinctive and seldom seen in the way you snapped them, and the water pattern left by their departure is something to see.
Click to expand...


I got of some ducks taking off too. it was from a litle further away, but it still came put pretty cool


----------



## Spoonman

ducks


----------



## Spoonman

more geese


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> ducks


 I really love mallards. They're so unbelievably beautiful to me. You know where the cuties hang out!


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> more geese


 The snacks must be mighty good around there.


----------



## koshergrl

Spoonman said:


> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> we have a bunch of them living in the eves of the shed. i think it was sleeping and just blew out. it was super windy that day. it flew away with in a few minutes. i just went to get a box and it was gone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like bats in theory. I don't want to see them except when they're flying overhead.
> 
> I do enjoy watching them hunt in the light from street lights, though. And I don't mind watching them hunt over water...they come in at dusk in a big group and whirl around, getting the bugs that come up off the water, it's wild. They stay until the bugs are picked off, then they move onto their next spot.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> i enjoy them. they never bother you. yea, they swoop kind of close often, but they never hit you.
Click to expand...

 
Hey check this out..I found this article on Drudge of all places:

"
Experts sound global alert over deadly bat virus 


 A grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), a native Australian bat, stretches its leathery wings as it flies high over Sydney's Botanical Gardens on 17 August 2005. Experts on infectious diseases Thursday warned people to stay away from bats worldwide after the recent death of an eight-year-old boy bitten in Australia. 


*AFP - *Experts on infectious diseases Thursday warned people to stay away from bats worldwide after the recent death of an eight-year-old boy bitten in Australia."

"
The boy last month became the third person in the country to die of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), for which there is no effective treatment."

Experts sound global alert over deadly bat virus - FRANCE 24


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like bats in theory. I don't want to see them except when they're flying overhead.
> 
> I do enjoy watching them hunt in the light from street lights, though. And I don't mind watching them hunt over water...they come in at dusk in a big group and whirl around, getting the bugs that come up off the water, it's wild. They stay until the bugs are picked off, then they move onto their next spot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i enjoy them. they never bother you. yea, they swoop kind of close often, but they never hit you.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Hey check this out..I found this article on Drudge of all places:
> 
> "
> Experts sound global alert over deadly bat virus
> 
> 
> A grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), a native Australian bat, stretches its leathery wings as it flies high over Sydney's Botanical Gardens on 17 August 2005. Experts on infectious diseases Thursday warned people to stay away from bats worldwide after the recent death of an eight-year-old boy bitten in Australia.
> 
> 
> *AFP - *Experts on infectious diseases Thursday warned people to stay away from bats worldwide after the recent death of an eight-year-old boy bitten in Australia."
> 
> "
> The boy last month became the third person in the country to die of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), for which there is no effective treatment."
> 
> Experts sound global alert over deadly bat virus - FRANCE 24
Click to expand...


we don't have those buggers over here.  lol   you have a risk of being bitten by any animal.  a bat really doesn't carry more of a risk than any other animal in that respect.  you have more risk from a bat, or any animal that is a carnivore.  less from herbivores.


----------



## koshergrl

All bats, spoonman. The warning is to avoid ALL bats. 

"ABLV has proved fatal in all cases reported to date. There is a need for increased public awareness of the risk associated with bat contact," Francis said. "In short, people should stay away from bats."
"ABLV was first identified in Australian bats and flying foxes and is common in both, though human infection is extremely rare.
"Two adult cases were confirmed in 1996 and 1998. One was a woman bitten by a flying fox after wrestling it off a child, the other a carer who looked after the animals.
Other lyssavirus strains circulate in bats in the United States and Europe and the experts said their warning applies to wherever bat or flying fox populations exist."


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> All bats, spoonman. The warning is to avoid ALL bats.
> 
> "ABLV has proved fatal in all cases reported to date. There is a need for increased public awareness of the risk associated with bat contact," Francis said. "In short, people should stay away from bats."
> "ABLV was first identified in Australian bats and flying foxes and is common in both, though human infection is extremely rare.
> "Two adult cases were confirmed in 1996 and 1998. One was a woman bitten by a flying fox after wrestling it off a child, the other a carer who looked after the animals.
> Other lyssavirus strains circulate in bats in the United States and Europe and the experts said their warning applies to wherever bat or flying fox populations exist."



there have been 3 cases since 1996.  while it may be fatal, it is hardly an epidemic


----------



## koshergrl

It's an epidemic among bats.

Most people are very seldom around bats. You have them in your yard and hanging off your shed. You're at higher risk. Just saying. It's foolish to handle them, unless you know what you're doing.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> It's an epidemic among bats.
> 
> Most people are very seldom around bats. You have them in your yard and hanging off your shed. You're at higher risk. Just saying. It's foolish to handle them, unless you know what you're doing.



i have them in the eves of my sheds, under my siding in places.  I have nests for them along the fence.  it's like a bat haven around my house.  they keep the mosquitos in check though


----------



## koshergrl

Yeah, I wouldn't want to live in close proximity to that many bats.

So where do the mosquitoes come from? Are you on a marsh???


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Yeah, I wouldn't want to live in close proximity to that many bats.
> 
> So where do the mosquitoes come from? Are you on a marsh???



and i do understand your position.  but then neither do the coyotes or bears that I often run into when i walk out the door or through the woods.  I guess it is all what you are used to.   I don't live in a marsh.  I live in a heavily wooded area and I am at the highest point of that area.  but there are marsh lands that are around us. There are also lots of ponds in the general area


----------



## Spoonman

when i look closely at this eagle i realize he is carrying a twig in his talon back ot the nest.


----------



## Spoonman

mom and pop on the nest


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> mom and pop on the nest


 Wow, Spoonman. Just wow! American parent watches over nest from tallest tree. What a lovely tribute to parenthood.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> mom and pop on the nest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Just wow! American parent watches over nest from tallest tree. What a lovely tribute to parenthood.
Click to expand...


pretty wild eh?  i'd never seen that before


----------



## freedombecki

I've seen one bald eagle nest before somewhere...except on a cliff. But over the rocks, the branches/twigs looked same as the eagle's nest you posted.


----------



## koshergrl

Spoonman said:


> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I wouldn't want to live in close proximity to that many bats.
> 
> So where do the mosquitoes come from? Are you on a marsh???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and i do understand your position. but then neither do the coyotes or bears that I often run into when i walk out the door or through the woods. I guess it is all what you are used to. I don't live in a marsh. I live in a heavily wooded area and I am at the highest point of that area. but there are marsh lands that are around us. There are also lots of ponds in the general area
Click to expand...

 
Coyotes and bears aren't nesting on your property.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I wouldn't want to live in close proximity to that many bats.
> 
> So where do the mosquitoes come from? Are you on a marsh???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and i do understand your position. but then neither do the coyotes or bears that I often run into when i walk out the door or through the woods. I guess it is all what you are used to. I don't live in a marsh. I live in a heavily wooded area and I am at the highest point of that area. but there are marsh lands that are around us. There are also lots of ponds in the general area
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Coyotes and bears aren't nesting on your property.
Click to expand...


no, but i'll walk out the door and there they are standing in the driveway. I had one black bear in the neighbors garbage who wasn't letting me walk out of our driveway to get to work.  he was protecting his food source


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> I've seen one bald eagle nest before somewhere...except on a cliff. But over the rocks, the branches/twigs looked same as the eagle's nest you posted.



hey, did you see the picture of the mink I caught?


----------



## freedombecki

Is that the one someone called a ferret? My first impression was that it looked like a mink, without reading anything. Where was that? The coffee shop?

I was bad today. I did absolutely nothing after finishing a quilt this afternoon. And now it's my bedtime. See you all tomorrow.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Is that the one someone called a ferret? My first impression was that it looked like a mink, without reading anything. Where was that? The coffee shop?
> 
> I was bad today. I did absolutely nothing after finishing a quilt this afternoon. And now it's my bedtime. See you all tomorrow.



yes, it was in the coffee shop.  I had set a trap for a groundhog and ended up with a mink


----------



## koshergrl

Mink carry the black plague.

JUST KIDDING hahaha


----------



## freedombecki

Mink coats used to be a symbol of the rich and powerful. People who had one were never cold.


----------



## koshergrl

I love fur....I have always wanted a bed piled with furs....but of course not being a trapper, or a tribal queen, I have been thwarted.

I still want a bear skin rug....


----------



## Spoonman

vultures on my neighbors roof


----------



## Spoonman

so I've tried an experiment.  I have a feeder with 4 separate feeding tubes.  I have been filling each one with a different brand or different type of seed.  one is straight sunflower.  one is a songbird mix.  one is a much more expensive brand with nuts and berries promising to attract more birds. and one is what is called a special seed blend. interestingly enough, they all god down and need to be refilled at about the same rate.  I haven't noticed the birds showing any favoritism to anyone of them.


----------



## freedombecki

That reminds me, Spoonman. Our feeders need refilling first thing this morning when the sun comes up.


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> I love fur....I have always wanted a bed piled with furs....but of course not being a trapper, or a tribal queen, I have been thwarted.
> 
> I still want a bear skin rug....


 






There ya go, koshergrl!


----------



## Connery

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) (Click the full image)


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## Pogo

I just got invited here (thanks Becki) and may upload a pic or two but here are a couple of my favorite summer voices:

Hard to hear this one but I used to love waking up to a *Phoebe *in Vermont:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_KgpX4B2A8]Eastern Phoebe Calling - YouTube[/ame]

I hear a Phoebe here in WNC about twice a year... hear it once, then it's gone 

And of a summer evening there's nothing like the multitiered call of the *wood thrush*:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGYzC7wySkI]Wood Thrush song - YouTube[/ame]

I do get some of them here.  They'll be along later in the year.


----------



## freedombecki

Thanks, Pogo. That's the best part of living out in the country here. We have a hundred different birds singing, often in rounds, and needless to say occasionally we have the thirty-something or more canned calls of the state bird for 4 or 5 states, the Mocking Bird. They're such characters, too.

Thanks for posting the bird songs. The ones outside may be able to hear it. They've been singing since before the sun came up. We have had a lot of western bluebirds this spring, literally hordes of them, due to putting out special seed mixes songbirds love. All of them love it. Last week, this most adorable little golden brown bird followed me in the house from the birdseed area of the garage converted catch-all room. It took him 2 days and a big hunger to trust me enough to hop out the front door and fly away. By the end of the 2 days, I think he knew what I was saying. What a bright little cutie pie. Think he was a brown creeper. He was a totally beautiful being, far more comely than their pictures, but the bill was the same shape, and the personality descriptions fit him down to a t. If there's a beautiful animal, it finds me. He was a looker, full of beautiful feather color.


----------



## freedombecki

This morning I was just browsing the web and found a couple of things I'd like to share about birds. I know this is out of season, but one inspiring young woman was trying to think of a good "woodlands" theme for her Christmas tree and said she browsed her "yellowed books" and came up with this (and other) ideas:






Her website is here: Book Page Christmas Ornaments


----------



## Spoonman

we have been over run with vultures lately


----------



## koshergrl

When I lived in Central Oregon, I lived in a house that looked a lot like the one you have a pic of (your neighbor's house, sort of freaked me for a minute) and we had vultures that roosted in the tall trees to the south of the yard. They spent about 6 months of the year (maybe less) there...we live just a little ways from the rock cliffs of the Painted Hills...I had a co-worker who hit one with a company car one year and had to replace the windshield...they're pretty gross, but always interesting!


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> When I lived in Central Oregon, I lived in a house that looked a lot like the one you have a pic of (your neighbor's house, sort of freaked me for a minute) and we had vultures that roosted in the tall trees to the south of the yard. They spent about 6 months of the year (maybe less) there...we live just a little ways from the rock cliffs of the Painted Hills...I had a co-worker who hit one with a company car one year and had to replace the windshield...they're pretty gross, but always interesting!



i know the area you used to live in. I one time hiked from yellowstone to the pacific. a good part of the route we followed was the old oregon trail.  so i was just a little east and then north of where you were.  I also used to deal with a lot of the lumber mills out that way.  mostly west and south of you, but i was all through that area.  great country. 

yea, they are ugly little suckers. their hearing is amazing.


----------



## Ringel05

Our new neighbor....... moved in about a month ago.  First chance I get I'm shootin' the little bastard......... 

Gilded Flicker,  a woodpecker that prefers metal flue caps to wood.........


----------



## freedombecki

Ringel05 said:


> Our new neighbor....... moved in about a month ago. First chance I get I'm shootin' the little bastard.........
> 
> Gilded Flicker, a woodpecker that prefers metal flue caps to wood.........


Ants/termites crawl on metal flues? 

They're beautiful birds, albeit that one is not so bright if he's just beating tintinnabulations with that beak.


----------



## Foxfyre

For desert dwellers we do enjoy a large variety of birds throughout New Mexico, but maybe not quite as many song birds as we had in Kansas.  Probably if we worked harder to build a bird habitat in the yard, we would have more, but feeding the birds also attracts and encourages breeding of mice which is not good here.

But we do have some nesting mocking birds nearby and they provide us with a lot of birdsong for hours at a time.  

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNNX3f3_svo]Mockingbird Song Serenade - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

Wow, Foxfyre. 10pm to 3am? That songster sure knows how to make his neighbor birds crazy with his clever soliloquy! They'll pack their bags and let him have the place!!! what a twit!   

One of his calls sounded exactly like Christmas jingle bells.


----------



## Pogo

Foxfyre said:


> For desert dwellers we do enjoy a large variety of birds throughout New Mexico, but maybe not quite as many song birds as we had in Kansas.  Probably if we worked harder to build a bird habitat in the yard, we would have more, but feeding the birds also attracts and encourages breeding of mice which is not good here.
> 
> But we do have some nesting mocking birds nearby and they provide us with a lot of birdsong for hours at a time.
> 
> Mockingbird Song Serenade - YouTube



I miss mockingbirds.  They don't like the mountains much so I only see them if I go to Flatland.

Amazing talents for mimickability:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5aSW6EuYjY]???????? mockingbird mimicking car alarm - YouTube[/ame]

Not to be outdone down under is the Australian lyrebird...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjAcyTXRunY]World's Weirdest - Bird Mimics Chainsaw, Car Alarm and More - YouTube[/ame]

Camera shutter with motor... chainsaw...?


----------



## Pogo

For the record, my first hummingbird just showed up.

To be followed by dozens more


----------



## Spoonman

some birds on the feeder


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Wow! The goldfinches are going for that sock big time! I just put one out a couple of weeks ago but bet its all empty. I better go get some more!

Thanks, Spoonman. Great pictures. I love all of them.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Wow! The goldfinches are going for that sock big time! I just put one out a couple of weeks ago but bet its all empty. I better go get some more!
> 
> Thanks, Spoonman. Great pictures. I love all of them.



thanks becki,  I have a great video to download later too


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow! The goldfinches are going for that sock big time! I just put one out a couple of weeks ago but bet its all empty. I better go get some more!
> 
> Thanks, Spoonman. Great pictures. I love all of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks becki, I have a great video to download later too
Click to expand...

 That sounds fun! Looking forward to seeing it!


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow! The goldfinches are going for that sock big time! I just put one out a couple of weeks ago but bet its all empty. I better go get some more!
> 
> Thanks, Spoonman. Great pictures. I love all of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks becki, I have a great video to download later too
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That sounds fun! Looking forward to seeing it!
Click to expand...


let me download it now and get it on youtube


----------



## Spoonman

I've been feeding birds outside my office window for quite a few years now. many of them get to know me pretty well.  at times I can even hold my hand out the window and have them land on it.  i'll have birds hang out in the tree next to the feeder while I refill it.   but this woodpecker took things to a different level.  he lets me know when the feeder or suet are empty.  every time they are he comes to the window and does this little dance and pecks on the window to get my attention and let me know its empty.  once I fill it, he stops.  this has been going on for a few years now.  

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkxglKtqSR8&feature=youtu.be]M4H03623 - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> I've been feeding birds outside my office window for quite a few years now. many of them get to know me pretty well. at times I can even hold my hand out the window and have them land on it. i'll have birds hang out in the tree next to the feeder while I refill it. but this woodpecker took things to a different level. he lets me know when the feeder or suet are empty. every time they are he comes to the window and does this little dance and pecks on the window to get my attention and let me know its empty. once I fill it, he stops. this has been going on for a few years now.
> 
> M4H03623 - YouTube


 Spoonman, that's totally wonderful!!!!

Thanks for sharing it.


----------



## Pogo

Spoonman said:


> I've been feeding birds outside my office window for quite a few years now. many of them get to know me pretty well.  at times I can even hold my hand out the window and have them land on it.  i'll have birds hang out in the tree next to the feeder while I refill it.   but this woodpecker took things to a different level.  he lets me know when the feeder or suet are empty.  every time they are he comes to the window and does this little dance and pecks on the window to get my attention and let me know its empty.  once I fill it, he stops.  this has been going on for a few years now.
> 
> M4H03623 - YouTube



Spoon, I'm sure you're not used to hearing this but .... nice pecker! 
Thanks for taking the time and trouble to upload that.

I had a beautiful serendipitous experience yesterday on what I thought was a business trip.  It didn't dawn on me until in the moment that I would be driving along Lake Erie in the height of the migratory season and I'd have time for a diversion 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but fortunately I noticed the sign at the Magee Marsh Wildlife area in northwest Ohio, where there's a nice boardwalk to walk through the area.  The place was teeming with birds and birders-- soon as I stopped at the info station there were a couple of eagles flying overhead.  They say it's the warbler capital of the world, and it was crawling with birders from all over wielding serious optical weapons of mass instruction.

All I had was a cheap camera not really suitable but if I can find some worthwhile shots.

Lots of birding events on right about now.  

Biggest Week in American Birding

Calendar


This area and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge are along highway OH 2, maybe 30-40 miles east of Toledo.


----------



## Spoonman

Pogo said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've been feeding birds outside my office window for quite a few years now. many of them get to know me pretty well.  at times I can even hold my hand out the window and have them land on it.  i'll have birds hang out in the tree next to the feeder while I refill it.   but this woodpecker took things to a different level.  he lets me know when the feeder or suet are empty.  every time they are he comes to the window and does this little dance and pecks on the window to get my attention and let me know its empty.  once I fill it, he stops.  this has been going on for a few years now.
> 
> M4H03623 - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoon, I'm sure you're not used to hearing this but .... nice pecker!
> Thanks for taking the time and trouble to upload that.
> 
> I had a beautiful serendipitous experience yesterday on what I thought was a business trip.  It didn't dawn on me until in the moment that I would be driving along Lake Erie in the height of the migratory season and I'd have time for a diversion
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but fortunately I noticed the sign at the Magee Marsh Wildlife area in northwest Ohio, where there's a nice boardwalk to walk through the area.  The place was teeming with birds and birders-- soon as I stopped at the info station there were a couple of eagles flying overhead.  They say it's the warbler capital of the world, and it was crawling with birders from all over wielding serious optical weapons of mass instruction.
> 
> All I had was a cheap camera not really suitable but if I can find some worthwhile shots.
> 
> Lots of birding events on right about now.
> 
> Biggest Week in American Birding
> 
> Calendar
> 
> 
> This area and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge are along highway OH 2, maybe 30-40 miles east of Toledo.
Click to expand...


very cool.  I am lucky to be surrounded by some pretty diverse habitat.   i live in a very rural area that has a good mix of forest, open meadow and grasslands, marsh and lakes.   even the woods that directly surround my house are woodland, meadow and bordered by marsh.  so i get a tremendous amount of diversity in wildlife.


----------



## koshergrl

We have a lot of nifty stuff here too...coastal mountains, temperate rainforest, estuaries, bays, rocky and sandy shores, dunes....

 I love it, you see amazing things just driving the kids to school, lol. Which is good, my schedule doesn't allow for much quiet down time. We have quite a few osprey and bald eagle, with all the lakes, rivers and ocean.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> We have a lot of nifty stuff here too...coastal mountains, temperate rainforest, estuaries, bays, rocky and sandy shores, dunes....
> 
> I love it, you see amazing things just driving the kids to school, lol. Which is good, my schedule doesn't allow for much quiet down time. We have quite a few osprey and bald eagle, with all the lakes, rivers and ocean.



nothing beats nature does it?  I love getting on my bike and just riding through the mountains. so relaxing


----------



## koshergrl

We are also host to a lot of migratory water birds and such...very cool. I heard a whole flock of white birds making a bizarro sound I've never heard before as they flew towards the estuary over my house...I couldn't see them well enough to tell what they were, they were sort of far away by the time I spotted them (I heard them first). They were some sort of goose, but not any that live here year round. 

Canada honkers fly over my house every morning...and we have sandy plover nesting grounds here as well. 

Black tail deer, elk, and black bear...also we've managed to pick up some wolves.


----------



## koshergrl

Plus otters (different types including California sea otters!), seals, sea lions! Mink too.


----------



## koshergrl

Today at lunch I went to one of the local lakes...I saw osprey hunting but at a distance...

And I was checked out very closely by these:






 who were camped out in the tops of the tallest conifers...

Here:






I dunno I'm into the aerial pics of things lately, lol.

Oregon Lakes Association - Woahink

This is what my view looked like:






and





Except not in black and white, lol..


----------



## Spoonman

this morning i hear the turkeys gobbling not too far into the woods.  they got an early start, about 5 AM.  i guess everybody is focused on mating


----------



## koshergrl

koshergrl said:


> Plus otters (different types including California sea otters!), seals, sea lions! Mink too.


 

Omgosh! So I mentioned the otters...which are a member of the least weasel family....

Taking the kids to school, we saw one of these:






My daughter saw it first, said "Hey look at the squirrel!" Then it was "Wait, chipmunk! Look at the chipmunk! Wait..what IS that???"

Well it was a mink, white tipped tail and all. It ran along the residential street, then crossed the road and dodged under a bush.

This is right in the same location that my friend, my brother and I used to play along the creek....we saw these in the creek every year at the same place, and thought they were little otters.

Nope, they were mink..and they're still around, despite the degree of development. What was complete wilderness is now developed...except for the very banks of the creek, which are still a tangle of bramble..and these guys are still in there somewhere.


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> We are also host to a lot of migratory water birds and such...very cool. I heard a whole flock of white birds making a bizarro sound I've never heard before as they flew towards the estuary over my house...I couldn't see them well enough to tell what they were, they were sort of far away by the time I spotted them (I heard them first). They were some sort of goose, but not any that live here year round.
> 
> Canada honkers fly over my house every morning...and we have sandy plover nesting grounds here as well.
> 
> Black tail deer, elk, and black bear...also we've managed to pick up some wolves.


 Snow geese, probably, Koshergrl.


----------



## koshergrl

Do they sound sort of squeaky? That's what I thought initially, too.

And I think we do have them here at certain times of the year.


----------



## Spoonman

going kayaking on the reservoir this weekend.  heading back to the marshes, mostly looking for ducks and geese but back in the areas unaccessible by trails are the heaviest eagle populations. I should get some good pics.  I'm bringing my 35mm slr as well with some zoom lenses there is a roll of film on there has has pics from at least two years I want to finish and develop.  i forget what is even on there. I know some lake shots and I believe a few eagle shots already.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> going kayaking on the reservoir this weekend. heading back to the marshes, mostly looking for ducks and geese but back in the areas unaccessible by trails are the heaviest eagle populations. I should get some good pics. I'm bringing my 35mm slr as well with some zoom lenses there is a roll of film on there has has pics from at least two years I want to finish and develop. i forget what is even on there. I know some lake shots and I believe a few eagle shots already.


 Have a good time, Spoonman. This is national migrating bird day, according to Bing! web browser service. They also have a writeup on migratory pelicans, the State Bird of Louisiana.


----------



## koshergrl

I want this:







That just looks like exactly what I want for the kids and me.


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> I want this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That just looks like exactly what I want for the kids and me.


That will put some upper arm strength into your lives.


----------



## koshergrl

That's what kids are for!


----------



## freedombecki

I miss my kids. I raised them to be independent. And they are. *sigh*


----------



## koshergrl

That's good, though.


----------



## freedombecki

I'm watching a bird on my back fence. He has a red head, a white body and a black neck. I loaded those three descriptions into Bing! Browser, and found the right bird in "images, went to the website, and they said it was a Red-headed Woodpecker. There are 213 species, and he's one of the most beautiful creatures I've seen, and so flit-flitting around from one level of boards to the other on the wood fence, just above --- ripening blackberries! I wondered who was eating them all! 

Now I know.





Source: Woodpecker - The Canadian Encyclopedia

Goodness, I typed a whole post, did research, and he's still guarding the blackberries. Aha, saw him go grab something. Not sure if it was a berry or a stinkbug. He's most interested, however.


----------



## freedombecki

Another thing I saw a few minutes ago was the great blue heron who wades in our lake. He flew to a nearby tree and landed on a large dead branch. Thought it was odd, so I loaded "great blue heron in tree." Sure enough, most of the herons pictured online are in lower branches (though not all) and many were photographed on large dead branches, for some reason not known to me.



 
Thanks to "publicdomainpicturesdotnet".​ 
And the resident mockingbird is going bananas. I lost count after 36 different calls, and he's still peeling off a litany. What a chatterbox! ​


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> That's good, though.


Thanks, koshergrl.
 Well, they both called and sent flowers. My son knows I love Bells Ireland and orchids, and my daughter knows I like orange and hot pink roses and green chrysanthemums. They didn't have to go to all that trouble, but they did.


----------



## Spoonman

baby finches hatched last sunday.  a week in pictures


----------



## koshergrl

You have a nest attached to your frot door??


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> You have a nest attached to your frot door??



yea, they built in a wreath hanging on the door.  usually robins put a nest in there, but this year the finches beat them to it


----------



## koshergrl

Do you not use your front door? LOL! That is too funny.

I'm beginning to get an image of you, with the bats and the spiders and the birds and kitties and all....

I   hope you don't have birds nesting in your hair, too....






Radagast is very cool.


----------



## Ernie S.

I've been watching a hole grow in a large dead pine up at the east end of my property. I finally got a good look while I had binoculars with me. 
He's a Northern Flicker, known down South as a yellowhammer. The yellowhammer is the state bird of Alabama.




He's pretty good sized. The books say 11 to 14" long or crow size. I've seen the Pileated Woodpecker again this spring HE is HUGE. About half again as big as the yellowhammer.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Do you not use your front door? LOL! That is too funny.
> 
> I'm beginning to get an image of you, with the bats and the spiders and the birds and kitties and all....
> 
> I   hope you don't have birds nesting in your hair, too....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Radagast is very cool.



actually we don't uses the front door.  we come in through the basement which has a door that opens to the driveway.  so the front door gets opened maybe 5 times a year.  but strangely enough, we got new furniture. so last sunday we had a sectional with a queen bed and 3 recliners taken out the front door and Tuesday the new furniture was delivered, through the front door.  the mother was not happy


----------



## koshergrl

We saw a bald eagle today, and a kingfisher....and robins....and a bunny!


----------



## Ernie S.

koshergrl said:


> We saw a bald eagle today, and a kingfisher....and robins....and a bunny!



Did the eagle see the bunny?


----------



## koshergrl

Let's hope not.

The eagle was fishing...or rather, looking for fishing osprey so he could chase them down and steal their catch.

Oh I forgot to mention that last week there was an osprey fishing the river just west of our bridge....


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> baby finches hatched last sunday. a week in pictures


 Be still my heart! That's is a totally cool week in pictures of baby finches, Spoonman. I especially love picture #5 of the 3 little red mouths wide open and expecting to be filled. Mama Finch has to, just to shut them up!


----------



## koshergrl

Osprey are a lot of fun to watch....

I've seen them in groups over the lake...they're really VOCAL. And they are AWESOME fishermen!


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> I've been watching a hole grow in a large dead pine up at the east end of my property. I finally got a good look while I had binoculars with me.
> He's a Northern Flicker, known down South as a yellowhammer. The yellowhammer is the state bird of Alabama.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's pretty good sized. The books say 11 to 14" long or crow size. I've seen the Pileated Woodpecker again this spring HE is HUGE. About half again as big as the yellowhammer.


<you must spread some reputation around before giving some to Ernie S. Again> Oh, spare me, forum nanny! 

Edit: What I meant to say was, Ernie, that's such a gorgeous picture of the flicker with his wings spread so wide, it makes me want to finish my postage stamp quilt in a day...


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> Osprey are a lot of fun to watch....
> 
> I've seen them in groups over the lake...they're really VOCAL. And they are AWESOME fishermen!


 Someone asked me if I missed Wyoming. I forgot about all the beautiful Ospreys I saw there...

Thanks, koshergrl!


----------



## koshergrl

They're one of my favorites.

Along with kingfishers...


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## Spoonman




----------



## koshergrl

I love owls...I rescued a long eared owl once, and the bird rehabilitator was able to fix the broken wing it had suffered and re-release it!


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> I love owls...I rescued a long eared owl once, and the bird rehabilitator was able to fix the broken wing it had suffered and re-release it!



yea, owls are really cool.  a few years back we had one nesting in a dead tree in the woods next to our house.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>


 I love the swans in flight best, Spoonman. They show the powerfulness of their presence. Kudos for amazing pictures. Just beautiful!


----------



## whitehall

I have noticed that mockingbirds stick around all year here in the mid-atlantic. They are so independent that they never show up for the freebees on my feeder. Mocking birds are one of the few birds that occasionally sing at night. They are my favorites. My 2nd pick is the turkey vulture, mean and unsociable and ugly as they are they do the job that God set out for them.


----------



## Spoonman

whitehall said:


> I have noticed that mockingbirds stick around all year here in the mid-atlantic. They are so independent that they never show up for the freebees on my feeder. Mocking birds are one of the few birds that occasionally sing at night. They are my favorites. My 2nd pick is the turkey vulture, mean and unsociable and ugly as they are they do the job that God set out for them.


----------



## Spoonman

driving down this dirt road to launch my kayak in the reservoir i saw a cat crossing the road.  well for a brief minute i saw one anyway.


----------



## koshergrl

Poor kitty!
So what is the vulture eating (I'm almost afraid to ask)?


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Poor kitty!
> So what is the vulture eating (I'm almost afraid to ask)?



a chicken carcass I tossed out the window,  lol


I didn't actually see the eagle get the cat. when I got there it already had it.  I didn't even realize what it was until after it flew away and I saw the remains.


----------



## Patric7olicoe

Most of my experiences watching and enjoying birds have been very good ones, and they're worth every minute I spent enjoying observing their playful antics on edging out the competition at the bird feeder.


----------



## koshergrl

Found an old account, testing:






Klaus when he was a baby...


----------



## koshergrl

Never mind, it only had a few pics in it.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> Found an old account, testing:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Klaus when he was a baby...



is he a bird dog?  lol


----------



## koshergrl

I know, he really is a funny looking bird.


----------



## Spoonman

koshergrl said:


> I know, he really is a funny looking bird.



i have some more pics to post but i can't access my PB account from work today.   somedays its blocked by websense, others it's not


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Found an old account, testing:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Klaus when he was a baby...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is he a bird dog? lol
Click to expand...

 Nah, he couldn't be a ... nah... although... Koshergrl, is he at least half St. Bernard?


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Beautiful, Spoonman! Totally wonderful Bald eagles!


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Very nice, Spoonman! The top bird is colored and looks like a tufted titmouse, except I don't see a tuft on top. Is it some other bird?

The pumpkin just gives whatever he is a beautiful look, too. What a special zinger of a pic.

The eagles are WONDERFUL, too. Thanks!


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Very nice, Spoonman! The top bird is colored and looks like a tufted titmouse, except I don't see a tuft on top. Is it some other bird?
> 
> The pumpkin just gives whatever he is a beautiful look, too. What a special zinger of a pic.
> 
> The eagles are WONDERFUL, too. Thanks!



maybe he's a greaser  lol    I think  the head is just cocked a little looking at who is trying to take his picture


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very nice, Spoonman! The top bird is colored and looks like a tufted titmouse, except I don't see a tuft on top. Is it some other bird?
> 
> The pumpkin just gives whatever he is a beautiful look, too. What a special zinger of a pic.
> 
> The eagles are WONDERFUL, too. Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> maybe he's a greaser lol I think the head is just cocked a little looking at who is trying to take his picture
Click to expand...

 I spent an hour on Bing trying to figure out a bird that looked in every way like a tufted titmouse but was a different breed. There was no such creature. So I looked harder and thought, maybe the bird had his shoulders hunched or something or had muscles holding his tuft down. Maybe he got into some tree sap or something. It's spring, and trees are supposed to be oozing, aren't they.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very nice, Spoonman! The top bird is colored and looks like a tufted titmouse, except I don't see a tuft on top. Is it some other bird?
> 
> The pumpkin just gives whatever he is a beautiful look, too. What a special zinger of a pic.
> 
> The eagles are WONDERFUL, too. Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> maybe he's a greaser lol I think the head is just cocked a little looking at who is trying to take his picture
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I spent an hour on Bing trying to figure out a bird that looked in every way like a tufted titmouse but was a different breed. There was no such creature. So I looked harder and thought, maybe the bird had his shoulders hunched or something or had muscles holding his tuft down. Maybe he got into some tree sap or something. It's spring, and trees are supposed to be oozing, aren't they.
Click to expand...


I don't know of any other bird around here that looks like a tufted.  I think it must have just had its head turned slightly down and to the left


----------



## freedombecki

Today's bird news follows: Feathered Dino may be the world's first bird.

The skeleton of a Jurassic dinosaur from China could also be the oldest known bird, scientists report. The fossil of _Aurornis xui _was found last year in a museum at the Fossil and Geology Park in Yizhou, China, long after a farmer first dug it up in the Liaoning Province. The feathery specimen represents the most ancient of the avialans, the group that includes birds and their relatives since their split from nonavian dinosaurs.











Credits: New Feathered Dino May be World's First Bird | Bird-like Dinosaurs | LiveScience


----------



## freedombecki

Foxfyre showed a shorter version YouTube at the USMB Coffee Shop today, but on a visit to youtube website, I found the long version of Birds of Paradise found in the last remote rainforest known on some of the islands that have not been exploited too much by human habitation. The 35 species of Birds of Paradise were wonderfully documented by their painstaking approaches to getting better shots than anyone else had ever gotten:

[ame=http://youtu.be/XS1DLbssFX0]Winged Seduction Birds Of Paradise - YouTube[/ame]​


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## koshergrl

Yesterday we took the kids to a little local lake to fish for an hour or so...

the osprey were going crazy! They were scree-ing and diving...they stocked just a week ago.

We didn't get anything, the kids are loud and get in the water, and there were dogs at the other end of the lake; but we did see a snake swimming! That was sort of cool (we don't have any poisonous ones, but this was large by the local standards...a couple of feet long!)


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>


Be still my heart. Those are amazing pictures, Spoonman! Totally amazing. What a bad time to be out of reps. ...Time to hit the sewing machine, I guess. I've been procrastinating a few projects with the good weather and grass growing like it would get an extra paycheck for getting 9 inches taller in 4 days taking all my mornings.


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> Yesterday we took the kids to a little local lake to fish for an hour or so...
> 
> the osprey were going crazy! They were scree-ing and diving...they stocked just a week ago.
> 
> We didn't get anything, the kids are loud and get in the water, and there were dogs at the other end of the lake; but we did see a snake swimming! That was sort of cool (we don't have any poisonous ones, but this was large by the local standards...a couple of feet long!)


 Oh, I love ospreys. None here, unless I'm missing something. As weird as this sounds, our turkey vultures are nothing but beautiful up high where they soar and swirl.

And one venturesome Great White Egret came around the lake today. I was so worried I'd never see another one when we had a lot of people wanting to fish in the lake.


----------



## koshergrl

I like turkey vultures too. They migrate by the millions and travel immense distances! When I lived in Central Oregon, a group of them spent part of every year in the talllllll doug firs that grew just outside of my fenced yard. They watched my small dog with particular interest.


----------



## Locke11_21

I want to thank Spoonman for informing me about this thread and FreedomBecki for creating it.

Birds are amazing, and I truly believe man to this day doesn't understand the high intelligence of birds.  I have observed birds and know there is something unique about them.  Here is just one of infinite examples, one of my favorite birds, the Killdeer, watch the video and see if you know why the Killdeer will suddenly sprint...answer after the video.


[ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=W2iLsMU7nic]Killdeer - YouTube[/ame]




The Killdeer loves insects, and if one can not find insects to eat, they run through grass, weeds and such to flush out insects.  In the video, you will see the Killdeer run, and drop their beaks and go after insects they have flushed out.  Killdeer have a very high intelligence.


----------



## koshergrl

They also pretend to have broken wings to lead predators away from their nests..which are on the ground.

Love them.


----------



## freedombecki

I've seen the Great White Egret a couple of times this week. I was so worried they wouldn't come back. It could be the cool spring put the damper on their plans. It's raining now, but they have been around a lot in just 3 days. Unfortunately, I had a really dreadful eye condition that is just now getting better.

Welcome, Locke. And thanks for the cute Killdeer video. They're the same in Wyoming as they are here in Texas, and that run on the ground looks like they could be balancing a book on their heads and it not tilting when they run.


----------



## Spoonman

we see the blues and the greys more frequently here.  I have seen some white but they are few and far between.  The great swamp NWR has them.  I used to play golf at a course that protruded slightly into the refuge.  you'd see them on the course occaisionally


----------



## freedombecki

Be still my heart again. Your herons are just amazing, Spoonman. The one we have that's light is almost a mauve color. They have to be getting crayfish somewhere around here. I've never seen one, but they don't exactly jump up out of their hiding places in the lake, wave a flag, and say "I'm over here!!!" to humans in this part of the world. 
We have two or 3 dark gray ones who visit out back (between 30-100 meters from my window, but only one light that is mauve colored. And what a raving beauty the mauve one is. Your light one above is well-formed and elegant.


----------



## freedombecki

My all-time most visited bird identification center is the USGS Patuxent Bird Information Center Complete Links Page.  Near the top is a quick-find family link that takes you to the part of the list, so you don't have to sweat running through hundreds of species to find the one you want. The Great White Heron is pictured on the same page as the Great Blue Heron.

Just to show the difference between the Great White Heron and the Great White Egret, Here's the likenesses and differences:

Great Blue Heron Page

"Great White Heron": 

Identification Tips:


White morph of Great Blue Heron
Large yellow bill
Yellow legs
White plumage
Single white plume extending back from above eye
Found only in South Florida, rarely north along the coast
Great Egret Page 

Great Egret (formerly Great White Egret)

Identification Tips:

Length: 32 inches Wingspan: 55 inches
Sexes similar
Large long-legged long-necked wading bird
Usually holds neck in an "S" curve in flight
Long, thick yellow bill
Black legs and feet
Entirely white plumage
Juvenile similar to basic-plumaged adult
The quickest way to identify them is to look at the color of their legs. Then all else falls into place. The Great Egret is the most graceful feathered creature I've ever seen, and I've seen many. They're top of the echelon, just from the standpoint of their beauty. They could quite literally be the most beautiful creatures on earth,


----------



## Ernie S.

OK Bird brains. I need help identifying my tenants.
I thought they were meadowlarks, but they are missing the v shaped band on their chest. They built a nest in my eaves where wind blew off some flashing. Now they are keeping me company as the nest is 15 feet from my seat here in the gazebow.
Both moma and dad are bringing bugs for the 4 hungry chicks.
Pops is camera shy, but he looks like mom just a bit brighter in color.


----------



## freedombecki

Hi, Ernie. The one on the right looks to me like a tufted titmouse.

Believe me, the Western meadowlarks in Wyoming are 4x the size of a tufted titmouse or more. And the songs are exceedingly complex but the proverbial "music to the ear," which is probably why 6 states have chosen them as their state bird, second only to those whose state imagery is graced by Northern Cardinal, 7 states.

I defer you to Spoonman, who has a perennial tribe of tufted titmice nesting on a wreath of his front door where he lives, and yep, those little tykes are hungry! Check back a few pages and see if that's not true. Your male has a brighter chest, possibly due to mating season their colors become top form, and your weather this spring has been warmer likely.

Thanks for the picture.

I think titmice like the best guys.


----------



## Ernie S.

I know tufted titmice. I've had them eat out of my hand. This guy is roughly the size of a robin. Titmice also don't have the baring on their wings.

Our birds are all in nesting plumage. Even the male cardinals are rather drab.


----------



## Ernie S.

Dogbird for sale.


----------



## koshergrl

Wow I saw that spoonman and thought "kingfisher"...


----------



## koshergrl

I love kingfishers. I don't know if that is one, but I do love them.  Kingfishers - Forest Birds (often found near water)

Yesterday, driving home in the evening along the river, I saw a mama wood duck and her babies trying to cross the road...I didn't see any carcasses this morning, going back along the same way, so hopefully they made it:


----------



## Ernie S.

I found him! Great crested flycatcher.


----------



## koshergrl

Awwwwww....


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> I found him! Great crested flycatcher.


Oh, the Great crested flycatcher is nice, Ernie. We have scissor-tailed flycatchers here (State bird, Oklahoma) that stick to the front pastures and I hope like heck they also eat grasshoppers! We have them buzzing around everywhere. Some of the critters that look like grasshoppers seem to fly. Bugs are weird.


----------



## Spoonman

well our brood of finches flew from the nest.   a week later......

6 more eggs






yesterday


----------



## Spoonman

here's a clearer picture.  you can still see on unhatched egg at the bottom


----------



## koshergrl

Did I tell you guys? I took the kids and dogs out to the marsh last weekend, and we saw 14 osprey hunting! It was awesome!


----------



## koshergrl

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Found an old account, testing:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Klaus when he was a baby...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is he a bird dog? lol
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Nah, he couldn't be a ... nah... although... Koshergrl, is he at least half St. Bernard?
Click to expand...

 
He's 100 percent. And much, much bigger now.


----------



## koshergrl

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> koshergrl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Found an old account, testing:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Klaus when he was a baby...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is he a bird dog? lol
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Nah, he couldn't be a ... nah... although... Koshergrl, is he at least half St. Bernard?
Click to expand...

 
This is him now:


----------



## Spoonman

The babies growing up


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> is he a bird dog? lol
> 
> 
> 
> Nah, he couldn't be a ... nah... although... Koshergrl, is he at least half St. Bernard?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> This is him now:
Click to expand...

 He's so beautiful. These dogs have legendary traits, I understand, that make them truly best friends of humans. It was a long time ago, though, except that they're used in saving lives of people in desperate situations. Again, details are elusive, I have to sleep on stuff to recall it from a long time ago.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> The babies growing up


 Wow, Spoonman. You've taken us from empty nest to eggs to birth, and now to open eye childhood, 10 days from closed eyes. Thanks for such a wonderful pictorial story. Lucky us!


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## Spoonman

nearing the end.  these birds will be out of the nest soon.  one is already gone


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## Spoonman

No better bird to honor the day


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> No better bird to honor the day


 Love these fabulous pictures of the American National Bird, and on Independence Day, too! Thanks, Spoonman!!


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## freedombecki

This morning, I cheerfully stumbled on a great new website, "IBC" or the Internet Bird Collection. Link to IBC: the Internet Bird Collection

Here are the stats:
75337videos
91447photos
10514sounds 

7787 species with videos (78.05%)
8899 species with photos (89.2%)
5297 species with sounds (53.09%)
92.91% of all the species covered
 Whoa!!! Is that cool or what!!!
​Here is one of the pictures:



​ 
And link to the page in which to view one of the videos, a House Finch eating loquats and replaced by a Western Tanager: http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/house-...lt-female-feeding-loquat-fruit-then-being-dis


I love it!   ​


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## freedombecki

Oh, I forgot the name of the goose above but it's the Hawaiian State Bird. BRB

(back now) Oh, the Hawaiian goose is the nene, _Branta sandwicensis._


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## flacaltenn

Turkey Hen taken from my back door.. They brooded up in our woods and led the chicks around for weeks.. 






[/IMG]


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## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> Turkey Hen taken from my back door.. They brooded up in our woods and led the chicks around for weeks..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/IMG]


 Thanks, flacaltenn! What I wouldn't give if a flock of turkeys nested on our little acreage. We're even between two seasonal creeks! Oh, well. We have Great white egrets in our lake, and Great Blue Herons frequent here as well. Yesterday, the hugest Great egret I've ever seen was enjoying a morning of fishing. He was so beautiful. The others are large, but he seemed a lot larger. No, not a swan, just a typical grace-filled white egret.

I've seen one of them whip 5 flamingos. And I do mean they left after three days. He singled them out and tortured them with minor maneuvers. They may have been very immature flamingos, but they got the message. Too bad. They were so pink and cute.


----------



## flacaltenn

freedombecki said:


> flacaltenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> Turkey Hen taken from my back door.. They brooded up in our woods and led the chicks around for weeks..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/IMG]
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, flacaltenn! What I wouldn't give if a flock of turkeys nested on our little acreage. We're even between two seasonal creeks! Oh, well. We have Great white egrets in our lake, and Great Blue Herons frequent here as well. Yesterday, the hugest Great egret I've ever seen was enjoying a morning of fishing. He was so beautiful. The others are large, but he seemed a lot larger. No, not a swan, just a typical grace-filled white egret.
> 
> I've seen one of them whip 5 flamingos. And I do mean they left after three days. He singled them out and tortured them with minor maneuvers. They may have been very immature flamingos, but they got the message. Too bad. They were so pink and cute.
Click to expand...


I ALMOST got a viral class video of a flock of turkeys in the yard "playing" with one of neighborhood cats.. 10 of them circled the cat just like rope-a-dope and if the cat charged, they would leap over each other.. Cat was tired after 20 minutes or so and slinked off. 

Thought I had it recorded, but only got a couple seconds of it.. 

When the turkey hens brought their brood into the yard, I had a hose going up the hill. The little ones were lined up singled single file, but not one of them was brave enough to leap the hose. The lead guy would charge the hose and go to the back of the line. This went on for about an hour.. 

So much enjoyment out of our birds around here. Costs a fortune to keep a couple feeder going with the chipmunks and jays and squirrels..


----------



## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> flacaltenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> Turkey Hen taken from my back door.. They brooded up in our woods and led the chicks around for weeks..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/IMG]
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, flacaltenn! What I wouldn't give if a flock of turkeys nested on our little acreage. We're even between two seasonal creeks! Oh, well. We have Great white egrets in our lake, and Great Blue Herons frequent here as well. Yesterday, the hugest Great egret I've ever seen was enjoying a morning of fishing. He was so beautiful. The others are large, but he seemed a lot larger. No, not a swan, just a typical grace-filled white egret.
> 
> I've seen one of them whip 5 flamingos. And I do mean they left after three days. He singled them out and tortured them with minor maneuvers. They may have been very immature flamingos, but they got the message. Too bad. They were so pink and cute.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I ALMOST got a viral class video of a flock of turkeys in the yard "playing" with one of neighborhood cats.. 10 of them circled the cat just like rope-a-dope and if the cat charged, they would leap over each other.. Cat was tired after 20 minutes or so and slinked off.
> 
> Thought I had it recorded, but only got a couple seconds of it..
> 
> When the turkey hens brought their brood into the yard, I had a hose going up the hill. The little ones were lined up singled single file, but not one of them was brave enough to leap the hose. The lead guy would charge the hose and go to the back of the line. This went on for about an hour..
> 
> So much enjoyment out of our birds around here. Costs a fortune to keep a couple feeder going with the chipmunks and jays and squirrels..
Click to expand...

Both scenes sound amazing, flacaltenn. If I had watched them avoid the hose, I would have been laughing till I cried. I love baby animals, and even more so when they are adorned with feathers. The cat-hunt-turkeys scene would have been to die for!


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## Spoonman

robins are starting late this year.   this is the first hatch I've seen of them











These guys have just gotten started


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## flacaltenn

THe robins come thru here every fall mixed in with cedar waxwings. 

There's always a couple days when they strip the Holly trees bare of berries in minutes. 

It's just like Hitchcock's movie...


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## Spoonman

flacaltenn said:


> THe robins come thru here every fall mixed in with cedar waxwings.
> 
> There's always a couple days when they strip the Holly trees bare of berries in minutes.
> 
> It's just like Hitchcock's movie...



sounds like a cool sight to see.  robbins show up here early spring and are usually nesting by april.   for some reason they are just getting started this year


----------



## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> THe robins come thru here every fall mixed in with cedar waxwings.
> 
> There's always a couple days when they strip the Holly trees bare of berries in minutes.
> 
> It's just like Hitchcock's movie...


 Once upon a wintry day in Wyoming, a flock of unusual birds came flying around my house. They looked like cardinals, except they didn't have any red coloring, and they had these mask-like dark markings around their crested heads, and bodies of a neutral but cool, grayish tan. I looked them up, they were "Cedar Waxwings" I've loved them ever since, but never saw another in Wyoming. What they were doing in such a cold weather's day there, is a mystery to me to this day. 

The only other weird occurance was when black guillemots arrived at my little man-made lake behind the house here in the Piney Woods of Texas. They arrived in late Spring and stayed until the cool days of fall. There was no mistake, because black guillemots have a certain look and wing coloration, and they're divers. Only trouble is, in summer they gather above the arctic circle, but this flock remained all summer at my lake. I have no idea why that is. Occasionally I spot a pretty bird out on the lake, but those black guillemots charmed my heart to pieces. When they fly in a flock, you could get dizzy watching them. Their markings make them pointillism in motion, is the best description I can give you, but it's an excitement of nature you have to see to believe. If you're ever up in the arctic in summer and you notice a dizzying, delightful large group of beautiful birds flying over head the size of a duck but with pointed bills, check the markings of a couple of them that land. While they're landing you should see the white markings of their wings that give them that spectacle like no other I've ever seen in all my years. Not all popcorn is in a pot! They just boom visually when flying.

Our diverse nature. Simply amazing and unexplainable gifts from God.

A black guillemot:






And another:






Oh, yes, and those red feet? That's what made me know which bird they were! (In addition to their wing color) The inside of their mouth is just as red as their feet, I'm thinking.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> robins are starting late this year. this is the first hatch I've seen of them
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These guys have just gotten started


 Thanks for the totally fabulous pictures, Spoonman. You have an eye for nature.


----------



## Foxfyre

Posted this in the Coffee Shop this morning but thought it should be here too:

This is a Rufus-necked wood-rail that showed up in our Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge (just south of Albuquerque) this week.   First sighting EVER of one of these in the United States as it is unique to tropical coastal areas of lower Central and South America.  Why it showed up here in the New Mexico high desert is a mystery but it was front page news in the Albuquerque Journal this morning and we also made the Dallas news, Huffington Post, and probably a lot of other media.   Birders are coming from all over the country hoping to get a glimpse of it.






Now those of us who come to this thread all enjoy and appreciate wild life and enjoy seeing wild things.  But are ya'll passionate enough about birding that you would buy a plane ticket or drive 700 miles hoping to see one of these things?   I love nature and most things in it, but I can honestly say I don't have THAT much passion for bird watching.


----------



## flacaltenn

Foxfyre said:


> Posted this in the Coffee Shop this morning but thought it should be here too:
> 
> This is a Rufus-necked wood-rail that showed up in our Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge (just south of Albuquerque) this week.   First sighting EVER of one of these in the United States as it is unique to tropical coastal areas of lower Central and South America.  Why it showed up here in the New Mexico high desert is a mystery but it was front page news in the Albuquerque Journal this morning and we also made the Dallas news, Huffington Post, and probably a lot of other media.   Birders are coming from all over the country hoping to get a glimpse of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now those of us who come to this thread all enjoy and appreciate wild life and enjoy seeing wild things.  But are ya'll passionate enough about birding that you would buy a plane ticket or drive 700 miles hoping to see one of these things?   I love nature and most things in it, but I can honestly say I don't have THAT much passion for bird watching.



I smell a slightly unethical way to increase tourism.. Could work.. <<sarcasm>>


----------



## Foxfyre

flacaltenn said:


> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> Posted this in the Coffee Shop this morning but thought it should be here too:
> 
> This is a Rufus-necked wood-rail that showed up in our Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge (just south of Albuquerque) this week.   First sighting EVER of one of these in the United States as it is unique to tropical coastal areas of lower Central and South America.  Why it showed up here in the New Mexico high desert is a mystery but it was front page news in the Albuquerque Journal this morning and we also made the Dallas news, Huffington Post, and probably a lot of other media.   Birders are coming from all over the country hoping to get a glimpse of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now those of us who come to this thread all enjoy and appreciate wild life and enjoy seeing wild things.  But are ya'll passionate enough about birding that you would buy a plane ticket or drive 700 miles hoping to see one of these things?   I love nature and most things in it, but I can honestly say I don't have THAT much passion for bird watching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I smell a slightly unethical way to increase tourism.. Could work.. <<sarcasm>>
Click to expand...


I doubt even the State of New Mexico government, not really known for unreproachable conduct, attitudes, methods, or morals, would go to all that expense to attract a few dedicated bird watchers.


----------



## flacaltenn

Foxfyre said:


> flacaltenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> Posted this in the Coffee Shop this morning but thought it should be here too:
> 
> This is a Rufus-necked wood-rail that showed up in our Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge (just south of Albuquerque) this week.   First sighting EVER of one of these in the United States as it is unique to tropical coastal areas of lower Central and South America.  Why it showed up here in the New Mexico high desert is a mystery but it was front page news in the Albuquerque Journal this morning and we also made the Dallas news, Huffington Post, and probably a lot of other media.   Birders are coming from all over the country hoping to get a glimpse of it.
> 
> 
> Now those of us who come to this thread all enjoy and appreciate wild life and enjoy seeing wild things.  But are ya'll passionate enough about birding that you would buy a plane ticket or drive 700 miles hoping to see one of these things?   I love nature and most things in it, but I can honestly say I don't have THAT much passion for bird watching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I smell a slightly unethical way to increase tourism.. Could work.. <<sarcasm>>
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I doubt even the State of New Mexico government, not really known for unreproachable conduct, attitudes, methods, or morals, would go to all that expense to attract a few dedicated bird watchers.
Click to expand...


Just getting out the msg that you desert dwellers HAVE birds (and water like in the pic)--- would increase visitors..


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## Foxfyre

flacaltenn said:


> Foxfyre said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> flacaltenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> I smell a slightly unethical way to increase tourism.. Could work.. <<sarcasm>>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I doubt even the State of New Mexico government, not really known for unreproachable conduct, attitudes, methods, or morals, would go to all that expense to attract a few dedicated bird watchers.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Just getting out the msg that you desert dwellers HAVE birds (and water like in the pic)--- would increase visitors..
Click to expand...


For sure.  New Mexico actually has the fifth largest land mass in area, border to border, though I suspect with all our mountains, if we were flattened out we would be the size of Texas.      But we also have the least amount of surface water of all 50 states.  Nevertheless, the Apache del Bosque wildlife refuge attracts millions of migrating birds and is a favorite destination for thousands and thousands of bird watchers every year.  Probably because surface water is so scarce, the refuge attracts a larger concentration of birds--everything from sandhill crane and even a rare whooping crane to Arctic geese to hummingbirds.

I was just reading though that bird watchers are coming from around the world to see that rufus-necked wood-rail.   I'll admit that I just don't see why it is so important, but I think I'm glad there are people who do.   But then I have a nephew that travels far and wide just to attend huge shows where they buy and sell the glass insulators that used to occupy the tops of telephone and power poles.  We are an interesting and diverse people.


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## Spoonman




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## Spoonman




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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>


 Wow, Spoonman. Just wow! I love the _Haliaeetus leucocephalus_ pair!


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>


 Your Great herons are beautiful. They remind me of the light mauve color one that visited our small pond occasionally. I've only seen him once this year. And there was a huge pair of great white egrets here about two weeks ago. I'm not seeing regulars for the reason I have not trimmed trees along the fenceline this year. Come Monday morning, I'm going to try. I've been a little zapped lately of my usual zipped-do-dah-ayyyyy!


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your Great herons are beautiful. They remind me of the light mauve color one that visited our small pond occasionally. I've only seen him once this year. And there was a huge pair of great white egrets here about two weeks ago. I'm not seeing regulars for the reason I have not trimmed trees along the fenceline this year. Come Monday morning, I'm going to try. I've been a little zapped lately of my usual zipped-do-dah-ayyyyy!
Click to expand...


everything seems out of wack this year. robins only started nesting a few weeks ago. wrens, finches are all still laying. i saw no bluebirds this year at all. chickadee's have also been very scarce


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## freedombecki

All the bluebirds in the world came to Texas this year. I saw some I'd never even heard of before--western bluebirds. They were the most beautiful blue I've ever seen, and instead of orange chests, they were bright berry red. Must be the youpon berries in the region... although they were going for the gold at blackberry picking time to the point we had NO blackberries in a bumper year. 

You can feed but you can't fool those birdies! Little twits.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> All the bluebirds in the world came to Texas this year. I saw some I'd never even heard of before--western bluebirds. They were the most beautiful blue I've ever seen, and instead of orange chests, they were bright berry red. Must be the youpon berries in the region... although they were going for the gold at blackberry picking time to the point we had NO blackberries in a bumper year.
> 
> You can feed but you can't fool those birdies! Little twits.



they love their berries.  we have these wild black rasberries they go wild for.


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## flacaltenn

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Just wow! I love the _Haliaeetus leucocephalus_ pair!
Click to expand...


Now becki -- if you're gonna speak in foreign tongues, it's gonna ruin it for most of us.. 
leucocephalus sounds dirty to me.. something to do with a pale head? 

You talking about the 2 birds in that tree?


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## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Just wow! I love the _Haliaeetus leucocephalus_ pair!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Now becki -- if you're gonna speak in foreign tongues, it's gonna ruin it for most of us..
> leucocephalus sounds dirty to me.. something to do with a pale head?
> 
> You talking about the 2 birds in that tree?
Click to expand...

 Ya got me! Being snarky! I learned it from a former moderator!


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## Spoonman

Some shore birds

Seagulls





















sand pipers


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## koshergrl

Wow that looks so much like here it's freaky.


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## koshergrl

We have blackberry bramble behind the house, and a couple of big scotch broom...and then on the other end of the house there are some pine trees...and we have these sparrows that torment the dogs by zooming over them when they're outside. They're exceedingly cheeky and I do fear for them...

But I love them..they're a lot of fun in this environment...they'll live in a bush and they dart in and out, it's like the play hide and seek. 

I'm not quick enough to get pics of them. But I've noticed them rocketing over our back patio, like kamikaze birds. I think it's the youngsters, I can't imagine the adults would be so reckless...Mylo is going to get one eventually. 






they aren't super impressive looking but I get a kick out of them. And they are SOOOO fast!!!


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## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> We have blackberry bramble behind the house, and a couple of big scotch broom...and then on the other end of the house there are some pine trees...and we have these sparrows that torment the dogs by zooming over them when they're outside. They're exceedingly cheeky and I do fear for them...
> 
> But I love them..they're a lot of fun in this environment...they'll live in a bush and they dart in and out, it's like the play hide and seek.
> 
> I'm not quick enough to get pics of them. But I've noticed them rocketing over our back patio, like kamikaze birds. I think it's the youngsters, I can't imagine the adults would be so reckless...Mylo is going to get one eventually.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> they aren't super impressive looking but I get a kick out of them. And they are SOOOO fast!!!


Your White-crowned sparrows, _Zonotrichia leucophrys _must be quilte the characters. 

Beautiful specimen.

We had some of them in Casper.

Their range:





White-crowned Sparrow

They may winter here, however, where I now live:


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## koshergrl

They're so funny, I just love them.


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## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> They're so funny, I just love them.


 
A book arrived in my mailbox on birds by James John Audubon done in cross stitch in 1982 by Jenny Thompson, koshergrl. I'd seen your picture and spent a fun couple of hours finding out its name. Of course, first I looked at all birds it could have been if it were not a sparrow. But you were absolutely correct, and after eliminating 20 different birds one by one, there were only two left at Patuxent Bird ID Center, and one was the "White capped sparrow." Nah, I thought to myself, it has to be a chickadee I missed somehow (they all have black chins except a couple who do not in any way resemble a sparrow.) Anyway, the book was filled with cute pictures of birds Jenny liked, and she quoted his diary: 





> "I first became acquainted with the White-crowned Sparrow at Henderson (Kentucky), in the autumn of 1817. I then thought it the handsomest bird of its kind, and my opinion is that none other known to me as a visitor or inhabitant of the United States, exceeds it in beauty." The birds are depicted on a summer grapevine.


 
Her rendition of his drawing was done in counted cross stitch. I think she captured his words beautifully and well:

The book is "John James Audubon's Birds in Cross Stitch" by Ginnie Thompson, and I got the best copy I could afford of this out-of-print book at Amazon. The White-capped Sparrow is on page 29, and there is a beautiful Osprey on page 70. I recommend getting a used copy if you can since there are no new books available for retirees like me and people with a limited amount of money to spend. I got the hardcover version, which the day I bought it was less expensive than the paperback version. The book may be 31 years old, but her work is so universal, and her charts are very good. 

I was actually buying it to see if there were any birds that would fit a 36 x 45" format postage stamp quilt. I'd really have to do a lot of getting rid of background to do that with the White-capped sparrow. One inch squares of the pattern show that the quilt would have to be 70 x 120" in one-inch squares, and it would take several months of Sundays to do it. 

Click on thumbnail for larger view. 

And get that book while there are still some left under $10. I've actually seen books of this quality go for a couple of hundred. Just sayin'.


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## koshergrl

Awesome! If I haven't mentioned it, remind me on the first because I have $4 to my name  between now and then, lol. 

They are brave and clever and very cheeky! They are the little birds who always are just out of reach...except when they're hiding in the bush, in which case they are actually within reach but you don't know they're there! 

I live in town but am so blessed in this area to still live in close proximity to lots and lots of native birds. There are the crows...who I like but who are ultimately predators and scavengers and share the horrifying tendencies of their kind. The ones around here knock chipmunks off the power lines over the streets, and then eat them off the street. It's heinous. I know they're just doing what they do (and THAT is a learned behavior....crows do not have an instinct to knock chipmunks onto the street with force.) The fall has to be to the street, because the ground here is soft and a fall even from a great height is unlikely to kill a chipmunk..but a fall to the street definitely incapacitates them. I've seen this behavior repeatedly and it's always alarming and sad..and gruesome.

But the sparrows are just sparrows. They don't kill other animals (though I suspect they terrorize bugs) and they make my heart happy. Funny plain little birdies. And it is obvious they obtain some sort of pleasure out of tormenting the dogs...after all, they risk their lives to do it!


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## Spoonman

the heron is back


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## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> the heron is back


 He's just fabulous, Spoonman. You captured yours at such classic poses they do, and I just love your work. Thanks for sharing with us your amazing talent. He's a fabulous Great heron! And you showed him at his best.


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## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> the heron is back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's just fabulous, Spoonman. You captured yours at such classic poses they do, and I just love your work. Thanks for sharing with us your amazing talent. He's a fabulous Great heron! And you showed him at his best.
Click to expand...


it's amazing how big that bird is when it stretches out.  to give some perspective, if you  look at the first picture, the fence is 4' tall.  where he is standing the ground is about 10" below the base of the fence.


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## freedombecki

That's a good test, Spoonman! They don't call them "*Great* blue herons" for nothing.


----------



## The Professor

To freedombecki

I was so glad this thread was about birds.  That way I didn't have to explain that I just got out of the pool.

Great pictures and videos lady.  Many thanks.

PS:  I hated to see the birdie go down in your second link but she pushed the patient putty tat too far.


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## freedombecki

The Professor said:


> To freedombecki
> 
> I was so glad this thread was about birds. That way I didn't have to explain that I just got out of the pool.
> 
> Great pictures and videos lady. Many thanks.
> 
> PS: I hated to see the birdie go down in your second link but she pushed the patient putty tat too far.


I did it to remind myself I still eat chicken and turkey now and then. And it's always so good, too. Even so, I adore all the birds for their beauty and antics. But you couldn't pay me to even taste the huge and beautiful birds that are usually on the threatened or endangered list!

Some dirtbag barbecued the Queen's swan this past week, too!


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## Spoonman

Becki, I think you'll get a kick out of this.  the heron was back.  my pond is drained low because I am doing some pre winter maintenance on it.   so he has real easy picking to the fish.  I chased it away and watched it as it flew off.   it landed in a big dead tree at the end of our street.  the first pic is standing in my back yard looking at the heron.   hard to see, but if you look at the gutter on the right of the house, above it you will see the top of a telephone pole.  the heron is at about  1:00 from there.







the second pic is taken from the same spot at about 30x   you can see it better here






the 3rd was taken at about 78x  and you can see it really good here


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> Becki, I think you'll get a kick out of this. the heron was back. my pond is drained low because I am doing some pre winter maintenance on it. so he has real easy picking to the fish. I chased it away and watched it as it flew off. it landed in a big dead tree at the end of our street. the first pic is standing in my back yard looking at the heron. hard to see, but if you look at the gutter on the right of the house, above it you will see the top of a telephone pole. the heron is at about 1:00 from there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the second pic is taken from the same spot at about 30x you can see it better here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the 3rd was taken at about 78x and you can see it really good here


 Wow, Spoonman! Picture 3 tells the story--he's the same color as the deadwood nearby. He blends right into the background for that reason alone, although, what a picture--to be able to blow it up that much and have such great resolution. Fabulous!


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Becki, I think you'll get a kick out of this. the heron was back. my pond is drained low because I am doing some pre winter maintenance on it. so he has real easy picking to the fish. I chased it away and watched it as it flew off. it landed in a big dead tree at the end of our street. the first pic is standing in my back yard looking at the heron. hard to see, but if you look at the gutter on the right of the house, above it you will see the top of a telephone pole. the heron is at about 1:00 from there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the second pic is taken from the same spot at about 30x you can see it better here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the 3rd was taken at about 78x and you can see it really good here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman! Picture 3 tells the story--he's the same color as the deadwood nearby. He blends right into the background for that reason alone, although, what a picture--to be able to blow it up that much and have such great resolution. Fabulous!
Click to expand...


I've got a few more really cool ones to post


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## Spoonman




----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Wow, Spoonman. Those pictures are so beautiful! Rep was never more deserved than by you for your recording of creatures posterity may never see due to (1) airplane elimination (2) annihilation by windmill (3) man's inhumanity to endangered species when governments fall.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Wow, Spoonman. Those pictures are so beautiful! Rep was never more deserved than by you for your recording of creatures posterity may never see due to (1) airplane elimination (2) annihilation by windmill (3) man's inhumanity to endangered species when governments fall.



this guy is now a fixture by me since he discovered the easy pickings in my pond


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Those pictures are so beautiful! Rep was never more deserved than by you for your recording of creatures posterity may never see due to (1) airplane elimination (2) annihilation by windmill (3) man's inhumanity to endangered species when governments fall.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this guy is now a fixture by me since he discovered the easy pickings in my pond
Click to expand...

 
Spoonman, you know he could pick any pond. They know when somebody loves them and will do anything to come back. Birds have esp. Of that I'm certain. They come by my window and complain when the bird feeder is low. They know I'm forgetful but have food in a safe place. Each specie takes a turn, too. They don't let you forget them, and love it when you notice them preening, and in your case, are so interested in shooting their good side you wait for the right moment to snap the camera. They totally love human attention. I don't know why, they just know.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, Spoonman. Those pictures are so beautiful! Rep was never more deserved than by you for your recording of creatures posterity may never see due to (1) airplane elimination (2) annihilation by windmill (3) man's inhumanity to endangered species when governments fall.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this guy is now a fixture by me since he discovered the easy pickings in my pond
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Spoonman, you know he could pick any pond. They know when somebody loves them and will do anything to come back. Birds have esp. Of that I'm certain. They come by my window and complain when the bird feeder is low. They know I'm forgetful but have food in a safe place. Each specie takes a turn, too. They don't let you forget them, and love it when you notice them preening, and in your case, are so interested in shooting their good side you wait for the right moment to snap the camera. They totally love human attention. I don't know why, they just know.
Click to expand...


during the summer my wife does yoga out by the pool every morning.  she is looking out across the pond and the Heron flys over and lands there pretty much every day. she says its a good luck omen for her


----------



## freedombecki

Aha! They have *two* doting admirers. Bright birds, those herons.


----------



## Bloodrock44

I have been feeding hummingbirds for about 4 years now. I hang their feeder in a Crepe Myrtle in the corner of my yard which is about 10 feet from my front step. They never pay much attention to me unless the feeder is low or out and then they all but attack me, hovering about 18 inches from my face. When I take the feeder in they come around to my kitchen window and watch me fill it. Then when I take it out they hover right over my shoulder. But for the past two days one of them has come to the feeder, drinks a little bit and then comes right up to me and hovers for a few seconds and then goes back to the feeder. He has done this 4 or 5 times now. I think the little bugger is befriending me finally!


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Bloodrock44 said:


> I have been feeding hummingbirds for about 4 years now. I hang their feeder in a Crepe Myrtle in the corner of my yard which is about 10 feet from my front step. They never pay much attention to me unless the feeder is low or out and then they all but attack me, hovering about 18 inches from my face. When I take the feeder in they come around to my kitchen window and watch me fill it. Then when I take it out they hover right over my shoulder. But for the past two days one of them has come to the feeder, drinks a little bit and then comes right up to me and hovers for a few seconds and then goes back to the feeder. He has done this 4 or 5 times now. I think the little bugger is befriending me finally!


Yes, Bloodrock, he is thanking you for providing him the kcalories he needs to move those wings so fast they're nearly invisible!  

I understand [MENTION=43879]testarosa[/MENTION] has children tending to birds of some kind, and I hope if they ever get any pictures of them, that she will share them.


----------



## testarosa

freedombecki said:


> Bloodrock44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been feeding hummingbirds for about 4 years now. I hang their feeder in a Crepe Myrtle in the corner of my yard which is about 10 feet from my front step. They never pay much attention to me unless the feeder is low or out and then they all but attack me, hovering about 18 inches from my face. When I take the feeder in they come around to my kitchen window and watch me fill it. Then when I take it out they hover right over my shoulder. But for the past two days one of them has come to the feeder, drinks a little bit and then comes right up to me and hovers for a few seconds and then goes back to the feeder. He has done this 4 or 5 times now. I think the little bugger is befriending me finally!
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, Bloodrock, he is thanking you for providing him the kcalories he needs to move those wings so fast they're nearly invisible!
> 
> I understand [MENTION=43879]testarosa[/MENTION] has children tending to birds of some kind, and I hope if they ever get any pictures of them, that she will share them.
Click to expand...


Becki!  I got the mention and the thread title threw me for a loop until I got here.  Whew!  My daughter and her friends are raising some monarch caterpillars.  I'll post up some pics later in that thread.

However..... I do have a black pecker head family living in the maple tree and I'd love to partipate in this thread!


----------



## jon_berzerk

freedombecki said:


> Yeah, I could've named this "Aesthetics of Ornithology", but would you then have opened the door to that amazing world filled with foreign-language visitors to your backyard, shoreline, National Park vacation lands, or at a friend's farm?
> 
> Welcome to Shangri-La! Birds are a blast, but thanks to Alfred Hitchcock's epic film, "Birds" our entire culture (well, not all) grew suspicious of our global companions as fearsome interlopers rather than the caroling community and vermin eliminators who gather at backyard feeders across the civilized world, looking for a meal and leaving a song in our hearts and free fertilizer for our lawns and even the beautiful meadow flowers we see out in the country lands of America.
> 
> If you have a favorite bird, or know what kind of bird is so beloved in your state, please share a picture or two of birds you may have photographed. Because I am approximately the world's worst photographer, I will try to share credited public domain photos to those who kindly list their pictures as nonprofit use for amateurs who just love birds and want to share a picture of a particular type of bird with those who have a love for birds in common.
> 
> Thanks for opening the lost-leader thread, and as time goes on, I hope you enjoy the amazing world of birds, and I'm hoping one or two of you are avid birders, members of the Audubon Society, or registered ornithologists. Hey, I'm none of the above, but I love birds and admire anyone who has a degree in ornithology and respects those elusive little warblers as well as those fearsome wilderness vamps known as snowy owls, one of whom sideswiped my car on a dark, cold road in a snowstorm in Wyoming 20 years ago. Actually, it was a full-frontal assault with him diving at me, and I saw the bright yellow of his huge eyes just before he changed course and flew upwards as I was just driving down the road on the way home between Laramie and Clark's Corner. He frightened me so completely, my heart was thumping for half an hour afterward, and I'll never forget it.
> 
> Most of my experiences watching and enjoying birds have been very good ones, and they're worth every minute I spent enjoying observing their playful antics on edging out the competition at the bird feeder. And the farm where we live now has the special treat of being a favorite spot of those fabulous and inimitable summer tanagers.
> 
> Snowy Owl Invasion - YouTube
> 
> Some links that may help acquaint you with a wild bird you've seen that you cannot quite name yet and other resources for understanding our feathered friends:
> 
> Cornell Lab of Ornithology
> 
> Macauly Library
> 
> Patuxent Bird Identification Center
> 
> What Bird - Novel Way to Identify the Bird you just heard or saw​
> Smithsonian Institution, National Bird Collection
> 
> British Trust for Ornithology
> 
> Birds of North America - Life Histories of breeding birds
> 
> Birds of Mexico Checklist
> 
> Birds of Canada Checklist
> 
> Birds of the USA
> 
> Nature Worldwide Birds



thanks becky 

we have developed a liking to the hummingbird moth 

we plan to plant flowers that draw them 

wonder if yo have any input as to the how to 

you seem like the person to go to for everything moth


----------



## freedombecki

They love honeysuckles, just off the top of my head, Jon. If it smells sweet and has a neck, they probably would be interested as would be other butterflies, hummingbirds, and any critter with a yen for a sweet nectar boost!  

I'm glad you mentioned it. I need to plant a honeysuckle, and find one for my area. We are blessed with a lot of hummingbirds, too, and have let the wild orange trumpet vines grow around the house, much to the insurance company's distress. I really need to cut them back because our home was "painted" with propelene siding before we moved here four years ago.

Anyway, I think my mother had honeysuckles in her yard once, and we had them when we lived in cold Wyoming for years. I saw both hummingbirds and hummingbird moths go for them in season. They're truly loved by flying creatures that need a quick energy charge.


----------



## jon_berzerk

freedombecki said:


> They love honeysuckles, just off the top of my head, Jon. If it smells sweet and has a neck, they probably would be interested as would be other butterflies, hummingbirds, and any critter with a yen for a sweet nectar boost!
> 
> I'm glad you mentioned it. I need to plant a honeysuckle, and find one for my area. We are blessed with a lot of hummingbirds, too, and have let the wild orange trumpet vines grow around the house, much to the insurance company's distress. I really need to cut them back because our home was "painted" with propelene siding before we moved here four years ago.
> 
> Anyway, I think my mother had honeysuckles in her yard once, and we had them when we lived in cold Wyoming for years. I saw both hummingbirds and hummingbird moths go for them in season. They're truly loved by flying creatures that need a quick energy charge.



thanks for the information 

we saw a couple of these moths and at first mistook them as hummingbirds 

weird looking hummingbirds 

now we want to welcome them to our yard


----------



## freedombecki

testarosa said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bloodrock44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been feeding hummingbirds for about 4 years now. I hang their feeder in a Crepe Myrtle in the corner of my yard which is about 10 feet from my front step. They never pay much attention to me unless the feeder is low or out and then they all but attack me, hovering about 18 inches from my face. When I take the feeder in they come around to my kitchen window and watch me fill it. Then when I take it out they hover right over my shoulder. But for the past two days one of them has come to the feeder, drinks a little bit and then comes right up to me and hovers for a few seconds and then goes back to the feeder. He has done this 4 or 5 times now. I think the little bugger is befriending me finally!
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, Bloodrock, he is thanking you for providing him the kcalories he needs to move those wings so fast they're nearly invisible!
> 
> I understand @testarosa has children tending to birds of some kind, and I hope if they ever get any pictures of them, that she will share them.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Becki! I got the mention and the thread title threw me for a loop until I got here. Whew! My daughter and her friends are raising some monarch caterpillars. I'll post up some pics later in that thread.
> 
> However..... I do have a black pecker head family living in the maple tree and I'd love to partipate in this thread!
Click to expand...

 <you must spread some reputation around before giving some to Testarosa again>

Girl! You found us! 

I'm looking forward to seeing your pics when I get back this afternoon or evening!


----------



## freedombecki

jon_berzerk said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> They love honeysuckles, just off the top of my head, Jon. If it smells sweet and has a neck, they probably would be interested as would be other butterflies, hummingbirds, and any critter with a yen for a sweet nectar boost!
> 
> I'm glad you mentioned it. I need to plant a honeysuckle, and find one for my area. We are blessed with a lot of hummingbirds, too, and have let the wild orange trumpet vines grow around the house, much to the insurance company's distress. I really need to cut them back because our home was "painted" with propelene siding before we moved here four years ago.
> 
> Anyway, I think my mother had honeysuckles in her yard once, and we had them when we lived in cold Wyoming for years. I saw both hummingbirds and hummingbird moths go for them in season. They're truly loved by flying creatures that need a quick energy charge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for the information
> 
> we saw a couple of these moths and at first mistook them as hummingbirds
> 
> weird looking hummingbirds
> 
> now we want to welcome them to our yard
Click to expand...

 I found a little bit of information on Hemaris thysbe, the latin name for your hummingbird moth. They certainly do look like hummingbirds, which may protect them from certain predators who are fooled into thinking they are sharp-beaked, no-nonsense wee birds whose bite is much worse than their buzz. I'm putting the entire paragraph of the article on their preferences. Some plants attract certain species of Lepidoptera, and others are the only places where they will lay their eggs. So if you're fastidious about removing the dead greenery in winter, you will also be removing their young. Here's the summary of one observer from ehow dot com:



> Day Feeders
> 
> Hummingbird moths (Hemaris thysbe) appear in the daytime. The host plants for this moth include honeysuckle, viburnum shrubs
> 
> , black cherry and hawthorn and other members of the rose family of plants. Adult moths feed from nectar-producing flowers of plants ranging from honeysuckle to clover, thistle and berry bushes. Moths of the Hemaris genus may be called clearwing sphinx moths or hummingbird moths. In addition to being mistaken for hummingbirds, the snowberry clearwing and hummingbird clearwing have coloring and habits that mimic bumblebees. Snowberry plants and honeysuckle are known hosts of both of these moths.
> 
> Read more: What Plant Is a Host for a Hummingbird Moth? | eHow]
> 
> 
> I also found some beautiful examples that show exactly why hummingbird moths could fool anyone due to looking like the hummingbird their apparition mimics:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> credits: Hummingbird Clearwing
> 
> 
> 
> And another:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> credits: Lottie's Homestead


----------



## jon_berzerk

Flying eagle point of view

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=G3QrhdfLCO8#t=19]Flying eagle point of view - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## jon_berzerk

freedombecki said:


> jon_berzerk said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> They love honeysuckles, just off the top of my head, Jon. If it smells sweet and has a neck, they probably would be interested as would be other butterflies, hummingbirds, and any critter with a yen for a sweet nectar boost!
> 
> I'm glad you mentioned it. I need to plant a honeysuckle, and find one for my area. We are blessed with a lot of hummingbirds, too, and have let the wild orange trumpet vines grow around the house, much to the insurance company's distress. I really need to cut them back because our home was "painted" with propelene siding before we moved here four years ago.
> 
> Anyway, I think my mother had honeysuckles in her yard once, and we had them when we lived in cold Wyoming for years. I saw both hummingbirds and hummingbird moths go for them in season. They're truly loved by flying creatures that need a quick energy charge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for the information
> 
> we saw a couple of these moths and at first mistook them as hummingbirds
> 
> weird looking hummingbirds
> 
> now we want to welcome them to our yard
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I found a little bit of information on Hemaris thysbe, the latin name for your hummingbird moth. They certainly do look like hummingbirds, which may protect them from certain predators who are fooled into thinking they are sharp-beaked, no-nonsense wee birds whose bite is much worse than their buzz. I'm putting the entire paragraph of the article on their preferences. Some plants attract certain species of Lepidoptera, and others are the only places where they will lay their eggs. So if you're fastidious about removing the dead greenery in winter, you will also be removing their young. Here's the summary of one observer from ehow dot com:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Day Feeders
> 
> Hummingbird moths (Hemaris thysbe) appear in the daytime. The host plants for this moth include honeysuckle, viburnum shrubs
> 
> , black cherry and hawthorn and other members of the rose family of plants. Adult moths feed from nectar-producing flowers of plants ranging from honeysuckle to clover, thistle and berry bushes. Moths of the Hemaris genus may be called clearwing sphinx moths or hummingbird moths. In addition to being mistaken for hummingbirds, the snowberry clearwing and hummingbird clearwing have coloring and habits that mimic bumblebees. Snowberry plants and honeysuckle are known hosts of both of these moths.
> 
> Read more: What Plant Is a Host for a Hummingbird Moth? | eHow]
> 
> 
> I also found some beautiful examples that show exactly why hummingbird moths could fool anyone due to looking like the hummingbird their apparition mimics:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> credits: Hummingbird Clearwing
> 
> 
> 
> And another:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> credits: Lottie's Homestead
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> they are pretty amazing
> 
> very few critters have mastered the art of hoovering
Click to expand...


----------



## testarosa

freedombecki said:


> testarosa said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, Bloodrock, he is thanking you for providing him the kcalories he needs to move those wings so fast they're nearly invisible!
> 
> I understand @testarosa has children tending to birds of some kind, and I hope if they ever get any pictures of them, that she will share them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Becki! I got the mention and the thread title threw me for a loop until I got here. Whew! My daughter and her friends are raising some monarch caterpillars. I'll post up some pics later in that thread.
> 
> However..... I do have a black pecker head family living in the maple tree and I'd love to partipate in this thread!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> <you must spread some reputation around before giving some to Testarosa again>
> 
> Girl! You found us!
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing your pics when I get back this afternoon or evening!
Click to expand...


They're sitting in my inbox but if I boot the computer over the weekend I get sucked into working  

I'm getting there!


----------



## testarosa

jon_berzerk said:


> Flying eagle point of view
> 
> Flying eagle point of view - YouTube



This is awesome.


----------



## testarosa

Ok, now I'm in the pecker thread instead of the butterfly kisses thread, but here's what we have so far for monarchs:

Caterpillar eggs on the milkweed:






And new baby caterpillars!


----------



## freedombecki

[ame=http://youtu.be/SppSK4fxPFA]Ruby Red Throated Hummingbirds - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

[ame="http://youtu.be/8bG3i-JsZS0"]Hummingbird Moth (Clearwing) Up Close! - YouTube[/ame]

The author claims these creatures only live in warm climates, but we had a couple on our honeysuckle vines when they bloomed in Casper, Wyoming, for 25 years. Maybe it was the other kind. I'm not certain. But they looked like hummingbirds, except they were definitely not birds if you watched them long enough. We had hummingbirds for a couple of years, but then, I went into a business that took me away from my home for 60 and 80 hour weeks for over 20 years. *sigh*

I'm enjoying retirement and getting to see lots of birds at home.

This morning, I'm not sure what kind of bird I saw, but it was dark brown and waddled around like some kind of beautiful wild hen, looking for a place to nest. I just watched her from my bay window. She really didn't want attention.


----------



## freedombecki

testarosa said:


> Ok, now I'm in the pecker thread instead of the butterfly kisses thread, but here's what we have so far for monarchs:
> 
> Caterpillar eggs on the milkweed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And new baby caterpillars!


 
Thanks for sharing your pictures of your childrens' science project, testarosa. They're standup kids for helping nurture monarch butterflies along! Please give them a hug for me.


----------



## freedombecki

September is Sandhill Crane migration time! And heeeeeeerrrreeeee they go! 

[ame=http://youtu.be/REYHy8xovZk]Homer's Sandhill Crane Migration--September 2009 - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## testarosa

freedombecki said:


> September is Sandhill Crane migration time! And heeeeeeerrrreeeee they go!
> 
> Homer's Sandhill Crane Migration--September 2009 - YouTube



LOLOLOL

We have these guys.  They're a hoot.  

The mating ritual fight is a little scary though.   Stand back!


----------



## freedombecki

And more (Love the music and aesthetic photography of the beauty of the cranes on this one):

[ame=http://youtu.be/dvC6xsacncA]Nebraska's Great Sandhill Crane Migration - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## testarosa

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHsa3QQBkXI]Sandhill Crane Mating Dance,Clearwater, Fl. by Boo - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## testarosa

freedombecki said:


> And more (Love the music and aesthetic photography of the beauty of the cranes on this one):
> 
> Nebraska's Great Sandhill Crane Migration - YouTube



^^

That was awesome!  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## freedombecki

testarosa said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> September is Sandhill Crane migration time! And heeeeeeerrrreeeee they go!
> 
> Homer's Sandhill Crane Migration--September 2009 - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LOLOLOL
> 
> We have these guys. They're a hoot.
> 
> The mating ritual fight is a little scary though. Stand back!
Click to expand...

 
You have Sandhill Cranes? Wow! I've seen very few of them, but they're like no other birds. That red area around the head is a quick identifier, and I love seeing videos of them. The only other times I've seen a lot of them was driving through Nebraska, from a distance. It's not the same, I'm sure of having the joy of getting to look outside and see one or a group foraging, flying around, or playing.


----------



## Spoonman

so i covered my pond for the fall.  i need to keep all the leaves from falling in it.  since it is a man made pond and the water source only recycles with a pump and is not feed by new fresh water from a stream, when it ices over, leaves will decay creating a gas that will kill the fish.  so now everyday the heron shows up looking at it trying to figure out how to get in


----------



## freedombecki

I hope you used a metal plate, Spoonman. Those little twits have the worlds' second sharpest beaks, bested only by their condescending relatives, the Great White egrets who've been known to melt human hearts in less than a heartbeat, so watch out!!!


----------



## freedombecki

testarosa said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> And more (Love the music and aesthetic photography of the beauty of the cranes on this one):
> 
> Nebraska's Great Sandhill Crane Migration - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^^
> 
> That was awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...

 Thanks, testarosa. But my kind of awesome is all vicarious. You have the true path to their charming attractiveness and antics if they are around and frequent visitors!


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> I hope you used a metal plate, Spoonman. Those little twits have the worlds' second sharpest beaks, bested only by their condescending relatives, the Great White egrets who've been known to melt human hearts in less than a heartbeat, so watch out!!!



just bird netting over a pvc frame.


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## testarosa

freedombecki said:


> testarosa said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> And more (Love the music and aesthetic photography of the beauty of the cranes on this one):
> 
> Nebraska's Great Sandhill Crane Migration - YouTube
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^^
> 
> That was awesome! Thanks for sharing.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks, testarosa. But my kind of awesome is all vicarious. You have the true path to their charming attractiveness and antics if they are around and frequent visitors!
Click to expand...


We have them everywhere.  This is what you hear when they're on their way.

Incoming!!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOctNGaJy_4]Sandhill Crane Call - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## testarosa

2 of the caterpillars are in their chrysalises.   I'll try to post up some pics later today.

Monarch chrysalises are green with a gold band.  Very distinct.

The girls are counting down until they come out!


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## Spoonman

not my picture but i think it is really cool


----------



## freedombecki

Wow, Spoonman. Your tree find looks as though it has history.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Wow, Spoonman. Your tree find looks as though it has history.



he fits in there perfectly.  if he grows anymore, he'll never get out.   lol


----------



## freedombecki

Oh, my goodness! I thought that was a gnarled knothole. I thought it looked like it had a sculpture of some kind of animal in it. Oh, my goodness there is barring in the front. Is he an owl?


----------



## flacaltenn

freedombecki said:


> Oh, my goodness! I thought that was a gnarled knothole. I thought it looked like it had a sculpture of some kind of animal in it. Oh, my goodness there is barring in the front. Is he an owl?



Yes becki. Youve seen your first knot owl......


----------



## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, my goodness! I thought that was a gnarled knothole. I thought it looked like it had a sculpture of some kind of animal in it. Oh, my goodness there is barring in the front. Is he an owl?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes becki. Youve seen your first knot owl......
Click to expand...



Spoonman sees things I don't see. 

And FCT is a knaughty wit. 

Edit: Oh, did I misspell "knotty?"


----------



## freedombecki

After posting 2 egret videos in USMB - Hobbies - Arts & Crafts Homemade Quilts Have a Way thread, I promised this video in Wild Pecker's Comparison ornithology thread to edify differences between egret/heron species. Enjoy!  :

[ame=http://youtu.be/bn6YN5Mb7mU]BTO Bird ID - Little Egret and Great White Egret - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

Egrets are so elegant, even when juxtaposed such that flying backward is their best option:

[ame=http://youtu.be/kcUyCUshvv4]Giant Egrets Flying Backwards - YouTube[/ame]

How wonderful are great egrets. *sigh*


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## freedombecki

Wow, Spoonman. I've never seen Mallard Ducks from the top before. Fabulous! Thanks.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Wow, Spoonman. I've never seen Mallard Ducks from the top before. Fabulous! Thanks.



i was standing on a bridge sunday taking a picture of the waterfall and they floated by.  thoses are actually 2 different pairs


----------



## freedombecki

I swear, Spoonman. You have animal magnetism.


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> I swear, Spoonman. You have animal magnetism.



its all about being in the right place at the right time.  and having a camera   lol


----------



## freedombecki

Oh yeah?

Who doesn't take down his Christmas wreath for 9 months so little wrens or 
sparrows can keep their nest? 

Seriously, though, Spoonman, thank you for gracing USMB with some of the most unique bird pictures online and being in the right place at the right time with a passion for the friends that birds are to the beauty and majesty of this planet.


----------



## koshergrl

I'm completely bummed...the kids have misplaced my camera. I'm afraid it may not be *misplaced* but lost for real and for true...

We had probably 50 crows out back for a while yesterday...It was storming on the beach, I reckon they were just ousted from their usual haunts by the storm, and lit on our lot, which is pretty big, with a good expanse of grass-covered ground flanked by trees for cover......they were pulling worms out of the ground like crazy. 

And no camera!


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> I'm completely bummed...the kids have misplaced my camera. I'm afraid it may not be *misplaced* but lost for real and for true...
> 
> We had probably 50 crows out back for a while yesterday...It was storming on the beach, I reckon they were just ousted from their usual haunts by the storm, and lit on our lot, which is pretty big, with a good expanse of grass-covered ground flanked by trees for cover......they were pulling worms out of the ground like crazy.
> 
> And no camera!


Koshergrl, e me.

Wow I really did it last night. It still says I'm out for 24. I can't believe I used up all my reps last night on one thread.  On second thought, yes, I can. 

My bird "find" for the day, found at Pamela Kellog's blogspot - Crazy Quilting and Embroidery Blog by Pamela Kellogg of Kitty and Me Designs: The Peacock Quilt

Here's how her bird "grew" into something very lovely:
( you can make them a little bigger here, but to really appreciate the stitches she used, go to her blogspot! The transformation is almost miraculous from the crazy quilt stage to the work of art that resulted after stitches were applied.


----------



## freedombecki

Sometimes people don't know the names of everyday visitors to their yards. We see a bird with blue, but don't know its name. I just want to post a few I know about. If you're familiar with a blue feathered friend, please post it below.

First, the blue bunting (notice the beak is a large size), plus to make childrearing less obvious to predators, the female isn't blue at all. She's a color that blends into the landscape!









But her beak is like his, and somehow she is the apple of his sharp eye. Photo credits here: http://ebirdr.com/bird/blue-bunting


----------



## freedombecki

If you are ever lucky enough to see a Mountain bluebird, he will make sure you never forget it. He is one of the most dazzling of all the birds, yet he is smaller than your hand. He is so certain of his exquisite appearance, he will grace the fencepost he is sitting on right in front of you while you oogle for several minutes before flying away, until your heart is absolutely swollen right outta your chest. Well, speaking for myself, you know how subjective awe is. 










His lady friend might be considered not quite so spectacular, except, of course, unless you're a male bluebird who thinks she's Audrey Hepburn, of course.


----------



## freedombecki

The Florida scrub jay is not a bird I've ever seen, but the National Audubon Society shows this as another blue bird of beauty, probably twice the size of the mountain bluebird.


----------



## freedombecki

We had Steller's Jays in Wyoming, and I've seen at least one here in the Piney Woods. Wyoming wasn't in their territory according to the Patuxent Bird Center map back in the 1990s, when they were daily visitors to our bird feeder for several years in a row. I loved those feisty characters. For some reason, they might appear the same day as the regular blue jays, but I don't recollect seeing them there at the same time. I used to live on the front porch, just to watch whoever showed up. The blue jays were so outstanding, I didn't even mind their commandeering tone against all other birds in the near vicinity until they'd had their fill of seed and moved on.  They were 3-times-a-day at least visitors in the summers.






Our Wyoming tribe seemed to have a lot more blue on them, but then again, there aren't that many cloudy days in Wyoming and blue is just more brilliant when you see it on a bird's back.


----------



## freedombecki

Oh, my, all those beautiful patterned feathers on the blue jay. Photo credits: Wikimedia.


----------



## freedombecki

The Eastern bluebird is the one most Americans get to see on the east coast, and even here in the Piney woods of the Lone Star State. I noticed them the first year. They liked the special bluebird feed I put out.





Credits: Wikipedia
Oh, yes, and the girl bird: beauty in his eye.


----------



## freedombecki

Last year, (2012), a tribe of very small bluebirds with deep berry-red chests came by the dozens into my back yard. It must've been the holly berries on the tree that now blocks 1/4 of my lake view.  Anyway, I looked all over the place and talked to some friends who agreed I saw Western blue birds. I still can't find anything online that equals the deep blue feathers and the deep red berry chests of the tribe that visited my yard. I thought "Well, they're pygmies, and their color is concentrated," but when I looked them up, all of them have a small size. I must have a really potent Holly tree out there, and I shan't cut it down ever after being enchanted if not totally dazzled out of my wits and entertained too for all of 2 weeks last year. I just couldn't get over their precious beauty and those deep colors that were more like eye candy than anything else, and so small and sweet, too. They hopped around and had a ball the whole time they were in my yard. You'd think they thought they were in heaven. Just loved them!

Here's what the dictionary of web says (pictorially) about Western bluebirds, but ours were so deeply colored in royal blue and royal red, it must have been the prettiest flock that ever flew the friendly skies of the Piney Woods countryside.






Credits: ebirdr.com


----------



## freedombecki

The Painted Bunting is truly a pretty bird, also blue and red, but so many other colors and a huge beak like the blue bunting (above) ~ I see them just about every summer. Unlike the bluebirds, though, ours are so shy they're outta here when they notice you noticing them. 






Credits: Wild Birding at About.com


----------



## freedombecki

Phainopepla seen in Canada:






Credits: Phainopepla in Brampton


----------



## freedombecki

Blue grosbeaks have visited, too:





Credits: the state of Oklahoma, at Birds of Oklahoma dot com.


----------



## freedombecki

There's another blue bunting photo at the USGS Patuxent Bird ID Center and this one seems to show the blue color best, by Peter WEber:





_Cyanocompsa parellina_


Credits: Blue Bunting


----------



## freedombecki

The Lazuli Bunting:

.


----------



## freedombecki

Indigo Bunting:






Again, thanks USGS Patuxent Bird ID Center and Jim Stasz: Indigo Bunting

Yep, He's a kumbaya from time to time:


----------



## freedombecki

Down under, there's the fairy bird:






Credits: Feather Emporium


----------



## freedombecki

And in South America, you have the Blue-backed Manakin:


----------



## freedombecki

And thanks to Wikimedia for the blue peacock:


----------



## freedombecki

And thanks to Northrup for the pretty blue peacock:


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>



 My favorite pair, Spoonman.


----------



## freedombecki

Today's Bing! pictures a curious bird checking out a spotted woodpecker. I realized I hadn't noticed that bird before, and when I followed the Bing! link, it's true, I've always gone to American bird threads to view American birds. The bird pictured is the 
Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the one pictured on the tree trunk at this morning's Bing! is from the UK.

I found this image, too:






The Great Spotted Woodpecker credits: Great spotted woodpecker - Paulmitch's Gallery - Gallery - Lumix G Experience


----------



## koshergrl

I thought I saw an albatross a while back...as it turns out it was just an immense gull, lol..I don't remember as a kid having so many different types of seagulls here, and I know very well we didn't have pelicans at ALL.


----------



## koshergrl

freedombecki said:


> Today's Bing! pictures a curious bird checking out a spotted woodpecker. I realized I hadn't noticed that bird before, and when I followed the Bing! link, it's true, I've always gone to American bird threads to view American birds. The bird pictured is the
> Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the one pictured on the tree trunk at this morning's Bing! is from the UK.
> 
> I found this image, too:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Great Spotted Woodpecker credits: Great spotted woodpecker - Paulmitch's Gallery - Gallery - Lumix G Experience


 
I love woodpeckers!

I also love kingfishers, and I see them occasionally here:


----------



## Pogo

I've got this rare bird in my necka the wood...







Red cockaded woodpecker​
Also the more common Downys, Hairys and lots of Pileateds.


Say -- what happened to the original thread title?


----------



## koshergrl

Here's the flicker...we love these guys too:






ODF Oregon Wildlife Species - Kingfishers and Woodpeckers


----------



## flacaltenn

freedombecki said:


> Indigo Bunting:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, thanks USGS Patuxent Bird ID Center and Jim Stasz: Indigo Bunting
> 
> Yep, He's a kumbaya from time to time:



I'm kinda wondering if some of the "bluebirds" we think we see in Tenn.. Might not be some of these.. I don't think you could tell when they're in flight. Or even if you got a glimpse.. I should look up the vocalizations and try to remember the diff..


----------



## Pogo

flacaltenn said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Indigo Bunting:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, thanks USGS Patuxent Bird ID Center and Jim Stasz: Indigo Bunting
> 
> Yep, He's a kumbaya from time to time:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm kinda wondering if some of the "bluebirds" we think we see in Tenn.. Might not be some of these.. I don't think you could tell when they're in flight. Or even if you got a glimpse.. I should look up the vocalizations and try to remember the diff..
Click to expand...


If you're anywhere near my necka the woods (I'm not far from TN) likely so, 'cause I see 'em here in WNC.

Indigo Bunting Sounds
vs
Eastern Bluebird


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> Today's Bing! pictures a curious bird checking out a spotted woodpecker. I realized I hadn't noticed that bird before, and when I followed the Bing! link, it's true, I've always gone to American bird threads to view American birds. The bird pictured is the
> Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the one pictured on the tree trunk at this morning's Bing! is from the UK.
> 
> I found this image, too:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Great Spotted Woodpecker credits: Great spotted woodpecker - Paulmitch's Gallery - Gallery - Lumix G Experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love woodpeckers!
> 
> I also love kingfishers, and I see them occasionally here:
Click to expand...

Wow, he's a dandy one. I have heard other birders elsewhere literally gush over kingfishers, and I can't put my finger on anytime I ever saw one, although others see them. 

 I'll have to pay more attention and walk more outside by our little lake. Unfortunately, I let cover grow up all around the lake so birds can hide, and they do so very successfully! Of course our surprise visit one summer of a flock of black guillemots who decided to stick around is something I'll never forget. They were totally entertaining, and were movers and shakers. While I was worried snakes were swimming underwater and scaring the turtles and fish, all along, it was the black guillemots. One day I just watched the water roil where I though snakes were, and a minute later, up pops a Black guillemot. And another. And another, and another!!! Little twits had me really nervous for a couple of weeks! They were just feasting on the lovely aquatic life, that's all.


----------



## Ernie S.

I just went out on the deck and one of these flew out of a tree near the chicken coop.


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> I just went out on the deck and one of these flew out of a tree near the chicken coop.



He's beautiful, but I hope the coop has a hawk-proof chickenwire topper. My goodness, the barring is pretty. I saw a hawk that color a couple of weeks ago, but wasn't in identify mode then. Now, I wish I had been. Is it an owl? His feet look like some pictures of owls I've seen in books ...


----------



## Ernie S.

freedombecki said:


> Ernie S. said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just went out on the deck and one of these flew out of a tree near the chicken coop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's beautiful, but I hope the coop has a hawk-proof chickenwire topper. My goodness, the barring is pretty. I saw a hawk that color a couple of weeks ago, but wasn't in identify mode then. Now, I wish I had been. Is it an owl? His feet look like some pictures of owls I've seen in books ...
Click to expand...


That's a Great Horned Owl, Becki. He's HUGE wing span average of 49"
I would say the one I saw wasn't quite full grown. Best guess would be 3 1/2 foot span. He did have this same adult plumage. I believe I have seen his mom and dad a few times. They grab squirrels and rabbits at dusk and probably mice and possums and the occasional cat. From what I read, they don't normally go after chickens, but will if hungry.
If this guy is young as I suspect, he's probably not a great hunter yet.


----------



## Luddly Neddite

Ernie S. said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ernie S. said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just went out on the deck and one of these flew out of a tree near the chicken coop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's beautiful, but I hope the coop has a hawk-proof chickenwire topper. My goodness, the barring is pretty. I saw a hawk that color a couple of weeks ago, but wasn't in identify mode then. Now, I wish I had been. Is it an owl? His feet look like some pictures of owls I've seen in books ...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That's a Great Horned Owl, Becki. He's HUGE wing span average of 49"
> I would say the one I saw wasn't quite full grown. Best guess would be 3 1/2 foot span. He did have this same adult plumage. I believe I have seen his mom and dad a few times. They grab squirrels and rabbits at dusk and probably mice and possums and the occasional cat. From what I read, they don't normally go after chickens, but will if hungry.
> If this guy is young as I suspect, he's probably not a great hunter yet.
Click to expand...


GHOs are called the tigers of the sky because they will take on anything and win. Except for vultures, birds have no sense of smell (yes, you can return babies to their, or others' nests -  the parents will just go back to stuffing food in that gaping mouth). The GHO will even go after small skunks. I rehabbed one that was soaked in skunk spray. He didn't care but I sure did. 

As large as they are, they don't really take cats. Birds bones are hollow. That helps them get and stay airborne but it also makes them very lightweight. While they may take a small kitten, they won't try to take an animal they can't take off with and a cat is way too heavy. 

If the bird you saw looked like this but seemed smaller, it could have been any of several other owl species. If you have the opportunity to see two raptors together, the female is much larger, heavier and way more aggressive than the male. Other than size differential, there is not usually sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. One exception to that is the American kestrel, our smallest falcon. 

A difference between small and large raptors that always fascinated me is that the big birds, like your GHO, will not usually bite. Instead, they attack with their talons. The little guys, like screech owls and kestrals can put you on the floor in agony with their bite. The same is true of all raptors' talons. I always wore gloves but still have scars up both arms and one long scar across my cheek from a Harris' hawk who didn't want to do what I wanted him to do. 

Working with wild animals taught me some things, among which is that just when you think you know about a species, they will do just the opposite. I was holding a large female red tail hawk, looked down and stupidly said, 'you're not gonna bite me, are you', whereupon she reach up and took a perfect V out of my lower lip. 

For those who might be interested in working with wildlife (or if you find a hurt/sick animal), look for a wildlife rehabilitater in your area and go volunteer. 

FIND A REHABILITATOR

Finding a Rehabilitator | National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA)


----------



## Pogo

I've got Great Horned and Barred Owls here in abundance every night and the occasional Screech outside by bedroom window in the early morning hours.  It can be hard to tell how far away they are because we're in such a valley that sounds have a long long reverberation.  But one night I was up way too late watching YouTube, a group of British kids doing their version of a comedy routine and falling out in laughter... then suddenly right outside the window (it was summer) there was a Barred Owl perched and calling in.  Apparently the sound of the children giggling attracted it.


----------



## koshergrl

Kingfishers are funny little birds Becki; I've never seen them around lakes, only around running water though that doesn't mean they don't live around lakes. They tend to move up and down the stream...they perch along the banks, not too high up usually. They fly fast, the more common ones are quite small and often kind of ratty looking, lol. But they are very fun to watch.

Luddly's dead on about the raptors not being big on biting...I've rescused a few. One was a long eared owl that had been hit along the road near my house. They literally throw themselves back and hold their feet up..and if they get ahold of you you probably won't get them off without killing them.

So I threw a coat over him, he grabbed the coat, and I bundled him up and threw him in my trunk and took him to the bird rehabilitator lady. He had a bad break, but she was very happy because it was a brand new break, and it healed well enough for him to be re-released, which she said really wasn't that common, so it was a good rescue for her.

Here's a wiki photo of a long-eared..this guy is kind of squinting. Aside from the feet the things I remember most about my owl were his huge lamp eyes and hissing!


----------



## freedombecki

Luddly Neddite said:


> Ernie S. said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> He's beautiful, but I hope the coop has a hawk-proof chickenwire topper. My goodness, the barring is pretty. I saw a hawk that color a couple of weeks ago, but wasn't in identify mode then. Now, I wish I had been. Is it an owl? His feet look like some pictures of owls I've seen in books ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's a Great Horned Owl, Becki. He's HUGE wing span average of 49"
> I would say the one I saw wasn't quite full grown. Best guess would be 3 1/2 foot span. He did have this same adult plumage. I believe I have seen his mom and dad a few times. They grab squirrels and rabbits at dusk and probably mice and possums and the occasional cat. From what I read, they don't normally go after chickens, but will if hungry.
> If this guy is young as I suspect, he's probably not a great hunter yet.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> GHOs are called the tigers of the sky because they will take on anything and win. Except for vultures, birds have no sense of smell (yes, you can return babies to their, or others' nests - the parents will just go back to stuffing food in that gaping mouth). The GHO will even go after small skunks. I rehabbed one that was soaked in skunk spray. He didn't care but I sure did.
> 
> As large as they are, they don't really take cats. Birds bones are hollow. That helps them get and stay airborne but it also makes them very lightweight. While they may take a small kitten, they won't try to take an animal they can't take off with and a cat is way too heavy.
> 
> If the bird you saw looked like this but seemed smaller, it could have been any of several other owl species. If you have the opportunity to see two raptors together, the female is much larger, heavier and way more aggressive than the male. Other than size differential, there is not usually sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. One exception to that is the American kestrel, our smallest falcon.
> 
> A difference between small and large raptors that always fascinated me is that the big birds, like your GHO, will not usually bite. Instead, they attack with their talons. The little guys, like screech owls and kestrals can put you on the floor in agony with their bite. The same is true of all raptors' talons. I always wore gloves but still have scars up both arms and one long scar across my cheek from a Harris' hawk who didn't want to do what I wanted him to do.
> 
> Working with wild animals taught me some things, among which is that just when you think you know about a species, they will do just the opposite. I was holding a large female red tail hawk, looked down and stupidly said, 'you're not gonna bite me, are you', whereupon she reach up and took a perfect V out of my lower lip.
> 
> For those who might be interested in working with wildlife (or if you find a hurt/sick animal), look for a wildlife rehabilitater in your area and go volunteer.
> 
> FIND A REHABILITATOR
> 
> Finding a Rehabilitator | National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA)
Click to expand...

The only time I remember owls hooting around here is early in the morning as the sun is thinking about coming up. There is a wild dog/coyote group that roams the fields at night, and that may be why the birds aren't too noisy at night for fear of being a midnight snack if they make sounds, plus they can always fly away to someplace that's quieter. Last week they spent 3 nights in the area, and sometimes we don't hear the rendezvous-style howling for weeks on end.

 Thanks for the discussion on the lightweightness of birds. I'd really not thought much about it, but I bet [MENTION=16165]alan1[/MENTION] would know, because he is interested in native animal skulls and their identification. OTOH, there are over a thousand different species of birds, and learning to identify each by its skeletal remains would be quite a feat by any skeletal ornithology enthusiast.


----------



## freedombecki

koshergrl said:


> Kingfishers are funny little birds Becki; I've never seen them around lakes, only around running water though that doesn't mean they don't live around lakes. They tend to move up and down the stream...they perch along the banks, not too high up usually. They fly fast, the more common ones are quite small and often kind of ratty looking, lol. But they are very fun to watch.
> 
> Luddly's dead on about the raptors not being big on biting...I've rescused a few. One was a long eared owl that had been hit along the road near my house. They literally throw themselves back and hold their feet up..and if they get ahold of you you probably won't get them off without killing them.
> 
> So I threw a coat over him, he grabbed the coat, and I bundled him up and threw him in my trunk and took him to the bird rehabilitator lady. He had a bad break, but she was very happy because it was a brand new break, and it healed well enough for him to be re-released, which she said really wasn't that common, so it was a good rescue for her.
> 
> Here's a wiki photo of a long-eared..this guy is kind of squinting. Aside from the feet the things I remember most about my owl were his huge lamp eyes and hissing!



Whoa, koshergrl. You sound like the bird fan with a plan if one is injured, and I'm glad the bird you rescued got a new lease on life after healing! Kudos! Love the picture.


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ernie S. said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just went out on the deck and one of these flew out of a tree near the chicken coop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's beautiful, but I hope the coop has a hawk-proof chickenwire topper. My goodness, the barring is pretty. I saw a hawk that color a couple of weeks ago, but wasn't in identify mode then. Now, I wish I had been. Is it an owl? His feet look like some pictures of owls I've seen in books ...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That's a Great Horned Owl, Becki. He's HUGE wing span average of 49"
> I would say the one I saw wasn't quite full grown. Best guess would be 3 1/2 foot span. He did have this same adult plumage. I believe I have seen his mom and dad a few times. They grab squirrels and rabbits at dusk and probably mice and possums and the occasional cat. From what I read, they don't normally go after chickens, but will if hungry.
> If this guy is young as I suspect, he's probably not a great hunter yet.
Click to expand...

Oh, those majestic wings! The one that came to our back fence, which is about 20 feet from the edge of our lake, he looked as if he were interested in something between the fencepost and the edge of the lake, which is concealed by a small ridge 3 or 4 feet this side of the water's shoreline. We have about 400 turtles of all sizes sunning themselves at intervals on any given day, but if you come as close as the back fence, you can hear them go "plop!" "plop!" "plop! plop!" "plop!" "plopplopplop!" I guess the large raptors and owls have an element of surprise if it's turtle soup they're after. I have found empty turtle shells as large as 9" by 7" by 8" tall, dark dull green on the outside and greyish white on the inside laying around, but not all that often, so I know something gets them, although birds are most abundant in and around the lake, I'm sure our country area has other predators, but they're a little wiley and I seldom see anything except an occasional moccasin slithering through the grass lately. It's a happy thing to see them on top of my Kubota, but not too happy walking around in my loafers doing pickup chores in the fields and spotting a family of copperheads headed for the creek on the other side of the south fence.


----------



## asaratis

This amazing site trains two cameras on one eagle's nest in north Georgia, USA.  One camera is five or so feet above the nest, pointed directly at it and can be seen in the view of the second camera, called the Approach Cam.

This system is usually working 24/7 and has night lighting to make it possible to discern what's happening there no matter the time of day.

I've seen the eagles adding sticks to the nest, seemingly bickering about exactly where a particular stick should be (the larger [female] wins each time).  I've seen them eating squirrels and fish.  What I'm waiting for is eggs, the hatching, the daily feeding and growth of eaglets.

Enjoy!


Berry College - Experience it Firsthand


----------



## Spoonman

I have a bunch of doves here this year. quite a few in fact.


----------



## Ernie S.

Today, I walked up to the back of my property early this afternoon and heard what I thought at first, was the screech of an eagle. I look up and there are a pair of red tail hawks circling maybe 50 feet above me. I watched then on their hut for maybe 10 minutes. They expanded their radius, but each circuit, they flew right over my head.

They eventually wandered off and I returned to the house. Our Wednesday poker game was at 4 this afternoon. It's usually at 6, but today being a holiday...

I hopped in the pick-up about 3:15 and started down the road and caught a movement to my left. I looked up, and there he was! A mature bald eagle! He got within 100 feet of me. I feel kind of special that he shared a moment from his day with me!


Our Wednesday poker game


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> I have a bunch of doves here this year. quite a few in fact.



Wow, just wow, Spoonman! Wow! 

 I really am enchanted by picture #4 showing a snow bird on the metal fitting with two doves on it. Everything else is lovely, too, but that one is amazing.


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> Today, I walked up to the back of my property early this afternoon and heard what I thought at first, was the screech of an eagle. I look up and there are a pair of red tail hawks circling maybe 50 feet above me. I watched then on their hut for maybe 10 minutes. They expanded their radius, but each circuit, they flew right over my head.
> 
> They eventually wandered off and I returned to the house. Our Wednesday poker game was at 4 this afternoon. It's usually at 6, but today being a holiday...
> 
> I hopped in the pick-up about 3:15 and started down the road and caught a movement to my left. I looked up, and there he was! A mature bald eagle! He got within 100 feet of me. I feel kind of special that he shared a moment from his day with me!
> 
> Our Wednesday poker game


Hopefully, sighting America's Bald Eagle national bird on New Year's Day is a good omen for 2014. 

 Thanks for sharing that, Ernie!


----------



## koshergrl

Ernie S. said:


> Today, I walked up to the back of my property early this afternoon and heard what I thought at first, was the screech of an eagle. I look up and there are a pair of red tail hawks circling maybe 50 feet above me. I watched then on their hut for maybe 10 minutes. They expanded their radius, but each circuit, they flew right over my head.
> 
> They eventually wandered off and I returned to the house. Our Wednesday poker game was at 4 this afternoon. It's usually at 6, but today being a holiday...
> 
> I hopped in the pick-up about 3:15 and started down the road and caught a movement to my left. I looked up, and there he was! A mature bald eagle! He got within 100 feet of me. I feel kind of special that he shared a moment from his day with me!
> 
> 
> Our Wednesday poker game


 
Eagles are super opportunistic hunters. I spent a day by a lake a couple of years back, and watched osprey hunting...and watched the eagles watch those osprey hunt (fish) and as soon as they caught something, chase them down and steal their catch.


----------



## flacaltenn

Pogo said:


> I've got Great Horned and Barred Owls here in abundance every night and the occasional Screech outside by bedroom window in the early morning hours.  It can be hard to tell how far away they are because we're in such a valley that sounds have a long long reverberation.  But one night I was up way too late watching YouTube, a group of British kids doing their version of a comedy routine and falling out in laughter... then suddenly right outside the window (it was summer) there was a Barred Owl perched and calling in.  Apparently the sound of the children giggling attracted it.



Called my wife out to the backyard last night because I was chatting with a Barred Owl that lives in our woods.. I hired him to clean up my mole problem.. He was perched very visibly at the very top of a tree and seemed to be annoyed that I was ruining his access to my mole highways.. I saw him leave, but it was already pretty dark.. We've got 3 diff types of owls in the neighborhood.

This season is getting REAL EXPENSIVE.. I'm going thru seed faster than we're going thru milk and bread. My feeding area has more take-offs and landings than Atlanta Hartsfield.

Some of the "regulars" start to flutter against the windows when they need service.. I feel like a barmaid at Coyote Ugly on N. Years eve.. The Cardinal pairs that own the backyard are real demanding because they don't fit on the feeders. And I have to make sure there's a pile for them on the BBQ. And the woodpeckers come and spray seed around for the ground birds like Towhees and Doves (the busboys of the group, cleaning up the party with the chipmunks).. 

Purple finches just showed up --- so SOMEBODY might now eat the millet except the chipmunks. Think we hear goldfinches, but haven't seen any yet.. Mostly Junkos and Titmouse, Jays...


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## flacaltenn

Spoonman said:


>



Havent ever seen one that is solely black and white... what specie is that?


----------



## Ernie S.

Downy wood pecker, (female) I believe.


----------



## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've got Great Horned and Barred Owls here in abundance every night and the occasional Screech outside by bedroom window in the early morning hours. It can be hard to tell how far away they are because we're in such a valley that sounds have a long long reverberation. But one night I was up way too late watching YouTube, a group of British kids doing their version of a comedy routine and falling out in laughter... then suddenly right outside the window (it was summer) there was a Barred Owl perched and calling in. Apparently the sound of the children giggling attracted it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Called my wife out to the backyard last night because I was chatting with a Barred Owl that lives in our woods.. I hired him to clean up my mole problem.. He was perched very visibly at the very top of a tree and seemed to be annoyed that I was ruining his access to my mole highways.. I saw him leave, but it was already pretty dark.. We've got 3 diff types of owls in the neighborhood.
> 
> This season is getting REAL EXPENSIVE.. I'm going thru seed faster than we're going thru milk and bread. My feeding area has more take-offs and landings than Atlanta Hartsfield.
> 
> Some of the "regulars" start to flutter against the windows when they need service.. I feel like a barmaid at Coyote Ugly on N. Years eve.. The Cardinal pairs that own the backyard are real demanding because they don't fit on the feeders. And I have to make sure there's a pile for them on the BBQ. And the woodpeckers come and spray seed around for the ground birds like Towhees and Doves (the busboys of the group, cleaning up the party with the chipmunks)..
> 
> Purple finches just showed up --- so SOMEBODY might now eat the millet except the chipmunks. Think we hear goldfinches, but haven't seen any yet.. Mostly Junkos and Titmouse, Jays...
Click to expand...


So you're getting window bumps as reminders, are you? They'll let you know when they're hungry and some other bird is getting all the good stuff somehow. I just sunk some of my retirement into fruit and nuts for the bluebirds. Unfortunately, I have so much else on my plate right now in the laundry room and sewing room I've been a little aloof. I need to move the bird feeder in front of my sewing machine window!


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>



Oh, Spoonman! She's so beautiful!!! What a sweet little angel you have visiting.


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> Downy wood pecker, (female) I believe.


Thanks for pointing out that sexual dimorphism in the little downy peeps, Ernie. A lot of times when we see this astonishingly beautiful bird with a dash of red, or fully blue, there's a little light brown bird hiding in a nest somewhere due to her naturally protective coloring that comes with having to spend so much of her life tending to the feeding of little ones, and in some areas they do 3 clutches or even more per season, so they need to be subtle or be eaten. A lot of predators have a yen for bird eggs, baby bird meat, etc., too, so a lot of the babies look very scruffy when born and don't get the coloration until time, dna, and their diets kick in to differentiate into the fabulous color (or lack of it) we see in so many of the males.


----------



## flacaltenn

Woke up early this morning to light the BBQ for my customers.  The big guys are used to feeding from there and its 4 degrees overnight here in the mid south.. Seems like they appreciated that.  Particularly the warm water I put up there..  No worries.  Nobody got roasted..  Even the front yard mockingbirds showed up.  They never socialize at the feeder.  Little Downies were eating a warm meal and kept their puffed out chests close to the warm top..

I screwed up tho..  Only have a bit more coal and wood.  And im iced in til Wednesday. Might have to sacrifice something in the garage to burn up for them.


----------



## Spoonman

a snowbird earning its name


----------



## freedombecki

flacaltenn said:


> Woke up early this morning to light the BBQ for my customers. The big guys are used to feeding from there and its 4 degrees overnight here in the mid south.. Seems like they appreciated that. Particularly the warm water I put up there.. No worries. Nobody got roasted.. Even the front yard mockingbirds showed up. They never socialize at the feeder. Little Downies were eating a warm meal and kept their puffed out chests close to the warm top..
> 
> I screwed up tho.. Only have a bit more coal and wood. And im iced in til Wednesday. Might have to sacrifice something in the garage to burn up for them.


Wow, [MENTION=30473]flacaltenn[/MENTION]. What a thoughtful thing to do for feeding time for the birds. Seems a good reason to save burnable junk mail and cardboard boxes for wintertime kindling. Wow. We have a jillion trees around here that we just had to burn after the terrible drought we had in the summer of 2011. I lost a stand of hundred year old pines that were probably a dozen or so 6-foot tall men heights or more. Then we lost three more when we had over 90 days without any rainfall. I'd never seen anything like that in Texas while I was growing up. Now, we have so much rain and cold for 2 winters, the pond is up to its record highs out back, and the birds are aplenty.

 Thanks for sharing a trick about birds' comfort I'd never have thought of in a million years.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> a snowbird earning its name


Spoonman, I just now opened this thread for the first time in a week, and thank you for some of the most charming pictures of birds at winter I've ever seen. Is the darkish bird a junco? And the red of the cardinal is an amazing contrast of bird life vs. the drab of winter, the promise of the year to come. And the red-naped woodpecker--that wouldn't have been a red-naped sapsucker would it? I had the thrill of seeing my first yellow-bellied sapsucker this past week after putting some decent birdseed in my porch feeders. Yesterday, I spent an hour on the front porch (or so) just loving the bird activities of some familiar birds and some not known. I saw jays, cardinals, and a cedar waxwing. The shy woodpeckers stayed away while I was out. I hopefully scared away a huge brown hawk or eagle that had a 4- or 5-ft wingspan who was directed toward the porch until he saw me sitting there staring him down, then he lifted and left, but had a mate light in the field (or trainee raptor) shortly after he decided to fly elsewhere.There were little crested blue-grey birds, oh, what's their name? Oh, yes, the titmouse. Probably there were 20 or 30 of them in the vicinity, and they had a different eating pattern than the other birds. Firstly, they were not afraid of the Cardinals. Secondly, they ate until they couldn't eat any more, which took two or 3 minutes of nonstop eating. Then they'd leave, and another one would take its place. I knew they were different, because some of them had smaller crests, were a different size, or had less or more dark feathers showing around the wing and tail area, but all seemed to be titmice. They were unabashed by other birds, and only left when the predatory large bird showed up. Then they were only gone a couple of minutes. There were some sparrows I have no idea their name, and one that reminded me of a thrasher except it seemed to have pinkish tinge to its feathers in flight, so I'm not sure what I was looking at, except the pattern of some birds' feathers when wings are spread is so astonishing to me, I can hardly catch my breath when they display their flying takeoff and landing feathers.

Oh, and those little tiny brown birds. They're not wrens, and I don't think they're sparrows either. I've seen them every year. They're about 2.5-3" in length only, and they are very slender. I have no idea what their name is, but they are regular visitors. They're light brown, nothing fancy except I'm very fond of tiny birds who can live in a world among much larger creatures who'd use them for snacks if they were just a bit bigger. 

So much for my musings. Today Bing had pictures of a short-eared owl, and when I binged! short eared owls, I found two male agonists at one website that I thought were most interesting:





Nature isn't kind to the loser. The winner gets prime territory. The loser could just be a younger or smaller male who is inexperienced in territorial warfare, and it's not clear to me whether the specie is one of willingness to try and try again until some kind of territory is won. I gratefully acknowledge Ron Dutton's photographic effort: http://www.featheredphotography.com...c-fighting-behavior-in-male-short-eared-owls/


----------



## Spoonman

yes that is a junko.  commonly referred to as a snowbird up here


----------



## asaratis

Berry College - Experience it Firsthand

I hope another follows soon.  It will be enlightening to watch the eaglets being fed.


----------



## flacaltenn

freedombecki said:


> flacaltenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> Woke up early this morning to light the BBQ for my customers. The big guys are used to feeding from there and its 4 degrees overnight here in the mid south.. Seems like they appreciated that. Particularly the warm water I put up there.. No worries. Nobody got roasted.. Even the front yard mockingbirds showed up. They never socialize at the feeder. Little Downies were eating a warm meal and kept their puffed out chests close to the warm top..
> 
> I screwed up tho.. Only have a bit more coal and wood. And im iced in til Wednesday. Might have to sacrifice something in the garage to burn up for them.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, [MENTION=30473]flacaltenn[/MENTION]. What a thoughtful thing to do for feeding time for the birds. Seems a good reason to save burnable junk mail and cardboard boxes for wintertime kindling. Wow. We have a jillion trees around here that we just had to burn after the terrible drought we had in the summer of 2011. I lost a stand of hundred year old pines that were probably a dozen or so 6-foot tall men heights or more. Then we lost three more when we had over 90 days without any rainfall. I'd never seen anything like that in Texas while I was growing up. Now, we have so much rain and cold for 2 winters, the pond is up to its record highs out back, and the birds are aplenty.
> 
> Thanks for sharing a trick about birds' comfort I'd never have thought of in a million years.
Click to expand...


Charcoal works best because it doesn't flare easily and less smoke.. You don't want the Surgeon General on your back about 2nd beak smoke....   And you don't really a fire -- just the heat.

They really really like access to warm water during those times. So next time I'm thinking of using one of those fancy silver chafing dishes with the sterno bases.. Wifey will have a fit even if she sees her favorite Cardinals using it.. But its an emergency !!!! And a lot cheaper than:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/API-K570-01-Kozybird-Birdbath-Pedestal/dp/B000JCVV2A]Amazon.com: API K570-01 Kozybird Spa Heated Birdbath With Pedestal: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame]

Maybe I'll design a solar charged winter spa for wild birds.. 

All the regulars are accounted for --- except for our resident dove pair. I've seen just one of them alone. That's a worry..


----------



## flacaltenn

asaratis said:


> Berry College - Experience it Firsthand
> 
> I hope another follows soon.  It will be enlightening to watch the eaglets being fed.



That is way cool.. Except for the violation of privacy rights.


----------



## freedombecki

asaratis said:


> Berry College - Experience it Firsthand
> 
> I hope another follows soon. It will be enlightening to watch the eaglets being fed.



I liked learning something about our national mascot, the Bald Eagle at your web page (above), asaratis. Thanks for sharing it. It read:



> *General Facts About Bald Eagles*
> 
> 
> 
> 2007 - The Department of Interior took the American bald eagle off the endangered species list.
> The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a member of the sea and fish eagle group.
> Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white. They reach full maturity in four to five years.
> Size - The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male.
> Wingspan ranges from 72 to 90 inches.
> Bald eagles can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph.
> Bald eagles weigh from 10 to 14 pounds.
> Diet - Mainly fish, but they will take advantage of carrion (dead and decaying flesh).
> Hunting area varies from 1,700 to 10,000 acres. Home ranges are smaller where food is present in great quantity.
> Because an eagle lives up to 30 years in the wild, it has many years in which to produce offspring.
> Bald eagles build their nests in large trees near rivers or coasts. A typical nest is around 5 feet in diameter. Eagles often use the same nest year after year. Over the years, some nests become enormous, as much as 9 feet in diameter, weighing two tons.
> Eagles lay from one to three eggs. Parenting duties are shared by both male and female during the 35 days of incubation, but it is the female who spends most of her time on the nest.
> The young birds grow rapidly, adding one pound to their body weight every four or five days. At six weeks, the eaglets are very nearly as large as their parents.
> An eaglet can take its first flight some 10 to 13 weeks after hatching and approximately 40 percent of young eagles do not survive it.
> All eagles are renowned for their excellent eyesight.
> Fidelity - Once paired, bald eagles remain together until one dies.
> The bald eagle became the National emblem in 1782 when the great seal of the United States was adopted.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> yes that is a junko. commonly referred to as a snowbird up here



Thanks, Spoonman. There was one here yesterday afternoon sometime. He'd obviously eaten his weight in birdseed!


----------



## Sunshine

freedombecki said:


> asaratis said:
> 
> 
> 
> Berry College - Experience it Firsthand
> 
> I hope another follows soon. It will be enlightening to watch the eaglets being fed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I liked learning something about our national mascot, the Bald Eagle at your web page (above), asaratis. Thanks for sharing it. It read:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *General Facts About Bald Eagles*
> 
> 
> 
> 2007 - The Department of Interior took the American bald eagle off the endangered species list.
> The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a member of the sea and fish eagle group.
> Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white. They reach full maturity in four to five years.
> Size - The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male.
> Wingspan ranges from 72 to 90 inches.
> Bald eagles can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph.
> Bald eagles weigh from 10 to 14 pounds.
> Diet - Mainly fish, but they will take advantage of carrion (dead and decaying flesh).
> Hunting area varies from 1,700 to 10,000 acres. Home ranges are smaller where food is present in great quantity.
> Because an eagle lives up to 30 years in the wild, it has many years in which to produce offspring.
> Bald eagles build their nests in large trees near rivers or coasts. A typical nest is around 5 feet in diameter. Eagles often use the same nest year after year. Over the years, some nests become enormous, as much as 9 feet in diameter, weighing two tons.
> Eagles lay from one to three eggs. Parenting duties are shared by both male and female during the 35 days of incubation, but it is the female who spends most of her time on the nest.
> The young birds grow rapidly, adding one pound to their body weight every four or five days. At six weeks, the eaglets are very nearly as large as their parents.
> An eaglet can take its first flight some 10 to 13 weeks after hatching and approximately 40 percent of young eagles do not survive it.
> All eagles are renowned for their excellent eyesight.
> Fidelity - Once paired, bald eagles remain together until one dies.
> The bald eagle became the National emblem in 1782 when the great seal of the United States was adopted.
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


There are a lot of them in LBL.  But they are hard to photograph.


----------



## Sunshine

Spoonman said:


> yes that is a junko.  commonly referred to as a snowbird up here



Here on the Gulf coast, they refer to ME as a 'snowbird!'


----------



## freedombecki

To anyone lucky enough to have purchased an Audubon Society Bird Calendar with pictures of birds on each day, Today's bird is the Carolina Chickadee. I've been calling the same bird "black-capped chickadee," but I was wrong. I know the ones out front are the same as the Carolina. They just are.

From the USGS Patuxent Bird Identification, here's a Carolina Chickiadee, _Poecile carolinensis_:
*Identification Tips:*


Length: 4.25 inches
Short bill
Black crown and throat
White face
Pale gray upperparts
Gray edges to wing coverts
Grayish-white underparts
Rusty flanks
Sexes similar
Often found in small flocks






And from the Patuxent center, here's the Black-capped Chickadee, _Poecile atricapilla_:
Length: 4.5 inches 
Short bill 
Black crown and throat 
White face 
Pale gray upperparts 
White edges to wing coverts 
Grayish-white underparts 
Rusty flanks 
Sexes similar 
Often found in small flocks 






Hope that helps anyone who keeps seeing them change.


----------



## freedombecki

Sunshine said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> asaratis said:
> 
> 
> 
> Berry College - Experience it Firsthand
> 
> I hope another follows soon. It will be enlightening to watch the eaglets being fed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I liked learning something about our national mascot, the Bald Eagle at your web page (above), asaratis. Thanks for sharing it. It read:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *General Facts About Bald Eagles*
> 
> 
> 
> 2007 - The Department of Interior took the American bald eagle off the endangered species list.
> The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a member of the sea and fish eagle group.
> Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white. They reach full maturity in four to five years.
> Size - The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male.
> Wingspan ranges from 72 to 90 inches.
> Bald eagles can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph.
> Bald eagles weigh from 10 to 14 pounds.
> Diet - Mainly fish, but they will take advantage of carrion (dead and decaying flesh).
> Hunting area varies from 1,700 to 10,000 acres. Home ranges are smaller where food is present in great quantity.
> Because an eagle lives up to 30 years in the wild, it has many years in which to produce offspring.
> Bald eagles build their nests in large trees near rivers or coasts. A typical nest is around 5 feet in diameter. Eagles often use the same nest year after year. Over the years, some nests become enormous, as much as 9 feet in diameter, weighing two tons.
> Eagles lay from one to three eggs. Parenting duties are shared by both male and female during the 35 days of incubation, but it is the female who spends most of her time on the nest.
> The young birds grow rapidly, adding one pound to their body weight every four or five days. At six weeks, the eaglets are very nearly as large as their parents.
> An eaglet can take its first flight some 10 to 13 weeks after hatching and approximately 40 percent of young eagles do not survive it.
> All eagles are renowned for their excellent eyesight.
> Fidelity - Once paired, bald eagles remain together until one dies.
> The bald eagle became the National emblem in 1782 when the great seal of the United States was adopted.
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> There are a lot of them in LBL. But they are hard to photograph.
Click to expand...

Where are Spoonman, Connery, and Ernie when you need them?


----------



## Connery




----------



## Spoonman




----------



## asaratis

The second arrived several days ago, but I haven't captured screen shots until recently.  It seems that the male spends more time on the nest than the female.  She could be off gorging herself to produce a third egg.  I hope so.

I anticipate watching the eaglets being fed 'til they fly off to hunt and fish on their own.

Cheers!

Sorry about the small picture.  I'll try to fix that.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


>



That's just so beautiful, Spoonman. 

 Is the upside down bird in the top picture a nuthatch?


----------



## jon_berzerk

during the winter months 

we get over run over with the rough legged hawk 

some days when traveling you can see one every couple of miles 

they seem to be everywhere 

they like the big open prairies 

can hover for long periods of time 

i should take the time to learn how to safely down load photos to the net 

Rough-legged Hawk Photo - Photograph - Picture


----------



## freedombecki

jon_berzerk said:


> during the winter months
> 
> we get over run over with the rough legged hawk
> 
> some days when traveling you can see one every couple of miles
> 
> they seem to be everywhere
> 
> they like the big open prairies
> 
> can hover for long periods of time
> 
> i should take the time to learn how to safely down load photos to the net
> 
> Rough-legged Hawk Photo - Photograph - Picture



Wow, John, he's beautiful against sunlight! Thanks for sharing. I found another picture of the Rough-legged Hawk at the Patuxent Bird Identification Center at USGS, not quite as spectacular, but beautiful, nonetheless, FWIW:





Rough-legged Hawk, _Buteo lagopis_​Where to find the Rough-legged Hawk on the CBC map:​


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's just so beautiful, Spoonman.
> 
> Is the upside down bird in the top picture a nuthatch?
Click to expand...


yes becki,  that is a nuthatch.  one of the more common winter birds up here


----------



## Spoonman

Cardinals


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> Cardinals


Outta sight, Spoonman! Your bird pictures are second to none. Thanks for sharing a spectacular talent of capturing them at their most poignant moments.


----------



## Ernie S.

Not my photo, but I saw a pair of golden crowned kinglets just now. They are a bit smaller than a chickadee and about twice as hyper.


----------



## freedombecki

Ernie S. said:


> Not my photo, but I saw a pair of golden crowned kinglets just now. They are a bit smaller than a chickadee and about twice as hyper.



He's really a cutie, Ernie. So they're twice as hyper as a chickadee, hm? Some little greyish bird came up to the window today to remind me the bird feeder hadn't anything in it this morning, and I was thinking it had to be a female of the Goldfinch family, because all I saw was the top of her head, but the tale-tale feathers of her wings, plus a mottled gold-tinted chest. Actually, I guess I really wasn't sure what I was looking at, so I took a wild guess. *sigh* Amateur me!


----------



## freedombecki

Well, this is a female goldfinch, and very close to little ms. Constant Reminder this morning. 






 So I'm pretty sure I was right. Some are grayer, others are tanner; some have yellower heads, ours didn't. Ours was showing a little more yellow on her chest which was facing me than the pictured bird, but not that much yellower. And those wings are a dead give-away.


----------



## Spoonman

more woodpeckers


----------



## percysunshine

Hey...I'm naked!






.


----------



## freedombecki

percysunshine said:


> Hey...I'm naked!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .



In that Tuxedo? Yeah, sure.


----------



## freedombecki

Flitting around the net looking at bird quilts, for some reason someone posted this "snowbird" quilt, and I think it's quite wonderful.






Credits: Sethsnap


----------



## freedombecki

asaratis said:


> The second arrived several days ago, but I haven't captured screen shots until recently. It seems that the male spends more time on the nest than the female. She could be off gorging herself to produce a third egg. I hope so.
> 
> I anticipate watching the eaglets being fed 'til they fly off to hunt and fish on their own.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> Sorry about the small picture. I'll try to fix that.



Very nice, asaratis! It's so different in the dark hours.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> more woodpeckers



Darn, you make it hard to pick a favorite, Spoonman! 

 But this one is as awesome as can be:


----------



## freedombecki

I've seen a black guillemot in the early morning about 3 times in the past month. Oh, how I love these lively, amazing winged artforms... You don't see them in perspective unless you see them flying. Notice the surprising, shocking red of their legs. This one was taken in Scotland. It's more buffy like the ones I see here].






Maybe it's the lighting or humidity. I don't know.

This one is showing off his matching red palate:






heheheh!


----------



## freedombecki

Seaside Cottage:







SEASIDE COTTAGE - SPECIAL ORDER :: BIRDHOUSES : CLASSIC SERIES

     | reset 



 [SIZE=-1]Tangerine Cottage Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]The Backyard Bird Gazebo Feeder [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Backyard Bird Cottage [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Cafe Au Lait Cottage Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Cotton Candy Cottage Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Crab Cottage [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Key Lime Cottage Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Peaches N Cream Cottage Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Sand Dollar Cottage [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Sea Horse Cottage [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 




: BIRDS OF A FEATHER SERIES HOME BAZAAR DECORATIVE BIRD HOUSES AND BIRD FEEDERS

 Wow, wouldn't those be cute on the fence! all around!


----------



## freedombecki

And here's an assortment of Purple Martin houses (they are apartment aficionados)



 [SIZE=-1]Clubhouse Birdhouse For Purple Martins [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 

 [SIZE=-1]Town Hall Birdhouse [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE] 



 Also found at Home Bazaar: HOME BAZAAR DECORATIVE BIRD HOUSES AND BIRD FEEDERS


----------



## freedombecki

A friend of mine named Helen, who lived on the Platte River on the way to Glenrock, Wyoming, told me of the most beautiful birds who followed the Platte River, stopping to play, rest, and feed near her ranch. She said they had the loveliest song and were pure yellow, and that she enjoyed the two or three weeks in the spring when they visited on their migratory path each spring. I was enchanted, but unfortunately, I can recall seeing only a single one of them the entire time I lived in my adopted Equality State, and had no idea what I was beholding at the time, except he was the purest most beautiful miniature bird I'd ever seen.

Here's what the USGS Patuxent Bird Identification has to say about the Yellow Warbler or _Dendroica petechia_:






> *Identification Tips:*
> 
> 
> 
> Length: 4 inches
> Small, active, insect-eating bird
> Thin, pointed bill
> Mostly yellow plumage
> Upperparts greenish-yellow
> Greenish-yellow wings and tail with yellow feather edges
> Plain yellow face with yellow eye ring surrounding dark eye
> Yellowish legs
> *Adult male: *
> 
> 
> 
> Plumage golden yellow
> Rusty streaks on breast and flanks
> *Female and immature: *
> 
> 
> 
> Plain yellow plumage
> Streaks on breast absent or barely noticeable
> Some birds have pale gray wash to plumage (southwestern United States)
> *http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i6520id.html*



The BBC Map (more at link above)



 Below are some findings from the blogs, etc, on Bing's links to the web:​


----------



## freedombecki

The sweet song of the Yellow Warbler, _Dendroica petechia_:

 [ame=http://youtu.be/OiHNa8oVImg]Yellow Warbler song ,,, Amarillo canción curruca ,, ????? ?????? ?????? - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## Gracie

How come I never saw this thread? Just my style! Subscribed!


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> And here's an assortment of Purple Martin houses (they are apartment aficionados)
> 
> 
> 
> [SIZE=-1]Clubhouse Birdhouse For Purple Martins [/SIZE]
> [SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE]
> 
> [SIZE=-1]Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse [/SIZE]
> [SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE]
> 
> [SIZE=-1]Town Hall Birdhouse [/SIZE]
> [SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE]
> 
> 
> 
> Also found at Home Bazaar: HOME BAZAAR DECORATIVE BIRD HOUSES AND BIRD FEEDERS



ooooh,  I got a martin house for Christmas.  i'll get it put together and set up in the spring.  i'll get some pictures posted when I start getting some action


----------



## freedombecki

The one I saw was very small, very thin, and very pretty. The bird was a girl, because there were no red stripes at all on her, she was pure cadmium yellow.



 ​ Credits: Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) female - Montezuma Birding (and Nature) Trail​


----------



## freedombecki

Gracie said:


> How come I never saw this thread? Just my style! Subscribed!


Welcome, Gracie. I'm so pleased you found us.


----------



## Gracie

freedombecki said:


> Gracie said:
> 
> 
> 
> How come I never saw this thread? Just my style! Subscribed!
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome, Gracie. I'm so pleased you found us.
Click to expand...


I LOVE birds. Don't know squat about them, but I love feeding them and listening to their songs. And thanks for the welcome.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> And here's an assortment of Purple Martin houses (they are apartment aficionados)
> 
> 
> 
> [SIZE=-1]Clubhouse Birdhouse For Purple Martins [/SIZE]
> [SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE]
> 
> [SIZE=-1]Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse [/SIZE]
> [SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE]
> 
> [SIZE=-1]Town Hall Birdhouse [/SIZE]
> [SIZE=-1] ​[/SIZE]
> 
> 
> 
> Also found at Home Bazaar: HOME BAZAAR DECORATIVE BIRD HOUSES AND BIRD FEEDERS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ooooh, I got a martin house for Christmas. i'll get it put together and set up in the spring. i'll get some pictures posted when I start getting some action
Click to expand...

OK, Spoonman. We want to see this construction process.
 First the picture of the box under the tree 

 (or whatever)

 Then the picture of the master craftsman taking the 50 puzzle pieces of flat small boards out of the box.

 Then, after the foundation is set.

 Then, when the first wall goes up.

 Can I get any pickier?


----------



## freedombecki

I just saw a pair of Fish crows walk across my back yard! They aren't as large as American Crows, and the ones I saw looked exactly like this picture, from CCNAB:


----------



## freedombecki

February's Calendar Girl or Guy is a lovely picture of the Eastern Bluebird, _Sialia sialis_.

 It's sitting on a bunch of cerise flowers (pinkish orange, bright) and I wonder if I can find a similar one online somewhere..



 ​ 

 ​ 

 ​ 

 ​ 

 ​ Well, no, I couldn't find the same picture, but how lovely they are with their wings spread in flight. *sigh*​


----------



## freedombecki

But when I come home to you​ I love the things that you do​ You know I feel okay!​ ~from the Beatles' _A Hard Day's Night_​ 

 ​ 

 ​ 

 ​ ​


----------



## freedombecki

This little pic is from http://www.help-for-bluebids.org:



 ​ They also have a great page for downloading plans to make a bluebird feeder. Mealworms? Yep! That's what the kiddies are fed.​ ​ 

 ​ Eastern Bluebird Feeder Plans | Help-for-Bluebirds.org​


----------



## freedombecki

Below is all quotes from the link, btw:

 There are about 10,000 species of birds. 
 .
 The types of birds (orders) are: 


*Anseriformes (ducks, geese, screamers, swans, and waterfowl)* 
*Apodiformes (hummingbirds and swifts)* 
*Caprimulgiformes (nightbirds)* 
*Charadriiformes (shorebirds and relatives)* 
*Ciconiiformes (storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and relatives)* 
*Coliiformes (mousebirds and colies)* 
*Columbiformes (pigeons and doves)* 
*Coraciiformes (kingfishers)* 
*Craciformes (megapodes, curassows)* 
*Cuculiformes (cuckoos, hoatzin, relatives, and turacoss)* 
*Falconiformes (birds of prey)* 
*Galliformes (chickens, fowls)* 
*Gaviiformes (loons)* 
*Gruiformes (coots, cranes, and rails)* 
*Passeriformes (songbirds) - this order contains more than half of all bird species* 
*Pelecaniformes (pelicans and relatives)* 
*Phoenicopteriformes (flamingos)* 
*Piciformes (woodpeckers)* 
*Podicipediformes (grebess)* 
*Procellariiformes (tube-nosed seabirds)* 
*Psittaciformes (parrots)* 
*Sphenisciformes (penguin)* 
*Strigiformes (owls)* 
*Struthioniformes (emus, kiwis, cassowaires, ostriches, and rheas)* 
*Tinamiformes (tinamous)* 
*Trogoniformes (trogons)* 
*Turniciformes (buttonquail)*
 Credits and thanks to: http://www.factzoo.com/types-of-birds.html


----------



## freedombecki

I was just checking out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, when I ran across a notification with a link that connects to this:

Join Us for the 2014 Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb 14&#8211;17

They need more counters to get an idea. At the link, there is a great explanatory video of how to participate. It's less than a week away, lasts 4 days, and it gives them a better picture of where the birds are. If you're not sure of what the bird is, become familiar with describing a bird's anatomy, and you can either download it in Bing! to find species with those traits, and sometimes as you get better at remembering what you saw, you will hit a number of links that tell you the name of the bird you are looking at.

Details are here: Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb 14-17, 2014

Bird identification anatomy is well explained in Sibley's wonderful book:






Online help for bird identification at Cornell Lab of Ornithology

General bird foci for identification:






Much more at External Anatomy of a Bird

The amazing thing about birds, is that from one specie to another, different anatomical aspects show up.

It's funny how we live on a planet with many different beings we don't even notice.

But skew the features into a grotesque creature walking or dressing like homo sapiens, and you have a hit movie, whereby children learn the names of these fictitious beings.

It's too bad we don't teach them the difference between a tufted titmouse and a black crested titmouse. 

We fail to see the world that is right in front of our eyes. I was blind to birds as a child. Now, I talk to them and try to calm them at the feeder. 

I only loose my cool when the 48" wingspan hawk shows up for s songbird supper or the squirrel finds the cardinal food I forgot to put inside the front door. 

The last exchange with the squirrel went "*Why you little*..."

And the hawk got the short Lectio Divinia of "*Scat! Go away! You leave my birdies alone!*"

Haven't seen either since. *sigh*

Sometimes, you just have to get your bluff in on them.


----------



## Spoonman

Hawk


----------



## freedombecki

Wonderful, Spoonman. Even obfuscated by a few branches, that hawk is dazzling. 

 Now, I'm almost sorry I chided one for hanging around the yard waiting for a live meal. I wish I could be assured he was checking out the fat squirrel population, but they're so wily, not like the precious little birds who return a song for peanuts. 

 Maybe if I knew the squirrel was more than a pirate and purveyor of disease I'd be a little more understanding.

 *sigh* I guess the squirrel is guilty of a little less than singing "Ya gots to pick a pocket or two" (Musical, _Oliver!_) 

 If I didn't have so much to do, I'd sit out on the front porch and just embroider birds and butterflies all day, and take life easy. *sigh*


----------



## freedombecki

Today's picture on the 2014 Audubon Songbird Calendar is of Clark's Nutcracker, _Nucifraga Columbiana _. They live in the West.






Identification Points:



> *Identification Tips:*
> 
> 
> 
> Length: 11 inches
> Long, pointed bill
> Pale gray plumage
> White around base of bill and undertail coverts
> Black wings with white patch on secondaries
> Black tail with white outer tail feathers
> *Similar species: None *



Thanks to the USGS Patuxent Bird Identification Center. Clark's Nutcracker

Christmas Bird Count Map (CBC):






BBS Map:


----------



## freedombecki

Today, I was just thumbing through my book on "Birds of Texas" by Fred Alsop, and I was intrigued by his section on wrens, and one that is a visitor to the cactus region of the west, most usually, and the Cholla cactus in particular. I just couldn't recollect what a Cholla cactus was, but thought the largest wren in North America must have some good reason to nest in the Cholla cactus. Get a load of this for a home *ouch!*:








Credits to "Another Reason I don't play Golf."​

Well, for all of God's other creatures' unaffectionate feelings for such a plant, that's the nesting home of the Desert Wren, which specie figured it was a good way to have peace of mind from everybody else while raising young from egg to post fledgling days. 



Here's from Audubon's Did you know? page: the described tail feathers of the Cactus wren who doesn't pose like this often:​








And photos, etc. also appear at Patuxent Bird Infocenter's Page on Cactus Wrens​
*Identification Tips:*



Length: 6.5 inches
Long, slightly decurved bill
Bold white supercilium contrasting with dark crown and eyeline
White throat
Upper breast densely spotted with black
Underparts white becoming buffy toward tail and spotted
Upperparts grayish-brown with black and white streaks and spots
Long tail barred with black and white
Dark legs
Sexes similar
*Similar species: *

Thrashers are somewhat similar but are larger and lack the white supercilium and dense spotting on the breast.

BBS Map at Patuxent for the Cactus Wren:


----------



## freedombecki

Oh, here we see miniature wrens in the springtime. They're such feisty characters which makes them one of my favorites. I just love 'em. That tail goes up like Groucho's eyebrows when he's chary about some noise or notice.







Bewick's Wren

And where Bewick's Wrens hang out in the CBC:


----------



## freedombecki

For the second day, the weather was decent enough to sit out on the front porch and crochet on a rug I started 2 years ago, before all the 150 charity quilts were made.

 We have this cutest little bird, that I thought was a creeper, but he has a black top and seems to be black and white (?) anyway, he scooches around the tree trunk and goes ballistic walking upside down and around on the larger tree limbs. Then, he zips over to the portal above the front porch bird feeder and swings back and forth from a vine that grew up last year, but which I cut below to get rid of last week, only it didn't get torn down and is well attached at 1" intervals the way the ivy attaches itself. He just rocks back and forth, propelling himself on the last rock to the feeder, where he goes bananas again, which drives the bigger birds away with all those upside down and swing antics. What a card. He's cute and funny.

 Yesterday, I quit counting red male cardinals that are DNC 321 red (very, very red) after about two dozen pairs showed up at the feeder to share with other aggressive but much smaller birds. Then a pair of blue jays showed up, titmice, and I'm not 100% certain, but I think there were a pair of rosy finches and several Blackburnian Warblers. There was a small spotted gold, brown dots, and whitish bird with dark brown etchings on his covert wings. Also, when he split, it was instantaneously. We're talking outta here, gone! I have yet to spot one single solitary hummingbird, and the migration should have started by now. It has been awfully cold until 2 days ago. Well, there was the most beautiful woodpecker yesterday, and two others like him. One had a really, really long beak, one was about average, and the other had fewer tatters about the beak. That's all I remember to differentiate three birds with the same markings. If you make mental notes of the little stuff, you'll know when you are looking at a different bird. Also, there was a 4th I forgot about. I will just call him the swinger, because he did everything connected with eating from the bottom of the feeder, swinging as he went, from side to side. With him, it was the feeder that rocked. 

 I saw lots of birds, but one of the titmice was almost blue instead of the gray and buffy gold on the light-colored chests type titmice. Sometimes you see such things that make you wonder if you're just seeing things. That blue-toned titmouse was one of those.


----------



## freedombecki

I found a bird very similar to the one in my front yard, which seems a little smaller:

 [ame=http://youtu.be/oMFGg2N3Mso]White-Breasted Nuthatch - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

My little dasher may have been a Pygmy nuthatch! No wonder that other bird looked a little bigger and moved slower by comparison to this little power-house:






 I got a world champion acrobat pygmy nuthatch out there in my front yard, I think.


----------



## freedombecki

Well, again, I don't know. My little bird had a solid black cap, and I haven't seen anything presented with quite his zeal and zip. *sigh* Here are some bigger pygmies than the one in my yard, but they're lighter, almost blue in color. Nothing was blue about my pygmy. And he moved in milliseconds.  What a ring-tailed tooter my black-capped guy was.

[ame="http://youtu.be/5FXstkLCgQY"]Pygmy Nuthatches 091012 - YouTube[/ame]

Well, he is consistent with sitta carolinsis. I looked at enough pictures to know it. I just consider that the bird I saw was more gray than blue, that's all. Maybe it's just my dark front porch, or a regional variation that is both smaller and darker. The back feathers were unmistakable, though. I don't know why my little guy was so small, though, and totally the acrobat.






And the woodpecker was not red-naped. He's called a red-bellied woodpecker. No other bird looks like him, although mine had more red than almost every one I saw a picture of except this one:






The barred black-and-white feathers are the dead giveaway on the red-bellied woodpecker.

I must get the suets hung tomorrow. Both woodpecker and sitta carolinses love them.


----------



## freedombecki

Really good thing to do for nut and fruit loving songbirds:

 [ame=http://youtu.be/gijcPUeem9M]Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

I want one 

 It looks like a bluebird feeder.

 [ame=http://youtu.be/dxnUk81VVck]HOW TO MAKE BIRD HOUSE - FEEDER . Ako Vyrobit Vtaciu Budku - Krmitko - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## Mr. H.

I'm pretty good at imitating bird calls by whistling. I like to mess with their itty-bitty heads.


----------



## freedombecki

Mr. H. said:


> I'm pretty good at imitating bird calls by whistling. I like to mess with their itty-bitty heads.


 [MENTION=20545]Mr. H.[/MENTION]  I just noticed that at Patuxent Bird Identification Center, they have songs available for a lot of them. There didn't happen to be one for the Sulfur-bellied flycatcher _Myiodynastes luteiventris_, though.
 You'd think with "lute" in his name, he'd be well-represented in sound. *sigh*



 ​ I keep looking for a pretty little bird with a similar colored midsection, except it's dotted, not striped looking. It isn't afraid to come and sit at the feeder when I'm just sitting there. Guess I'll run into its identy sooner or later. Also, it could be in its winter coloration, too.​ ​ I think it's great to hear a bird and know what you're hearing.​ ​ I keep hearing one that has a loud "glia" sound, like when you hear bagpipes played right, they start off in full blast. So does my "glia" whatever its name is that never gets an answer.  That I know of...​ ​ Sorry I squandered my rep for 24 hours... it will prolly be tomorrow, because I just can't stay up late every night, er, morning, was it?​


----------



## Mr. H.

I'm not good at bird-watching, but I do like to bird-listen.

I wish there were an app for capturing a bird call in the wild, then identifying it with that software.

I researched it, attempts are being made, but it is a difficult and arduous process.


----------



## freedombecki

Mr. H. said:


> I'm not good at bird-watching, but I do like to bird-listen.
> 
> I wish there were an app for capturing a bird call in the wild, then identifying it with that software.
> 
> I researched it, attempts are being made, but it is a difficult and arduous process.



I found some bird books about 3 years ago that had audio sounds with bird pictures, you just punched in the number of the bird or something, and it gave you the bird's call, plus it described them. Oh, I forgot all about it. The reason was that after 2 years of being sandwiched in between my growing collection of bird books, it quit making sounds. There's another somewhere, but I'm not sure where I put it, and the third book, well, I never bought it because the one went bad, and I figured I didn't want to pay an extra $15 for a book the sound doesn't work the first time you really want to know what bird you heard.


----------



## freedombecki

Mr. H. said:


> I'm not good at bird-watching, but I do like to bird-listen.
> 
> I wish there were an app for capturing a bird call in the wild, then identifying it with that software.
> 
> I researched it, attempts are being made, but it is a difficult and arduous process.


 You know, Cornell Lab is good about posting sounds with their bird pictures/identification pages, and there used to be one other several years ago. Oh, who was it? *sigh* It's possible it's one of the bird links I posted at or near the beginning of this thread.


----------



## freedombecki

Mr. H., here's a list of good birding links, and several have bird songs as part of their description bird pages:



freedombecki said:


> <dialog omitted>
> 
> 
> Some links that may help acquaint you with a wild bird you've seen that you cannot quite name yet and other resources for understanding our feathered friends:
> 
> Cornell Lab of Ornithology
> 
> Macauly Library
> 
> Patuxent Bird Identification Center
> 
> What Bird - Novel Way to Identify the Bird you just heard or saw​
> Smithsonian Institution, National Bird Collection
> 
> British Trust for Ornithology
> 
> Birds of North America - Life Histories of breeding birds
> 
> Birds of Mexico Checklist
> 
> Birds of Canada Checklist
> 
> Birds of the USA
> 
> Nature Worldwide Birds


----------



## Mr. H.

Thanks, Ms. b.


----------



## freedombecki

Mr. H. said:


> I'm not good at bird-watching, but I do like to bird-listen.
> 
> I wish there were an app for capturing a bird call in the wild, then identifying it with that software.
> 
> I researched it, attempts are being made, but it is a difficult and arduous process.



OH, I get it. Yes, that would be nice.

 However, the MacAuley library has a listing of over 700 Essential American birds and their calls here for a nominal fee:  ML: Audio: Essential Set for North America

 A(nd a boatload of money for the USB port bird call one.  )


----------



## Connery

Such polite birds waiting their turns...


----------



## tinydancer

Oh these are the most wonderful pictures. 

Thank you.


----------



## freedombecki

Connery said:


> Such polite birds waiting their turns...


 
 Beautiful! 

Connery, I have to spread before repping you again, but I actually bought something called "bluebird food: meal worms" dried in a package. I'm not sure the blue birds out front are actually Eastern bluebirds (bills too large) or if the shadows around the porch make gray appear blue, so I'm not nervy enough to put the stuff out there yet. Maybe that's what they're thinking should be there, but I didn't find the bluebird feeder I was hoping to find at the store either. They look so European. I've been so busy on my few days of being offline.


----------



## freedombecki

Today, Bing had a picture of a feisty African fellow, the Secretary Bird. I think I wouldn't want to run into one, though. They're mean, as in terrorist bird mean... according to some.

 Here are some other images, sorry the beautiful image that Bing used is probably gone by now. *sigh*


----------



## Pogo

freedombecki said:


> Mr. H. said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not good at bird-watching, but I do like to bird-listen.
> 
> I wish there were an app for capturing a bird call in the wild, then identifying it with that software.
> 
> I researched it, attempts are being made, but it is a difficult and arduous process.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found some bird books about 3 years ago that had audio sounds with bird pictures, you just punched in the number of the bird or something, and it gave you the bird's call, plus it described them. Oh, I forgot all about it. The reason was that after 2 years of being sandwiched in between my growing collection of bird books, it quit making sounds. There's another somewhere, but I'm not sure where I put it, and the third book, well, I never bought it because the one went bad, and I figured I didn't want to pay an extra $15 for a book the sound doesn't work the first time you really want to know what bird you heard.
Click to expand...


I've got that book.  Not sure how old it is, it was given to me but it still works.

Also have one of these:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCl3g5F1TGY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCl3g5F1TGY[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

Pogo said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mr. H. said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not good at bird-watching, but I do like to bird-listen.
> 
> I wish there were an app for capturing a bird call in the wild, then identifying it with that software.
> 
> I researched it, attempts are being made, but it is a difficult and arduous process.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found some bird books about 3 years ago that had audio sounds with bird pictures, you just punched in the number of the bird or something, and it gave you the bird's call, plus it described them. Oh, I forgot all about it. The reason was that after 2 years of being sandwiched in between my growing collection of bird books, it quit making sounds. There's another somewhere, but I'm not sure where I put it, and the third book, well, I never bought it because the one went bad, and I figured I didn't want to pay an extra $15 for a book the sound doesn't work the first time you really want to know what bird you heard.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I've got that book. Not sure how old it is, it was given to me but it still works.
> 
> Also have one of these:
Click to expand...

Wow, Pogo. That's a must have. Thanks for sharing!!!!!!


----------



## Spoonman

this winter took a very heavy toll on my feeding stations so i haven't had many photos to add.  but yesterday i was finally able to get out and do a little repair work.  i took  a 20' dead cedar tree from the woods for my new pole outside my office.  it's burried 3' deep and has a good concrete footing so hopefully this one will hold.  I'll be hanging a selection of seed, fruit and suet feeders off it.  I think tonight I'll star with thistle as the finches are around.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> this winter took a very heavy toll on my feeding stations so i haven't had many photos to add. but yesterday i was finally able to get out and do a little repair work. i took a 20' dead cedar tree from the woods for my new pole outside my office. it's burried 3' deep and has a good concrete footing so hopefully this one will hold. I'll be hanging a selection of seed, fruit and suet feeders off it. I think tonight I'll star with thistle as the finches are around.



That's really wonderful, Spoonman. It already has "hanging posts," and I hope the birds bring you joy and inspiration. I wonder if you hung a little hummingbird feeder, if you'd see them hanging around. We have them on  the front porch near the bird feeders, and on day's I've been out there, haven't seen any hummingbirds, but a lot of cardinals, jays, woodpeckers, and you name them, they've been there, probably.

 You mentioned thistle. Here, they're pink, and one started blooming by the lake. I thought of finches and the pretty view they will have if they land on it when it's a little taller. 

 I also noticed the prettiest pale lavender flowers out front, and wondered what they were. It turns out they are a hill country wildflower called lyre flowers. (_Salvia lyrata)_ I was so enchanted by their beauty, they grew up in the corner of my yard, and I noticed they had leaves that reminded me of how wild dandelions grow, but they had pale lilac flowers on spikes and were totally beautiful. I wondered what kind of a bird may have dropped the seeds there, and when I mowed, I tried to avoid the ones that were thick as a wildflower garden at the edges. Oh, how lovely a present the birds gave us this year. Apparently, they can be made into a tea, mixed with honey, and cure asthma attacks. And they are named for their leaves, which are shaped like a lyre. Some call them lyre leaf flowers.

 I found a picture online:





 Credits: Lyre-Leaf Sage (more pictures)

 I guess if I sang all day out there in the pollen, I'd want to soothe my throat with the lyre-leaf sage, too. So maybe the birds actually use it to help them sing their songs. One sounds so musical, I wonder if it was his tribe who planted them? He sounds like a mellow calliope, and he sings first thing in the morning, too. *sigh*


----------



## freedombecki

Oh, wait. The planters have to be the mocking birds! There are so many of them, and there always seems to be one of them doing imitative musical recitations nonstop ever so often. One of them had a repertoire of 60+ imitations the other day. He had particularly good taste and truer sounds than many. What a delightful mockingbird.


----------



## Pogo

For Earth Day --  pretty cool list of the world's 100 most endangered birds

Some samples:
*Northern bald ibis*:






*Shoebill*





*Kackapoo:*




>> Found only in New Zealand, this charismatic, flightless parrot is slowly being brought back from the edge of extinction. >>​
How rare do they get?

#2:  New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles savesi)
>> This mysterious species, which has not been seen since 1998, continues to elude birdwatchers and researchers. It is known only from *two *specimens, which are held in museums in Liverpool, UK and Italy. <<

Each bird has its own page with more info.  Purty cool list.


----------



## asaratis

Fours eggs so far...

Berry College Bluebirds on USTREAM: The Berry College Bluebird Cam is a Hawk Eye Night Owl nest box camera that became operational April 9, 2014. The camer...


----------



## freedombecki

asaratis said:


> Fours eggs so far...
> 
> Berry College Bluebirds on USTREAM: The Berry College Bluebird Cam is a Hawk Eye Night Owl nest box camera that became operational April 9, 2014. The camer...



Yep.


----------



## asaratis

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...20202244810354&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf

A mother defending her nest.


----------



## freedombecki

This is a Himalayan Monal


----------



## freedombecki

Fairy-wren






 Red-backed Fairy-wren:






 Splendid Fairy-wren






 Superb Fairy-wren pair:


----------



## freedombecki

Splendid Fairywren (aka blue wren) range:







Information on the specie: Wikipedia, Splendid Fairywren


----------



## Pogo

My azaleas entertaining visitors...


----------



## Pogo

It's an especially bounteous time of year here in the Appalachian woods.  Just got in from enjoying the songs of one of my favorite avian voices, the wood thrush; a four distinct short bursts in flute-like tones, of course with a wide variety of regional dialects:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrmxlez2cAg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrmxlez2cAg[/ame]

Wood thrushes are not uncommon here especially at dusk.  I'm in a holler so their voices reverberate, and lately I've got several of them in every direction.

But another blessing this season has been the unmistakable sound of another favorite bird that makes it to the neighborhood only rarely: the Phoebe...




​
Its voice doesn't capture well on audio recording at least as far as YouTube but this page has a good sampling.  I love waking up to that call.  If I designed alarm clocks, that's what mine would sound like.


----------



## Spoonman

i finally have something worthy of adding again


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> i finally have something worthy of adding again


Worthy of adding here? Oh, Spoonman, that's worthy of hanging in every US government building ever erected. Truly. Thank you.


----------



## koshergrl

Hello all...I feel like I'm going to be getting back to normal now...back to the things I like to do...crocheting, hiking, enjoying threads like this one...

Here a week or so ago they had a fish die-off at one of the little dunes lakes here. It's a small lake with a campground next to it, it feeds into a larger lake...anyway they stock it with trout for fishing. Unfortunately they stocked it and then the fish died, either something happened to them during the process of stocking or maybe there was an algae bloom or who knows..

Anyway there were some awesome pics of the eagles hanging out at the lake. They're major scavengers...our eagles bully our osprey into handing over their fish, and they're all over dead fish!

But they're super cool anyway, it's fun to see them up close. When I was a girl, eagles here were few and far between. In fact, I'm not sure I ever saw them except when we went over to the eastern side of the state. Now they're everywhere, I have even seen them in town, scoping out the pigeons that used to congregate on 18th street (no more, presumably somebody got rid of them).


----------



## Spoonman

freedombecki said:


> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> i finally have something worthy of adding again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Worthy of adding here? Oh, Spoonman, that's worthy of hanging in every US government building ever erected. Truly. Thank you.
Click to expand...


20 years ago seeing an eagle in this area was extrememly rare.  there were a few along the river that were reintroduced.   But now, they are pretty abundant


----------



## Derideo_Te

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> i finally have something worthy of adding again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Worthy of adding here? Oh, Spoonman, that's worthy of hanging in every US government building ever erected. Truly. Thank you.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 20 years ago seeing an eagle in this area was extrememly rare.  there were a few along the river that were reintroduced.   But now, they are pretty abundant
Click to expand...


Last fall I counted 6 of them circling above my house. We have a nesting pair around here and I assume the parents were showing their offspring around the neighborhood. There is a 1000 Audobon preserve about a mile down the road. It is good to see the wildlife making a come back.


----------



## freedombecki

Spoonman said:


> freedombecki said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoonman said:
> 
> 
> 
> i finally have something worthy of adding again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Worthy of adding here? Oh, Spoonman, that's worthy of hanging in every US government building ever erected. Truly. Thank you.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 20 years ago seeing an eagle in this area was extrememly rare. there were a few along the river that were reintroduced. But now, they are pretty abundant
Click to expand...

I've been so happy to know people who were in on the proliferation of more American bald eagles in Wyoming. I'm so proud of the national effort by people all over the USA to remove them from threatened with extinction lists and from the endangered lists. Yea!


----------



## freedombecki

This morning's bing shows a very odd duck! Well, not a duck, really, but not a native of the United States, either. Below is another picture of the Blue-footed Booby:

Blue-footed Booby, _Sula nebouxii_​ Credits, description, habitat, etc.​ ​ 

​ ​ Winter Map Range:​


----------



## freedombecki

Range: Australia

 Egg: (Wikimedia, Emu Egg File), Attribution: Author, Tamatauenga





 Emu:







 Image Credits: A Matter of Flight Dot Com

 A good profile on emus is at switchzoo's Animal Facts, which says:

 Emu, _Dromaius novaehollandiae_

 Bird. The emu is Australia's largest bird, standing about 2 meters (6 feet) tall, and weighing up to 54 kg (120 lb). Emus cannot fly but they are fast runners - up to 48 km (30 mi) per hour. Surprisingly, they are also strong swimmers. Some scientists consider emus to be living dinosaurs because their bones and joints are similar to dinosaurs'. Their ability to store fat allows them to go without food for long periods of time. Emus can defend themselves with tremendously powerful forward kicks. They eat great quantities of caterpillars, grasshoppers, and masses of the burrs that tangle sheep wool, which makes them helpful to farmers

 The emu lifespan in the wild is thought to be from 5- 10 years, and predators/threats are: Dingoes, eagles, dogs, cats, non-native foxes, and humans. Lizards eat eggs.

 Diet of the wild emu includes:  Flowers, fruits, seeds, shoots, large insects (caterpillars are a favorite), lizards, and small rodents. They also swallow large pebbles to grind up food in their gizzards.

 There's a product made from emu oil called "that blue stuff." Those who use the original product can actually chase away the pain of arthritis, and some claim they were cured of arthritis after using just a few rub-ins. I use it to soothe muscle pain of fibromyalgia. It sure is a nice fix to reduce some muscular pains from my disease, and I got rid of what felt like bone pain (which is arthritis).

 Thanks to the easing of pain I have enjoyed from "that blue stuff" I became very much a fan of emus.


----------



## freedombecki

I have the Cornell Ornithology website earmarked in favorites, and occasionally, I like to visit and see what they're talking about, what great pictures someone took of a very beautiful creature, songs, etc. Today, they offered something they call Bird Song Hero. I will probably miss every single one of them, because we have so many birds in the trees out front, I'm not sure I know who's saying what in the hundreds of languages there are out there, which change in a specie for "chow's on," "I just flew in," "hawk near," "my territory," and "there's no better lover than me, me, me!" So maybe there's hope that by playing Bird Song Hero game, in spite of missing all of them, someday I'll start recognizing voices in what seems like cacophony. Want to play? It's here: Bird Song Hero tutorial page



> *The new, visual way to learn bird songs.*
> Train your brain to recognize over 50 bird songs with the *Bird Song Hero* matching game.
> Listen closely to featured songs and match each with the correct spectrogram visualization. Youll be harnessing the power of the visual brain to help you identify the unique qualities of each song and commit sound patterns to memory.
> *Bird Song Hero* is a fun way to practice the key skills you need to ID all the bird songs youre curious about.


 
 Hope it helps someone who, like me, has a lot to learn about birds.


----------



## Mr. H.

I dig birds.

And quilts.


----------



## asaratis

Berry College Bluebirds on USTREAM: May 28, 2014 Update: Bluebirds are once again nesting in our bluebird box. We expect to see eggs at any time. We hope t...

How'd you like to have to feed these four gaping mouths all day long?


----------



## freedombecki

Blessed be Pinterest and this little cutie:






 Am still unable to post from my computer for some reason not known to me. 

 Anyway, there are always several tufted titmouse tribe members around the morning birdfeeder here, when it is full to the brim.


----------



## freedombecki

[ame=http://youtu.be/uDBtDh9Y2as]Beautiful Birds 1 - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## freedombecki

[ame=http://youtu.be/3jWv7jHLUnc]Beautiful Birds 2 - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## Spoonman




----------



## asaratis

Worth watching...twice!


----------



## asaratis

*Don't forget to feed the birds!*​


----------



## Treeshepherd

Biggie Smalls got his music career started on the street, where he dominated in rap contests. One guy would lay down rhythm and a lyric, and then his opponent would rif off of that in an insulting way. 

It turns out, some birds do the same thing. A marsh warbler might say, "tweety tweet whistle twoot tweet". And the other warbler is like, "tweety tweet? Twoot tweet whistle tweet!"

What the first warbler is saying is something like," I got all the riches and all the fine bitches, and my crib ain't fo no finches". 
And the second bird says, "I ain't no finch but you tweets be like parakeets and my hos be like flamingos."
Something like that. They're just rapping all day, trying to impress the ladies. 
New Scientist Short Sharp Science Blog Nature s best rapper - New Scientist


----------



## beautress

A song sparrow





A song sparrow nest of eggs:


----------



## beautress

The Audubon society has a really wonderful group of the songs of the song sparrow (and a whole lot more information than I could bring here)

Oh, I can't bring a link here. Sorry. No wonder nothing worked here before. I posted as freedombecki.  As I said, I'm older than dirt with a memory to match. lolol

Well, for what it's worth, Just bing or google "song sparrow" or Audubon organization, and you will find a wonderful page with several mp3 files or whatever you call them nowadays on the lower screen toward the right side on their song sparrow page. And I'm sorry I posted a "sneaky" link, which I didn't know was not appreciated. Plz forgive me, all the powers that be here.


----------



## beautress

Common Grackles

Found lots of pictures of grackles in the search engine along with a plethora of sound bytes. They're squeaky, but not as loud as a Mynah Bird nor even a crow. They are about, well, a little less than Blue Jays. It's fun to watch them collect around cars at the local Walmart parking lot, where all trees were removed a couple of years ago due to hundreds of them nesting there. They took out the trees, so not as many of them visit, but the ones I saw a few mornings ago were likely on their migration path to warmer climates. These birds were healthy and happy looking, and I felt so bad I didn't have so much as a piece of popcorn to share with them.    Well, maybe the next time if the manager's not out and about, looking. 

All those smilies, and not a single one of them is a grackle...As I recollect, during the summertimes we lived in Wyoming, these odd little black birds that were too shiny to be crows, half of which had tails longer than their big bodies, though they weren't as big as crows nor as small as red-winged (and other) blackbirds. They were grackles, and the ones with long tails are known as boat-tailed grackles. For some reason, they didn't get into each others way, coexisted, and all, but wound up at the same roadside picnic ground near that big rock a few miles west of Casper, Wyoming, where we lived for at least 35 years, all told. Oh, the name of the rock was Independence Rock. It's been almost 10 years since we left the Equality State to retire in rural Texas, where it is warm as many months of the year as it was for cold months in Wyoming. 
I'm just having a little fun until I have passed the 2-day bar to send links to bird pictures. I have to remember they put wild birds out in the garage here at US Message Board. Us bird lovers know our birds we see are pets, only they choose when they come and go, 

Well, nite-nighty, all bird lovers, even if our dear little birdies have to be cooped up here in this ol' garage area of cyberspace.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Common Grackles
> 
> Found lots of pictures of grackles in the search engine along with a plethora of sound bytes. They're squeaky, but not as loud as a Mynah Bird nor even a crow. They are about, well, a little less than Blue Jays. It's fun to watch them collect around cars at the local Walmart parking lot, where all trees were removed a couple of years ago due to hundreds of them nesting there. They took out the trees, so not as many of them visit, but the ones I saw a few mornings ago were likely on their migration path to warmer climates. These birds were healthy and happy looking, and I felt so bad I didn't have so much as a piece of popcorn to share with them.    Well, maybe the next time if the manager's not out and about, looking.
> 
> All those smilies, and not a single one of them is a grackle...As I recollect, during the summertimes we lived in Wyoming, these odd little black birds that were too shiny to be crows, half of which had tails longer than their big bodies, though they weren't as big as crows nor as small as red-winged (and other) blackbirds. They were grackles, and the ones with long tails are known as boat-tailed grackles. For some reason, they didn't get into each others way, coexisted, and all, but wound up at the same roadside picnic ground near that big rock a few miles west of Casper, Wyoming, where we lived for at least 35 years, all told. Oh, the name of the rock was Independence Rock. It's been almost 10 years since we left the Equality State to retire in rural Texas, where it is warm as many months of the year as it was for cold months in Wyoming.
> I'm just having a little fun until I have passed the 2-day bar to send links to bird pictures. I have to remember they put wild birds out in the garage here at US Message Board. Us bird lovers know our birds we see are pets, only they choose when they come and go,
> 
> Well, nite-nighty, all bird lovers, even if our dear little birdies have to be cooped up here in this ol' garage area of cyberspace.




My dear friend in New Jersey who took me out birding and set me up with a life list would point out the grackles and their distinctive habits splayed all over the lawns around Cape May when we were birding in season.  Remember it well.

Becki, how glorious it is to have you and this thread back.    I should go maintain my feeders.  Last winter a black bear came onto my porch and got into them.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> The Audubon society has a really wonderful group of the songs of the song sparrow (and a whole lot more information than I could bring here)
> 
> Oh, I can't bring a link here. Sorry. No wonder nothing worked here before. I posted as freedombecki.  As I said, I'm older than dirt with a memory to match. lolol
> 
> Well, for what it's worth, Just bing or google "song sparrow" or Audubon organization, and you will find a wonderful page with several mp3 files or whatever you call them nowadays on the lower screen toward the right side on their song sparrow page. And I'm sorry I posted a "sneaky" link, which I didn't know was not appreciated. Plz forgive me, all the powers that be here.



This is a worthy page ---?

As I said, I'm older than dirt with a memory to match. lolol​
So you're saying you have a dirty mind....


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Audubon society has a really wonderful group of the songs of the song sparrow (and a whole lot more information than I could bring here)
> 
> Oh, I can't bring a link here. Sorry. No wonder nothing worked here before. I posted as freedombecki.  As I said, I'm older than dirt with a memory to match. lolol
> 
> Well, for what it's worth, Just bing or google "song sparrow" or Audubon organization, and you will find a wonderful page with several mp3 files or whatever you call them nowadays on the lower screen toward the right side on their song sparrow page. And I'm sorry I posted a "sneaky" link, which I didn't know was not appreciated. Plz forgive me, all the powers that be here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a worthy page ---?
> 
> As I said, I'm older than dirt with a memory to match. lolol​
> So you're saying you have a dirty mind....
Click to expand...

*blush* *giggle* *blush* *giggle* *blush*
Does that answer your question sufficiently, kind sir?


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Common Grackles
> 
> Found lots of pictures of grackles in the search engine along with a plethora of sound bytes. They're squeaky, but not as loud as a Mynah Bird nor even a crow. They are about, well, a little less than Blue Jays. It's fun to watch them collect around cars at the local Walmart parking lot, where all trees were removed a couple of years ago due to hundreds of them nesting there. They took out the trees, so not as many of them visit, but the ones I saw a few mornings ago were likely on their migration path to warmer climates. These birds were healthy and happy looking, and I felt so bad I didn't have so much as a piece of popcorn to share with them.    Well, maybe the next time if the manager's not out and about, looking.
> 
> All those smilies, and not a single one of them is a grackle...As I recollect, during the summertimes we lived in Wyoming, these odd little black birds that were too shiny to be crows, half of which had tails longer than their big bodies, though they weren't as big as crows nor as small as red-winged (and other) blackbirds. They were grackles, and the ones with long tails are known as boat-tailed grackles. For some reason, they didn't get into each others way, coexisted, and all, but wound up at the same roadside picnic ground near that big rock a few miles west of Casper, Wyoming, where we lived for at least 35 years, all told. Oh, the name of the rock was Independence Rock. It's been almost 10 years since we left the Equality State to retire in rural Texas, where it is warm as many months of the year as it was for cold months in Wyoming.
> I'm just having a little fun until I have passed the 2-day bar to send links to bird pictures. I have to remember they put wild birds out in the garage here at US Message Board. Us bird lovers know our birds we see are pets, only they choose when they come and go. But a word of warning: I'm likely to flip out if you live in mountain bluebird territory and one visits your feeder when a camera is in your hand...
> 
> Well, nite-nighty, all bird lovers, even if our dear little birdies have to be cooped up here in this ol' garage area of cyberspace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My dear friend in New Jersey who took me out birding and set me up with a life list would point out the grackles and their distinctive habits splayed all over the lawns around Cape May when we were birding in season.  Remember it well.
> 
> Becki, how glorious it is to have you and this thread back.    I should go maintain my feeders.  Last winter a black bear came onto my porch and got into them.
Click to expand...

I hope you will deliver a picture of the next time you encounter those cheerful chirpers that beg food so convincingly you know they're hungry. It's just the grackle way. Also, pictures of your bird feeder would be most welcome.


----------



## beautress




----------



## beautress

And another...


----------



## beautress

Oooooooh, like this one!  It may have to do with the barring on the tail having a greater contrast, or the way the light falls on his back feathers...:




​


----------



## beautress

I loaded hen turkeys in my Bing! browser, and what I found shows there may be a dimorphic trait in the lot, though I'm not sure:


----------



## OldLady

Question, Beautress:
On my way to work a couple days ago, there was a big group of the birds on the left walking on the side of the road.  Maybe a dozen or so.
My immediate thought was "female turkeys" but I didn't know large groups of them hung out together like a bunch of chickens, so I questioned my identification.  Do they hang out in big groups like that, normally, or is someone raising them like domestics?


----------



## beautress

Ah, back to the grackles...They (while being the characters they are) seem to have a flock tendency when they are in migratory mode...


















And just one flight shot:




​


----------



## beautress

Oh, yes, the grackles at Independence Rock was loaded, but alas, no grackles. I'll have to find them. If you missed this side road scenario on your last visit to Yellowstone Park or flew there, Here's Independence Rock that hosts a summer flock of hungry grackles, but not in the winter after they went south to the parking lot by Interstate 45. I think the grackles outside of Casper, Wyoming were on Highway 20 going west out of Casper by a dozen or so miles...oh, such good memories there. This one looks just like the time we were there our last year or two in Wyoming..I apologize for the lack of grackles and will keep looking online for one that has the family of grackles I spoke of.



​


----------



## OldLady

beautress said:


> Ah, back to the grackles...They (while being the characters they are) seem to have a flock tendency when they are in migratory mode...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 219606
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 219610
> And just one flight shot:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​


When I lived in farm country I would see scenes like that--sometimes it reminded me of The Birds.  Very, very cool.  They love cornfields.


----------



## beautress

OldLady said:


> Question, Beautress:
> On my way to work a couple days ago, there was a big group of the birds on the left walking on the side of the road.  Maybe a dozen or so.
> My immediate thought was "female turkeys" but I didn't know large groups of them hung out together like a bunch of chickens, so I questioned my identification.  Do they hang out in big groups like that, normally, or is someone raising them like domestics?


Hi, OL!  Back years ago when I lived in the Equality State that Wyoming is, occasionally when I was driving back and forth to Laramie to visit my son at the University of Wyoming, I'd see flocks of them now and again, but they were so dark colored and far away, the only thing I could really make out of them by their size and shape that they were definitely turkeys. I never thought of it before, but the groups I saw usually were a flock of 30 or 40 individuals, and yes, they acted like chickens, except they were not bound by fences. They looked more happy, though, than the bazillions of chickens I once observed in a modern-day large chicken house. Freedom is loved even by birds, and if you come too close, wild birds generally will go away with the except in the case of Canadian geese. They're entitled to a meal if you step their way, and they will let you know their displeasure if you have nothing, and they're pretty certain they can do more damage to you if you even look crossways at their little flock of Canadian goslings that follows their mommie around like cute little apparatchiks.


----------



## beautress

OldLady said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ah, back to the grackles...They (while being the characters they are) seem to have a flock tendency when they are in migratory mode...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 219606
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 219610
> And just one flight shot:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> When I lived in farm country I would see scenes like that--sometimes it reminded me of The Birds.  Very, very cool.  They love cornfields.
Click to expand...

I live out in the country and before the drought in 2011, they regularly hung out in some nearby tall pines. You could hear them, but I couldn't see them because the pine trees near the field border were a hundred feet tall, and the long pine needles on the trees obfuscated their bodies nicely.


----------



## OldLady

beautress said:


> OldLady said:
> 
> 
> 
> Question, Beautress:
> On my way to work a couple days ago, there was a big group of the birds on the left walking on the side of the road.  Maybe a dozen or so.
> My immediate thought was "female turkeys" but I didn't know large groups of them hung out together like a bunch of chickens, so I questioned my identification.  Do they hang out in big groups like that, normally, or is someone raising them like domestics?
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, OL!  Back years ago when I lived in the Equality State that Wyoming is, occasionally when I was driving back and forth to Laramie to visit my son at the University of Wyoming, I'd see flocks of them now and again, but they were so dark colored and far away, the only thing I could really make out of them by their size and shape that they were definitely turkeys. I never thought of it before, but the groups I saw usually were a flock of 30 or 40 individuals, and yes, they acted like chickens, except they were not bound by fences. They looked more happy, though, than the bazillions of chickens I once observed in a modern-day large chicken house. Freedom is loved even by birds, and if you come too close, wild birds generally will go away with the except in the case of Canadian geese. They're entitled to a meal if you step their way, and they will let you know their displeasure if you have nothing, and they're pretty certain they can do more damage to you if you even look crossways at their little flock of Canadian goslings that follows their mommie around like cute little apparatchiks.
Click to expand...

I had a grouse chase me for a quarter mile once on a hiking trail for getting too close to her tiny fluff balls of babies that she had (pretty stupidly) stashed right on the edge of a public hiking trail.  Busy grouse, that one.
I had to pick up a stick and pretend I was going to hit her with it in order to keep her from running right up and flapping me to death.  It's not just geese.


----------



## OldLady

I'm no ornithologist, but I do pay attention to the birds around me.  Yesterday I was chuckling about an adolescent seagull sitting with its parent on the roof ridge; the young ones look twice the size of the adults, but it is either baby fat or fluffy feathers or both.  Despite their size, they don't let their adult too far out of sight, either.


----------



## beautress

I think that young gull mighta been a mama's gull...


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Common Grackles
> 
> Found lots of pictures of grackles in the search engine along with a plethora of sound bytes. They're squeaky, but not as loud as a Mynah Bird nor even a crow. They are about, well, a little less than Blue Jays. It's fun to watch them collect around cars at the local Walmart parking lot, where all trees were removed a couple of years ago due to hundreds of them nesting there. They took out the trees, so not as many of them visit, but the ones I saw a few mornings ago were likely on their migration path to warmer climates. These birds were healthy and happy looking, and I felt so bad I didn't have so much as a piece of popcorn to share with them.    Well, maybe the next time if the manager's not out and about, looking.
> 
> All those smilies, and not a single one of them is a grackle...As I recollect, during the summertimes we lived in Wyoming, these odd little black birds that were too shiny to be crows, half of which had tails longer than their big bodies, though they weren't as big as crows nor as small as red-winged (and other) blackbirds. They were grackles, and the ones with long tails are known as boat-tailed grackles. For some reason, they didn't get into each others way, coexisted, and all, but wound up at the same roadside picnic ground near that big rock a few miles west of Casper, Wyoming, where we lived for at least 35 years, all told. Oh, the name of the rock was Independence Rock. It's been almost 10 years since we left the Equality State to retire in rural Texas, where it is warm as many months of the year as it was for cold months in Wyoming.
> I'm just having a little fun until I have passed the 2-day bar to send links to bird pictures. I have to remember they put wild birds out in the garage here at US Message Board. Us bird lovers know our birds we see are pets, only they choose when they come and go. But a word of warning: I'm likely to flip out if you live in mountain bluebird territory and one visits your feeder when a camera is in your hand...
> 
> Well, nite-nighty, all bird lovers, even if our dear little birdies have to be cooped up here in this ol' garage area of cyberspace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My dear friend in New Jersey who took me out birding and set me up with a life list would point out the grackles and their distinctive habits splayed all over the lawns around Cape May when we were birding in season.  Remember it well.
> 
> Becki, how glorious it is to have you and this thread back.    I should go maintain my feeders.  Last winter a black bear came onto my porch and got into them.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I hope you will deliver a picture of the next time you encounter those cheerful chirpers that beg food so convincingly you know they're hungry. It's just the grackle way. Also, pictures of your bird feeder would be most welcome.
Click to expand...


Ain't nuttin' special.  I do have some old hummer pics though...

Check it out --- caught one standing still




What else happens around here is when I go outside the Rufus Towhees approach me and start tweeting.  They remember me as the purveyor of those nice black sunflower seeds they like.  I tweet back at them.  It's a continuous conversation.


----------



## Pogo

OldLady said:


> Question, Beautress:
> On my way to work a couple days ago, there was a big group of the birds on the left walking on the side of the road.  Maybe a dozen or so.
> My immediate thought was "female turkeys" but I didn't know large groups of them hung out together like a bunch of chickens, so I questioned my identification.  Do they hang out in big groups like that, normally, or is someone raising them like domestics?



They do around these parts, there's tons of wild turkey in these woods.  So much you have to be careful driving not to run into them on the more rural roads.  I haven't seen as many as a dozen but at least half a dozen.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Common Grackles
> 
> Found lots of pictures of grackles in the search engine along with a plethora of sound bytes. They're squeaky, but not as loud as a Mynah Bird nor even a crow. They are about, well, a little less than Blue Jays. It's fun to watch them collect around cars at the local Walmart parking lot, where all trees were removed a couple of years ago due to hundreds of them nesting there. They took out the trees, so not as many of them visit, but the ones I saw a few mornings ago were likely on their migration path to warmer climates. These birds were healthy and happy looking, and I felt so bad I didn't have so much as a piece of popcorn to share with them.    Well, maybe the next time if the manager's not out and about, looking.
> 
> All those smilies, and not a single one of them is a grackle...As I recollect, during the summertimes we lived in Wyoming, these odd little black birds that were too shiny to be crows, half of which had tails longer than their big bodies, though they weren't as big as crows nor as small as red-winged (and other) blackbirds. They were grackles, and the ones with long tails are known as boat-tailed grackles. For some reason, they didn't get into each others way, coexisted, and all, but wound up at the same roadside picnic ground near that big rock a few miles west of Casper, Wyoming, where we lived for at least 35 years, all told. Oh, the name of the rock was Independence Rock. It's been almost 10 years since we left the Equality State to retire in rural Texas, where it is warm as many months of the year as it was for cold months in Wyoming.
> I'm just having a little fun until I have passed the 2-day bar to send links to bird pictures. I have to remember they put wild birds out in the garage here at US Message Board. Us bird lovers know our birds we see are pets, only they choose when they come and go. But a word of warning: I'm likely to flip out if you live in mountain bluebird territory and one visits your feeder when a camera is in your hand...
> 
> Well, nite-nighty, all bird lovers, even if our dear little birdies have to be cooped up here in this ol' garage area of cyberspace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My dear friend in New Jersey who took me out birding and set me up with a life list would point out the grackles and their distinctive habits splayed all over the lawns around Cape May when we were birding in season.  Remember it well.
> 
> Becki, how glorious it is to have you and this thread back.    I should go maintain my feeders.  Last winter a black bear came onto my porch and got into them.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I hope you will deliver a picture of the next time you encounter those cheerful chirpers that beg food so convincingly you know they're hungry. It's just the grackle way. Also, pictures of your bird feeder would be most welcome.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Ain't nuttin' special.  I do have some old hummer pics though...
> 
> Check it out --- caught one standing still
> 
> View attachment 219677​
> What else happens around here is when I go outside the Rufus Towhees approach me and start tweeting.  They remember me as the purveyor of those nice black sunflower seeds they like.  I tweet back at them.  It's a continuous conversation.
Click to expand...

What a beautiful shot of a sweet birdie that hummingbirds are, pogo. Mwaaa to yer face for posting it.


----------



## beautress

This bird, the orange-crowned warbler was on today's calendar I received from the Audubon Society last year for the year 2018: Oct. 12, 2018: The images were in bing. At least one of the images is from the Audubon society. A lot of species are dimorphic, and the females of a lot of species blend in with the background, which is a protective shield of nature from predators when they are multitasking a brood of eggs and chicks. It's the Lord's gift that says "I love you and give you protection from harm when you need it."












​


----------



## beautress

Today's bird (on the 2018 Audubon bird calendar), the Mountain Bluebird - they cute.



​


----------



## beautress

Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!

1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse

range








​


----------



## beautress

#2 Cactus Wren Monday, Oct. 15 on 2018 calendar, page with information and the sound of the bird's calls at Audubon.org: Cactus Wren

Map showing range of the Cactus Wren:






Range of the Cactus Wren






​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​



I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.

I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:





(stock photo, not mine)​
Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.


----------



## beautress

Tufted Titmouse - today and tomorrow (October 16 and 17) on 2018 calendar
Range





Page at Audubon.org: Reads like a field guide, songs and calls, pictures/drawings, habitat, etc. - Tufted Titmouse




​


----------



## Pogo

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
Click to expand...



Also forgot to mention, the aforementioned Rufus Towhees that seem to have increased since I started mongering sunflower seeds, and the summer hummers, and one of my favorite birds, when I get around to putting food out for them, finches.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
Click to expand...

He's beautiful, Pogo. We have a lot of Tufted titmice, too, and boucoup woodpeckers. My favorite one that I see several times a year has a total red head. See if I can find one:

Yep. One just like these comes on the porch and turns every whicha-way on a feeder to dine. What a character.:








​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> He's beautiful, Pogo. We have a lot of Tufted titmice, too, and boucoup woodpeckers. My favorite one that I see several times a year has a total red head. See if I can find one:
> 
> Yep. One just like these comes on the porch and turns every whicha-way on a feeder to dine. What a character.:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
Click to expand...


A redhead!  Aren't you out west though?


----------



## beautress

I live in rural Walker County, Texas now. Retired in 2009, after living in CA, OR, and Wyoming for a total of 45 years, 35 of which were in the Hurricane Alley-Dead Horse Hill area of Casper, WY. Lost my husband a couple of years back. I've been gone from USMB for several years, now, because his last couple of years with dementia were an uphill battle for him, but finally came to grips with moving on. It took me about 2 years to figure out the best guy who ever lived is not coming back. His ashes are interred in the Prayer Garden at our church, which keeps his memory close. I missed USMB people a lot.  I posted a few times from the library here, but never could remember my old password, which is somewhere in my 2012 Audubon engagement calendar, which I haven't been able to locate for probably 2 or 3 years now. I spent a lot of my time doing charity quilts and figuring out strategies to keep my dearly demented husband out of the notice of the sheriffs in 3 counties. He'd slip away into the only car we have, so I'd have to get my sister to retrieve him and the truck that no longer had gas in the tank. lol. His illness kept me on my toes.

He helped me keep the bird feeders in the yard. I didn't do a very good job at first after he died, but now, I have 2 feeders full and a hummingbird sip station, and saw some cuties just a week ago all there at the same time, 3 green ones. I don't know how I got so lucky to pick an acreage that has resident red headed woodpeckers, but when Bill was alive, I think we had more cardinals in our front yard than Wyoming had in the whole state (It is the 7th largest landwise state and had about 500,000 people total in the state, if you threw in a few antelopes, which are as numerous if not more so than people in the state.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Also forgot to mention, the aforementioned Rufus Towhees that seem to have increased since I started mongering sunflower seeds, and the summer hummers, and one of my favorite birds, when I get around to putting food out for them, finches.
Click to expand...

Rufus Towhees, hm... I'll have to look them up. There's a lot I don't know about birds in America, Pogo. I'm going to find a Rufus Towhee picture before this post is done.

​


----------



## beautress

Wow, this was found when I was trolling the birds on YouTube.  

​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Also forgot to mention, the aforementioned Rufus Towhees that seem to have increased since I started mongering sunflower seeds, and the summer hummers, and one of my favorite birds, when I get around to putting food out for them, finches.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Rufus Towhees, hm... I'll have to look them up. There's a lot I don't know about birds in America, Pogo. I'm going to find a Rufus Towhee picture before this post is done.
> 
> ​
Click to expand...


That's the song but what I use to converse with them is the call -- a sweeping  'suuueeeet'  -- as listed here.

Do you know about the Cornell library of birds?  Awesome comprehensive resource.


----------



## Pogo

Two other of my favorite bird songs -- okay THE two favorite --  are both from the other end of the year in the spring.  I very occasionally get to hear my *Phoebe* but it's a beautiful sound to wake up to.

And the other especially active at dusk is the *wood thrush* with its four-part flute-like song with lots of regional dialects.  Here's one --- this is incredible photography:

​


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Also forgot to mention, the aforementioned Rufus Towhees that seem to have increased since I started mongering sunflower seeds, and the summer hummers, and one of my favorite birds, when I get around to putting food out for them, finches.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Rufus Towhees, hm... I'll have to look them up. There's a lot I don't know about birds in America, Pogo. I'm going to find a Rufus Towhee picture before this post is done.
> 
> ​
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That's the song but what I use to converse with them is the call -- a sweeping  'suuueeeet'  -- as listed here.
> 
> Do you know about the Cornell library of birds?  Awesome comprehensive resource.
Click to expand...

The Cornell Lab? Yep, Pogo, when I introduced this thread back when, I put a list of convenient sources for wannabe birders like me could use: Wild Side Ornithology Club
I'm so delighted you have a love for birds, and I've already learned a lot from you here just in the last few days. Some of those bird links could be outdated, but I bet the Cornell bird lab still works. Sorry I forgot freedombecki's password. It was in a book I lost and for many months before and 2 years after, I was consumed with my husband's serious health issues and losing him, too.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, 3 more days--Sunday, Oct 14, 2018, Audubon showed their own picture of Black-crested Titmouse, the15th, Cactus Wren, and Oct 16 and 17, Tufted Titmouse. See if I can find them on the web to bring here (not always Audubon, but it's nice when someone there has them. I'm not certain how they come about putting all these pictures on their yearly calendars, but they leave space for you to write in something about the day, usually, if anything, I write when I finished a quilt. Lately, it's been a little busy, so I failed to write down the completion of several quits, so I won't have much to show for October. lol!
> 
> 1. Black-crested Titmouse Page at Audubon.org: Black-crested Titmouse
> 
> range
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got oodles and oodles of Tufted Titmice here Becki. They and the Chickadees are the most common partakers at my feeders.  After that I get an occasional Nuthatch, and there are wrens who periodically build a nest in a box on my porch that must have been put there for that purpose.
> 
> I get an assortment of woodpeckers too including the rare Red Cockaded Woodpecker that I spotted at least once:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (stock photo, not mine)​
> Over the weekend I was driving to a MINI Cooper run and I spotted a Pileated Woodpecker swoop up from a low bush to a tree just before I drove by it.  We hear them here a lot and see them once in a while especially once the leaves drop.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Also forgot to mention, the aforementioned Rufus Towhees that seem to have increased since I started mongering sunflower seeds, and the summer hummers, and one of my favorite birds, when I get around to putting food out for them, finches.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Rufus Towhees, hm... I'll have to look them up. There's a lot I don't know about birds in America, Pogo. I'm going to find a Rufus Towhee picture before this post is done.
> 
> ​
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> That's the song but what I use to converse with them is the call -- a sweeping  'suuueeeet'  -- as listed here.
> 
> Do you know about the Cornell library of birds?  Awesome comprehensive resource.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The Cornell Lab? Yep, Pogo, when I introduced this thread back when, I put a list of convenient sources for wannabe birders like me could use: Wild Side Ornithology Club
> I'm so delighted you have a love for birds, and I've already learned a lot from you here just in the last few days. Some of those bird links could be outdated, but I bet the Cornell bird lab still works. Sorry I forgot freedombecki's password. It was in a book I lost and for many months before and 2 years after, I was consumed with my husband's serious health issues and losing him, too.
Click to expand...


And again consolations and hugs for that loss 

But there are still birds and beauty and good company.

My knowledge of birds has been passed to me by two very wise Women.  It was an unforgettable gift that literally keeps on giving every time I hear a wood thrush calling or watch a finch feeding.

One year, it was maybe March or so and I wasn't sure if it was warm enough to put up the hummer feeders when this hummer swooped in front of my face, out of nowhere, with a demanding attitude.  "YO, WHERE DA FOOD AT" is what I think he said.    They know me.


----------



## beautress

Today, bing search engine (that I love) opened with a blue heron like no other. Later on, I couldn't find the same pic, but here are some others: They hang around my small lake behind the house, and their sport is competitively chasing the great white egrets around. Nobody ever wins, but quite often they tend to be on opposite sides of the bend in Freedom Lake. *sigh* I tend to root for the egrets because their often found on the endangered list, and I live to see them train their young to fly south each fall. Migration is not unexpected, and they know that in order for their brood to fly far, they need to develop sturdy flying muscles and a strong will to keep up. Both parents engage in the instruction lessons. Birds are brighter than we give them credit in their being. I hope I get to watch the herons someday teaching their young, but so far, I've never witnessed them. I did notice for a few years, the heron that visited most often was a shade of mauve I've never seen anywhere else. She was a lovely sight in her purplish pink attire.











Love those cute babies!


----------



## beautress

Oh, yes, and the calendar bird du jour is the Pine Grosbeak. I'll see if I can find an image as pretty as the one on today's calendar from the Audubon Society.

Here's the calendar girl:




​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Oh, yes, and the calendar bird du jour is the Pine Grosbeak. I'll see if I can find an image as pretty as the one on today's calendar from the Audubon Society.
> 
> Here's the calendar girl:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​




That is stunningly beautiful.  That's all that can be said.


----------



## beautress

Well, the Male Pine Grosbeak (who was not shown on today's Audubon Calendar square) is rather fetching, himself:





​


----------



## beautress

And the pair of Pine Grosbeaks below is a very good illustration of their dimorphism.




​


----------



## beautress

The Loggerhead Shrike is on Audubon Calendar for today and tomorrow. Searching the web now: Oh, I just now found a real cutie of the Loggerhead Shrike family:









Link to BBS Map of Loggerhead Shrikes: Loggerhead Shrike

Loggerhead Shrike page at Audubon: Loggerhead Shrike​


----------



## beautress

I'm concerned about birds that are threatened with extinction after receiving a notice from the Audubon Society, where I've linked to so often because of the calendars I buy every year that they publish. The calendar features one bird per diem (and sometimes one for 2 days) that brighten the square you write stuff on, where you went, projects you finished, and whatever you use the calendar to remind you to do, phone numbers, doctor appointments, professional concerns you dealt with that day, even vacation notes... anyhow, I love my bird calendars and use them or not, I love seeing the bird pictures even if I cannot remember the names and details of each different bird. I once read there are over 900 birds who reside in or visit temporarily the North American continent's USA. Smarter birders than me can keep them all in their head, but I can't, so my contribution is this thread where whoever has something to bring to the table is more than appreciated!

Here's the table of endangered birds I found at the Audubon society for the Texas region: Geographical Search

I'm not sure what qualifies us to know the birds are endangered, but there are birders on their own levels who count birds at Christmas (CBC) and at BBC (some kind of Bird Count that starts with a B). Please bear with me as I learn, but I will try to bring forth an endangered bird from the Audubon Society's endangered list from time to time, and if you find species which have a significant reduction in sightings from year to year and - possibly for reasons unknown - I hope you will bring them to the thread, and if the bird is one you have seen, how you felt when you saw the bird and/or its brood when one picture or another touched you in the heart area. 

Example: The American White Pelican, Geographical Search ,  American White Pelican






Climate Endangered: The American White Pelican
Seasonal Map is here: American White Pelican​
Nesting populations of this species have increased dramatically in the eastern portion of its summer range in recent decades, but the climate space for summering range is forecast to shift dramatically northward and contract for the future. Also, most of the world’s American White Pelicans winter in Mexico, and while Audubon's climate model predicts that the species’ winter range in the U.S. will be likely able to expand and shift northward, further research is needed for a better understanding of whether American White Pelicans may be able to adapt to the shifting available winter range or take advantage of the changing climate suitability for the species as a whole.


\


----------



## beautress

Another friend to the birds was St. Francis of Assissi, who loved animals, from what I have heard, and here is the enchanting story in a glimpse: Francis of Assisi – Blessing Our Brothers, the Birds (3/10/2017) - Faithful Through the Ages - Bible Gateway Devotionals How good it is that love for birds breaks the barriers created by differing politics, religion, races, sex, clan, social standing, _et al._ a quote from the link above about this sainted man: 

_ So close was Francis to nature that he preached sermons to those he regarded as his companions: "Brother birds," he admonished, "you ought to love and praise your Creator very much. He has given you feathers for clothing, wings for flying, and all things that can be of use to you." An environmentalist before his time, he asked the emperor enact laws to protect "our sisters, the birds."_




​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> I'm concerned about birds that are threatened with extinction after receiving a notice from the Audubon Society, where I've linked to so often because of the calendars I buy every year that they publish. The calendar features one bird per diem (and sometimes one for 2 days) that brighten the square you write stuff on, where you went, projects you finished, and whatever you use the calendar to remind you to do, phone numbers, doctor appointments, professional concerns you dealt with that day, even vacation notes... anyhow, I love my bird calendars and use them or not, I love seeing the bird pictures even if I cannot remember the names and details of each different bird. I once read there are over 900 birds who reside in or visit temporarily the North American continent's USA. Smarter birders than me can keep them all in their head, but I can't, so my contribution is this thread where whoever has something to bring to the table is more than appreciated!
> 
> Here's the table of endangered birds I found at the Audubon society for the Texas region: Geographical Search
> 
> I'm not sure what qualifies us to know the birds are endangered, but there are birders on their own levels who count birds at Christmas (CBC) and at BBC (some kind of Bird Count that starts with a B). Please bear with me as I learn, but I will try to bring forth an endangered bird from the Audubon Society's endangered list from time to time, and if you find species which have a significant reduction in sightings from year to year and - possibly for reasons unknown - I hope you will bring them to the thread, and if the bird is one you have seen, how you felt when you saw the bird and/or its brood when one picture or another touched you in the heart area.
> 
> Example: The American White Pelican, Geographical Search ,  American White Pelican
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Climate Endangered: The American White Pelican
> Seasonal Map is here: American White Pelican​
> Nesting populations of this species have increased dramatically in the eastern portion of its summer range in recent decades, but the climate space for summering range is forecast to shift dramatically northward and contract for the future. Also, most of the world’s American White Pelicans winter in Mexico, and while Audubon's climate model predicts that the species’ winter range in the U.S. will be likely able to expand and shift northward, further research is needed for a better understanding of whether American White Pelicans may be able to adapt to the shifting available winter range or take advantage of the changing climate suitability for the species as a whole.
> 
> 
> \



Pelicans are so beautiful.

There's a ferry that crosses the Mississippi River constantly in New Orleans which is a fun ride even if you don't need to cross.  As you're waiting to embark the pelicans gather around the propeller wash and cluster there for a nice bath.


----------



## beautress

These birds are as beautiful in flight as they are predatory by nature. I almost had a run-in with one dark, snowy night on the winding road between Casper and Laramie, Wyoming. It grazed my car, somehow thinking something moving below must be a deer or something edible, or for whatever reason. Its wings were as wide as my car, which may have been obfuscated by the snow falling between my windshield and his flight through the mile-high hilliness of the high plains there. Anyway, I was quite startled by the width of the creature's wings, so much so that my mind's eye sort of took a picture of him, as the spread was as wide as my windshield, and the look on his owly face was one of a predator that was about to outwit its meal. Unfortunately, glass and metal were not on his diet, so he swooped back upward the instant he realized there was nothing to claw into to take with him.




​
The Audubon page on Snowy Owls is here: Snowy Owl 
It has several other fabulous pictures and a map. The lower part of the map, delineated by a running line, is definitely in the range I was driving through, albeit its sightings are said to be "uncommon" during the winter. Well, it scared the bejammers out of me, which is pretty uncommon in itself, since I was something of a laconic landlubber, at least for the 35 years I lived in the Equality State. Wyoming is between Montana (north) and Colorado (south) and looks like a sturdily horizontal rectangle. After my heart stopped beating so fast after half an hour, I realized what an amazing creature I had encountered, an hour from my home in Central Wyoming.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm concerned about birds that are threatened with extinction after receiving a notice from the Audubon Society, where I've linked to so often because of the calendars I buy every year that they publish. The calendar features one bird per diem (and sometimes one for 2 days) that brighten the square you write stuff on, where you went, projects you finished, and whatever you use the calendar to remind you to do, phone numbers, doctor appointments, professional concerns you dealt with that day, even vacation notes... anyhow, I love my bird calendars and use them or not, I love seeing the bird pictures even if I cannot remember the names and details of each different bird. I once read there are over 900 birds who reside in or visit temporarily the North American continent's USA. Smarter birders than me can keep them all in their head, but I can't, so my contribution is this thread where whoever has something to bring to the table is more than appreciated!
> 
> Here's the table of endangered birds I found at the Audubon society for the Texas region: Geographical Search
> 
> I'm not sure what qualifies us to know the birds are endangered, but there are birders on their own levels who count birds at Christmas (CBC) and at BBC (some kind of Bird Count that starts with a B). Please bear with me as I learn, but I will try to bring forth an endangered bird from the Audubon Society's endangered list from time to time, and if you find species which have a significant reduction in sightings from year to year and - possibly for reasons unknown - I hope you will bring them to the thread, and if the bird is one you have seen, how you felt when you saw the bird and/or its brood when one picture or another touched you in the heart area.
> 
> Example: The American White Pelican, Geographical Search ,  American White Pelican
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Climate Endangered: The American White Pelican
> Seasonal Map is here: American White Pelican​
> Nesting populations of this species have increased dramatically in the eastern portion of its summer range in recent decades, but the climate space for summering range is forecast to shift dramatically northward and contract for the future. Also, most of the world’s American White Pelicans winter in Mexico, and while Audubon's climate model predicts that the species’ winter range in the U.S. will be likely able to expand and shift northward, further research is needed for a better understanding of whether American White Pelicans may be able to adapt to the shifting available winter range or take advantage of the changing climate suitability for the species as a whole.
> 
> 
> \
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pelicans are so beautiful.
> 
> There's a ferry that crosses the Mississippi River constantly in New Orleans which is a fun ride even if you don't need to cross.  As you're waiting to embark the pelicans gather around the propeller wash and cluster there for a nice bath.
Click to expand...

"Pelicans are so beautiful"

That is absolutely right on, Pogo. Lake Livingston, which is about an hour's drive from my home gave me some eye candy about 3 years ago, when I was passing two bodies of water with the small town of Onalaska in a peninsula between them. I noticed all these white birds with black-tipped wings hanging around everywhere. There must have been the entire Gulf coast population of them, just thousands of them hanging around, prolific in about a 4 square-mile area I passed. And man, beautiful were they ever! I had never considered them beautiful before until I saw them interacting with the joy of being alive, together, and in the sunshine of that amazing day. Thanks for reminding me how beautiful they are, Pogo. You brought back one of the best memories I will ever have of birds having a convention and enjoying every ray of sunlight they were soaking up. What a gregarious bunch of cutie pies. *sigh*


----------



## beautress

Oh, yeah, and if they were headed for extinction, the other birders may have forgotten to look deep in the heart of Texas, because there they were, hundreds of thousands of them, just having the time of their life.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Oh, yeah, and if they were headed for extinction, the other birders may have forgotten to look deep in the heart of Texas, because there they were, hundreds of thousands of them, just having the time of their life.



It's my understanding that the pelicans in Louisiana -- the Pelican State, for those who remember that motto -- actually were extinguished there and had to be restocked from some populations brought over from Florida.

Well at least we were able to fix it.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, yeah, and if they were headed for extinction, the other birders may have forgotten to look deep in the heart of Texas, because there they were, hundreds of thousands of them, just having the time of their life.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's my understanding that the pelicans in Louisiana -- the Pelican State, for those who remember that motto -- actually were extinguished there and had to be restocked from some populations brought over from Florida.
> 
> Well at least we were able to fix it.
Click to expand...

Yes, Pogo, our world has lost a lot of delightful birds--the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Passenger Pigeons. If only they had headed somewhere nobody would have messed with them and I got to see a colony of either of them someday. On my small property, I swear I have seen at least two birds, I don't even know if they exist anywhere else, only saw each one only once*. One was a Kelly green iridescent bird that was bigger than a pigeon but smaller than a goose with a streamlined long neck and just that eyeful of iridescent green, a neither long nor short tail, and we just stood there and watched each other for several minutes. I was like stunned, and I've looked in every bird book I own and have never seen such a bird in any of them. I have no idea what I was looking at, but was he a stunningly graceful animal. That was about 5 years ago, maybe. The year my late husband and I arrived here I saw this unbelievable solid red bird hanging out in the trees south of my southwest pasture, which borders a seasonal stream ravine, and it was the size of a parrot. Unfortunately, I went into the house to grab a camera, but by the time I got back, all was left were the grey branches of prespring woods before the leaves roll out. That red against the bluish gray may have been what made it such a stunning sight. Oh, yes, and prespring here is definitely not cold weather, probably was somewhere between 55 and 65 degrees. Might have been early in 2010, we hadn't been here quite a year. Again, I have no idea if I was looking at a large Amazonian red parrot. Maybe one got lost and flew too far as we are about a hundred miles north of Galveston, Texas, which greets the Gulf of Mexico directly to its south. Could a parrot have flown from South America all the way North across the entire Gulf and a hundred miles up this way to find a bite to eat? I don't know. Just sayin'. What got my attention was the absence of any other color than red, and at first, I thought somebody threw a too-bright red shirt up in those trees, but when I walked closer to where I had sighted it, there was nothing remotely red anywhere around that stand of deciduous trees by the ravine. Gone is gone.

Thanks for the chat. I have to get going to do a little mowing while the sun's shining and it hasn't rained for about 6 hours now. Have an absolutely wonderful weekend, Pogo. 

*edit: not twice, only once. lol


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, yeah, and if they were headed for extinction, the other birders may have forgotten to look deep in the heart of Texas, because there they were, hundreds of thousands of them, just having the time of their life.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's my understanding that the pelicans in Louisiana -- the Pelican State, for those who remember that motto -- actually were extinguished there and had to be restocked from some populations brought over from Florida.
> 
> Well at least we were able to fix it.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yes, Pogo, our world has lost a lot of delightful birds--the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Passenger Pigeons. If only they had headed somewhere nobody would have messed with them and I got to see a colony of either of them someday. On my small property, I swear I have seen at least two birds, I don't even know if they exist anywhere else, only saw each one twice. One was a Kelly green iridescent bird that was bigger than a pigeon but smaller than a goose with a streamlined long neck and just that eyeful of iridescent green, a neither long nor short tail, and we just stood there and watched each other for several minutes. I was like stunned, and I've looked in every bird book I own and have never seen such a bird in any of them. I have no idea what I was looking at, but was he a stunningly graceful animal. That was about 5 years ago, maybe. The year my late husband and I arrived here I saw this unbelievable solid red bird hanging out in the trees south of my southwest pasture, which borders a seasonal stream ravine, and it was the size of a parrot. Unfortunately, I went into the house to grab a camera, but by the time I got back, all was left were the grey branches of prespring woods before the leaves roll out. That red against the bluish gray may have been what made it such a stunning sight. Oh, yes, and prespring here is definitely not cold weather, probably was somewhere between 55 and 65 degrees. Might have been early in 2010, we hadn't been here quite a year. Again, I have no idea if I was looking at a large Amazonian red parrot. Maybe one got lost and flew too far as we are about a hundred miles north of Galveston, Texas, which greets the Gulf of Mexico directly to its south. Could a parrot have flown from South America all the way North across the entire Gulf and a hundred miles up this way to find a bite to eat? I don't know. Just sayin'. What got my attention was the absence of any other color than red, and at first, I thought somebody threw a too-bright red shirt up in those trees, but when I walked closer to where I had sighted it, there was nothing remotely red anywhere around that stand of deciduous trees by the ravine. Gone is gone.
> 
> Thanks for the chat. I have to get going to do a little mowing while the sun's shining and it hasn't rained for about 6 hours now. Have an absolutely wonderful weekend, Pogo.
Click to expand...


You too Beateous Becki.  

I'm actually working all weekend (right now) --- but it's going well.  

I don't think I can match your Amazonian parrot et al but a few years ago I was in Cleveland and they asked me to go from there to Detroit, so I meandered along the highway across northern Ohio and came upon a bird sanctuary.  I had plenty of time so I stopped, not even realizing it was May and the peak of the migration season, and the place was packed, I mean packed, with very serious birders, calling out breeds and carrying cameras the size of Volkswagens.  The people who shoot those awesome pictures we see later.  They were all there.  It was magical.  Never have I seen so many varieties of everything in such a short time.


----------



## beautress

​


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, yeah, and if they were headed for extinction, the other birders may have forgotten to look deep in the heart of Texas, because there they were, hundreds of thousands of them, just having the time of their life.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's my understanding that the pelicans in Louisiana -- the Pelican State, for those who remember that motto -- actually were extinguished there and had to be restocked from some populations brought over from Florida.
> 
> Well at least we were able to fix it.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yes, Pogo, our world has lost a lot of delightful birds--the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Passenger Pigeons. If only they had headed somewhere nobody would have messed with them and I got to see a colony of either of them someday. On my small property, I swear I have seen at least two birds, I don't even know if they exist anywhere else, only saw each one twice. One was a Kelly green iridescent bird that was bigger than a pigeon but smaller than a goose with a streamlined long neck and just that eyeful of iridescent green, a neither long nor short tail, and we just stood there and watched each other for several minutes. I was like stunned, and I've looked in every bird book I own and have never seen such a bird in any of them. I have no idea what I was looking at, but was he a stunningly graceful animal. That was about 5 years ago, maybe. The year my late husband and I arrived here I saw this unbelievable solid red bird hanging out in the trees south of my southwest pasture, which borders a seasonal stream ravine, and it was the size of a parrot. Unfortunately, I went into the house to grab a camera, but by the time I got back, all was left were the grey branches of prespring woods before the leaves roll out. That red against the bluish gray may have been what made it such a stunning sight. Oh, yes, and prespring here is definitely not cold weather, probably was somewhere between 55 and 65 degrees. Might have been early in 2010, we hadn't been here quite a year. Again, I have no idea if I was looking at a large Amazonian red parrot. Maybe one got lost and flew too far as we are about a hundred miles north of Galveston, Texas, which greets the Gulf of Mexico directly to its south. Could a parrot have flown from South America all the way North across the entire Gulf and a hundred miles up this way to find a bite to eat? I don't know. Just sayin'. What got my attention was the absence of any other color than red, and at first, I thought somebody threw a too-bright red shirt up in those trees, but when I walked closer to where I had sighted it, there was nothing remotely red anywhere around that stand of deciduous trees by the ravine. Gone is gone.
> 
> Thanks for the chat. I have to get going to do a little mowing while the sun's shining and it hasn't rained for about 6 hours now. Have an absolutely wonderful weekend, Pogo.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> You too Beateous Becki.
> 
> I'm actually working all weekend (right now) --- but it's going well.
> 
> I don't think I can match your Amazonian parrot et al but a few years ago I was in Cleveland and they asked me to go from there to Detroit, so I meandered along the highway across northern Ohio and came upon a bird sanctuary.  I had plenty of time so I stopped, not even realizing it was May and the peak of the migration season, and the place was packed, I mean packed, with very serious birders, calling out breeds and carrying cameras the size of Volkswagens.  The people who shoot those awesome pictures we see later.  They were all there.  It was magical.  Never have I seen so many varieties of everything in such a short time.
Click to expand...

Sounds amazing to me, Pogo! My front yard had 100+ different types of birds any given week of the summer (and quite a few in the winter) the first few years here. I couldn't get over it. Tons and tons. See if I can find some small pics.

​


----------



## beautress

Oh, I got away from birds on the 2018 Audubon Calendar. If you love birds, I hope you contact the Audubon folks for engagement calendars and their specie-a-day calendars (or whatever you call them.) I do my best to at least buy them if through Amazon or Ebay, and if you prefer other online bookstores, you can find them through your favorite search engine. I will just list them, and link to a source from now on, since sometimes the pictures disappear, prolly for good cause by the mods.

Yesterday, my calendar from Audubon Society showed a Green Jay (Nov. 1), and the Lark Sparrow occupies the days of Nov. 2 and 3.

The Green Jay, with its map and at least 3 pictures of their splendid beauty are here at the Audubon Society's Field Guide: Green Jay
Note, that if you want to see one, you better take your best binoculars to South Texas in the triangular area of Laredo, Brownsville, and Corpus Christi with the caution that these are very elusive birds, and they are hard to find, even when you're right on top of them. lol

The Lark Sparrow, according to Audubon is on this page:  Lark Sparrow

If coloration is true, this bird is candy to the eye in neutral shades, and has all the loved shades of copper, cool grey-beige, warm beige, black, white, and all shades of brown imaginable, from darkest to lightest. And Audubon has the most delightful 4 songs and 2 calls published toward the bottom of the Lark Sparrow's Audubon Field Guide page.

Hope the links will be satisfactory until I get a camera and figure out how to hook up my wireless scanner when that day comes, if ever. I'm so electronically challenged!


----------



## beautress

Cornell Ornithology Lab has a great song id video entitled "Bird Song Heros" ~ And here it is:

​


----------



## beautress

Tory Petersen's Guide for learning birdsongs along with his book shown on the video cover:

​


----------



## beautress

This is at youtube, and is just enjoying the sound of birds, no worries... goes on for a couple of hours and nice background noise if you are doing something tedious. I think I will listen while quilting. 
​


----------



## beautress

The above goes on for 2 hours. This one has slightly different birds of the forest but is a 3-hour nap, it that is on your agenda for the afternoon or evening. Happy listening and have the best dreams ever!
​


----------



## yiostheoy

freedombecki said:


> Yeah, I could've named this "Aesthetics of Ornithology", but would you then have opened the door to that amazing world filled with foreign-language visitors to your backyard, shoreline, National Park vacation lands, or at a friend's farm?
> 
> Welcome to Shangri-La! Birds are a blast, but thanks to Alfred Hitchcock's epic film, "Birds" our entire culture (well, not all) grew suspicious of our global companions as fearsome interlopers rather than the caroling community and vermin eliminators who gather at backyard feeders across the civilized world, looking for a meal and leaving a song in our hearts and free fertilizer for our lawns and even the beautiful meadow flowers we see out in the country lands of America.
> 
> If you have a favorite bird, or know what kind of bird is so beloved in your state, please share a picture or two of birds you may have photographed. Because I am approximately the world's worst photographer, I will try to share credited public domain photos to those who kindly list their pictures as nonprofit use for amateurs who just love birds and want to share a picture of a particular type of bird with those who have a love for birds in common.
> 
> Thanks for opening the lost-leader thread, and as time goes on, I hope you enjoy the amazing world of birds, and I'm hoping one or two of you are avid birders, members of the Audubon Society, or registered ornithologists. Hey, I'm none of the above, but I love birds and admire anyone who has a degree in ornithology and respects those elusive little warblers as well as those fearsome wilderness vamps known as snowy owls, one of whom sideswiped my car on a dark, cold road in a snowstorm in Wyoming 20 years ago. Actually, it was a full-frontal assault with him diving at me, and I saw the bright yellow of his huge eyes just before he changed course and flew upwards as I was just driving down the road on the way home between Laramie and Clark's Corner. He frightened me so completely, my heart was thumping for half an hour afterward, and I'll never forget it.
> 
> Most of my experiences watching and enjoying birds have been very good ones, and they're worth every minute I spent enjoying observing their playful antics on edging out the competition at the bird feeder. And the farm where we live now has the special treat of being a favorite spot of those fabulous and inimitable summer tanagers.
> 
> [ame=[MEDIA=youtube]Ufkcx-UqljM[/MEDIA] Owl Invasion - YouTube[/ame]​Some links that may help acquaint you with a wild bird you've seen that you cannot quite name yet and other resources for understanding our feathered friends:
> 
> Cornell Lab of Ornithology
> 
> Macauly Library
> 
> Patuxent Bird Identification Center
> 
> What Bird - Novel Way to Identify the Bird you just heard or saw​
> Smithsonian Institution, National Bird Collection
> 
> British Trust for Ornithology
> 
> Birds of North America - Life Histories of breeding birds
> 
> Birds of Mexico Checklist
> 
> Birds of Canada Checklist
> 
> Birds of the USA
> 
> Nature Worldwide Birds


This bird has not posted in 3 years.

Probably died by now and was eaten by buzzards.


----------



## yiostheoy

beautress said:


> A song sparrow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A song sparrow nest of eggs:


I often come home to find feathers all over my living room.

It means my cat has been successful outside again.

A few days ago he brought me home a fat pigeon.

So I skinned it and cleaned it for him and put it on his dinner plate.

He ate it all.

He is a good kitty.


----------



## beautress

St. Francis, Lover of birds...



"My sweet little sisters, birds of the sky," Francis said, "you are bound to heaven, to God, your Creator. In every beat of your wings and every note of your songs, praise him. He has given you the greatest of gifts, the freedom of the air. You neither sow, nor reap, yet God provides for you the most delicious food, rivers, and lakes to quench your thirst, mountains, and valleys for your home, tall trees to build your nests, and the most beautiful clothing: a change of feathers with every season. You and your kind were preserved in Noah's Ark. Clearly, our Creator loves you dearly, since he gives you gifts so abundantly. So please beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and always sing praise to God."

"While Francis said these words, all those birds began to open their beaks, and stretch out their necks, and spread their wings, and bend their heads reverently toward the earth, and with acts and songs, they showed that the holy father [Francis] gave them great pleasure."  Source: Saint Francis of Assisi's Sermon to Birds

St. Francis, September 26, 1181 to  Oct 3, 1226

More about the life and works of St. Francis and his love for animals and their care here: Saint Francis of Assisi biography, birth date, birth place and pictures


----------



## beautress

What a coincidence. In Italy, there was a storm yesterday in which 17 people have died and 14 million trees were decimated through yesterday evening:
​





Italian storms claim 17th life, and 14 million trees | Reuters
​The loss of 14 million trees in the area of the storm's path across that area of the Mediterrannean (see map for the latest day of the storm that has been raging for several days), and there was some mention of Austria, too, not shown on this map. That is a lot of loss of habitat for birds who make their home in forests and all over the area, so my prayers are up for all the wild birds that have been hard-hit. All I could find in video was here:

​​


----------



## beautress

While this may have nothing to the cyclone-like storm that has troubled the eu in October and November of this year (2018,) I found a weather report that shows what happened to a lot of birds in a hurricane in the recent past, which may be how birds have adapted a survival strategy to get through unimaginable weather:

​Still praying for the birds, though.


----------



## Pogo

yiostheoy said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> A song sparrow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A song sparrow nest of eggs:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I often come home to find feathers all over my living room.
> 
> It means my cat has been successful outside again.
> 
> A few days ago he brought me home a fat pigeon.
> 
> So I skinned it and cleaned it for him and put it on his dinner plate.
> 
> He ate it all.
> 
> He is a good kitty.
Click to expand...


NEGGED. 

My cat has chased a bird into the house and a couple of chipmunks/squirrels over the years.  When the chipmunk gets away and hides somewhere that's when I set the Havahart trap so he corrals himself unharmed and I can take him back out to the woods to set him free.

There is nothing to be gained or gloated over from gratuitous killing of the innocent.  Zero.  You should be thread-banned here since you just don't get it and have no purpose other than trolling those who do.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> While this may have nothing to the cyclone-like storm that has troubled the eu in October and November of this year (2018,) I found a weather report that shows what happened to a lot of birds in a hurricane in the recent past, which may be how birds have adapted a survival strategy to get through unimaginable weather:
> 
> ​Still praying for the birds, though.



Becki, ain't it amazing how they just seem to be connected to the Universal Subconscious that tells them to stay in the eye, just as they all just "know" to turn left in unison?  Boggles the mind.  One of many ways in which the animals are smarter than we are.  Or at least more connected with Nature.


----------



## Pogo

Check this out Becki....

​


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> While this may have nothing to the cyclone-like storm that has troubled the eu in October and November of this year (2018,) I found a weather report that shows what happened to a lot of birds in a hurricane in the recent past, which may be how birds have adapted a survival strategy to get through unimaginable weather:
> 
> ​Still praying for the birds, though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Becki, ain't it amazing how they just seem to be connected to the Universal Subconscious that tells them to stay in the eye, just as they all just "know" to turn left in unison?  Boggles the mind.  One of many ways in which the animals are smarter than we are.  Or at least more connected with Nature.
Click to expand...

It is amazing, Pogo. For some reason, it never occurred to me that birds had ways to avoid devastation from a storm by just going with it inside of its eye. I almost fell off my chair when I ran across that video of tracking a storm that was truly and hopefully one in a millenia one that wiped out that many trees. I've lost  at least a hundred trees in 9 years on my little wooded areas of my place, a score of them being centennial tall pines, but most of it was due to a several-years drought. This year, after a few more years of not seeing little conifers come up, we've had torrential rains like never before, and I was just wondering if trees have a way of telling Mother Nature "save us because we've lost a lot of centennial trees, and we don't have enough baby trees to replace them." Chemical prayers from earth's natural trees to Heaven? I'm hoping that next late spring, when the rains back down a little, I'll be able to walk out to the back acres and find seedlings of tall pines on the ground. I saw a few right after the drought years subsided some, but not enough. If I were a little younger, I'd look up ranching to see if the land just needed some fertilizer. So far, the deer are abundant back there, and I hate to disturb them too much, because there's also a small manmade lake behind the house that favors me with herons (one of them was a beautiful shade of mauve) and several generations of great white egrets I've enjoyed seeing for the past 10 years. One year, I had the rare pleasure of watching the mama and the papa great egrets instructing 3 fledglings (only slightly smaller than mom and dad) getting flying lessons before they migrated out of their seasonal summer grounds to someplace else. I did see a clump of baby tall pines out back, but all that's left of them are now about 12 feet tall, since they came up from babies since the severe drought of 2011 that lit up skies with fires in seven directions from my place after 2 months of awfully hot 100F - 112F average temperatures, half a week of light rain, then another month of 100 - 112F days as I recollect. Those fires glutted a lot of people's farms and forests all over the State of Texas, and I'll never forget it. I spent my time mowing around the fence so that if the neighbor's wild wooded area to the south, east, and north of my property would not send fires into places birds love on my property, and that if my place experienced holocaust, it would be less threatening to the neighbors as well. Nature cracks her whip if you live in the country. Last summer sometime, we had a storm that created small tornados, and I'm pretty sure several of them decimated my neighbor to the north's roof, 60' of my wood fence to the north, and here and there tree patches around Freedom Lake out back, and my last 4 tall pines left over from the drought, took the tops off 2 of them that survived 2011's furnace weather, and half the skeletal remains of a tall pine that was probably at least 130 feet tall it's last year before falling prey to the weather. I know what nature can do on 14 acres. What was done to 14 million trees north of the Mediterranean got my attention when all I was doing the other day was trying to find out if we could expect more rain here, and I saw the shocking news of a storm spreading holocaust over there in Italy and Austria. And I thought I had losses. I can't even imagine the pictures shown over in the EU.


----------



## beautress

Today's Audubon calendar is the Verdin. Verdin.* The one on the calendar seems to be grey with a yellow cap...

* Verdin Link is to Audubon.org, showing the bird, a map of Western states' southern borders where the birds forage for food, a photo gallery, and interesting facts gleaned from birders who've traveled there just to see the cute little birds called Verdins. They seem to thrive in the shrublands and mesquite forests. The site also includes their sweet little song and some calls. They eat aphids! Youtube

​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Today's Audubon calendar is the Verdin. Verdin.* The one on the calendar seems to be grey with a yellow cap...
> 
> * Verdin Link is to Audubon.org, showing the bird, a map of Western states' southern borders where the birds forage for food, a photo gallery, and interesting facts gleaned from birders who've traveled there just to see the cute little birds called Verdins. They seem to thrive in the shrublands and mesquite forests. The site also includes their sweet little song and some calls. They eat aphids!



Ship me some!  They would feast here, plenty of aphids.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Today's Audubon calendar is the Verdin. Verdin.* The one on the calendar seems to be grey with a yellow cap...
> 
> * Verdin Link is to Audubon.org, showing the bird, a map of Western states' southern borders where the birds forage for food, a photo gallery, and interesting facts gleaned from birders who've traveled there just to see the cute little birds called Verdins. They seem to thrive in the shrublands and mesquite forests. The site also includes their sweet little song and some calls. They eat aphids!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ship me some!  They would feast here, plenty of aphids.
Click to expand...

I think I may have seen one around here a few years back, but there aren't many mesquite trees in Walker County, at least none that I know about, and it takes a whole day to get to West Texas. I know they haven't been around because the condition of my rose bushes this year. I need an ecological friendly way to control aphids, and maybe the ants would leave, too with no aphid milk to relish. I'm sick of ants. They have the audacity to build mounds in the lawn, not to mention anywhere in the field or gravel drive edges out to the farm to market road. And I really hate their mounds by the gates and rural mailbox. I think there are birds who eat ants somewhere.. I'll have to look some up and see if there's any way I can lure them to stay year-round.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Today's Audubon calendar is the Verdin. Verdin.* The one on the calendar seems to be grey with a yellow cap...
> 
> * Verdin Link is to Audubon.org, showing the bird, a map of Western states' southern borders where the birds forage for food, a photo gallery, and interesting facts gleaned from birders who've traveled there just to see the cute little birds called Verdins. They seem to thrive in the shrublands and mesquite forests. The site also includes their sweet little song and some calls. They eat aphids!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ship me some!  They would feast here, plenty of aphids.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think I may have seen one around here a few years back, but there aren't many mesquite trees in Walker County, at least none that I know about, and it takes a whole day to get to West Texas. I know they haven't been around because the condition of my rose bushes this year. I need an ecological friendly way to control aphids, and maybe the ants would leave, too with no aphid milk to relish. I'm sick of ants. They have the audacity to build mounds in the lawn, not to mention anywhere in the field or gravel drive edges out to the farm to market road. And I really hate their mounds by the gates and rural mailbox. I think there are birds who eat ants somewhere.. I'll have to look some up and see if there's any way I can lure them to stay year-round.
Click to expand...


You have ladybugs down there?  They'll feast on aphids.

I only get an occasional ladybug.  I should order some next spring.


----------



## beautress

Well, I found this at a commercial website, but for what it's worth they say:

In the great circle of life, almost everything is part of the food chain. The abundance of ants means that they are an excellent source of food for many other creatures, including birds and other insects. *Sparrows, wrens, antbirds and flickers* are just a few birds that chow down on ants. Some of these birds also engage in the practice of anting, which involves rubbing crushed ants under their wings to serve as an insecticide or fungicide.

Spiders, though not technically insects, eat ants as well. Many a clueless ant has fallen into a spider’s web, becoming a tasty treat for the spider. For us humans, spiders serve an important role in the ecosystem, as they feed on organisms that we would usually consider pests. Do birds or beneficial insects feed on ants? | EcoRaider​Antbirds????? Never heard of 'em. I guess I'd better get the bird feeders on the front porch active again. The cardinals kind of took the place over, and the only birds who'd stand up to them were infrequent jaybirds and woodpeckers who ignored them entirely. I don't know why half the cardinals in the United States took a cotton to my feeders.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Today's Audubon calendar is the Verdin. Verdin.* The one on the calendar seems to be grey with a yellow cap...
> 
> * Verdin Link is to Audubon.org, showing the bird, a map of Western states' southern borders where the birds forage for food, a photo gallery, and interesting facts gleaned from birders who've traveled there just to see the cute little birds called Verdins. They seem to thrive in the shrublands and mesquite forests. The site also includes their sweet little song and some calls. They eat aphids!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ship me some!  They would feast here, plenty of aphids.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think I may have seen one around here a few years back, but there aren't many mesquite trees in Walker County, at least none that I know about, and it takes a whole day to get to West Texas. I know they haven't been around because the condition of my rose bushes this year. I need an ecological friendly way to control aphids, and maybe the ants would leave, too with no aphid milk to relish. I'm sick of ants. They have the audacity to build mounds in the lawn, not to mention anywhere in the field or gravel drive edges out to the farm to market road. And I really hate their mounds by the gates and rural mailbox. I think there are birds who eat ants somewhere.. I'll have to look some up and see if there's any way I can lure them to stay year-round.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> You have ladybugs down there?  They'll feast on aphids.
> 
> I only get an occasional ladybug.  I should order some next spring.
Click to expand...

My sister's best friend used to bring ladybugs to her 2 acre place. I've seen a few ladybugs around, but they are so pretty the birds might consider them a delicacy. Not sure on that count, but I've spent a lot of time indoors for the last 2 months after receiving a pneumonia shot that resulted in over 2 months of pneumonia-like symptoms. When I looked up this year's shot, it said they were inoculating people for multiple pneumonia types of organisms. I've had really bad luck with flu shots (toxic shock and flu symptoms), and rotten luck with a lot of different types of shots until I'm not ever going through that again. The two month battle reminds me of a full-winter battle with flu shot allergy in Wyoming, which has 9- to 10-month winters. They all seem to get topped off with chronic bronchitis toward the end. I'm done with inoculations.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Today's Audubon calendar is the Verdin. Verdin.* The one on the calendar seems to be grey with a yellow cap...
> 
> * Verdin Link is to Audubon.org, showing the bird, a map of Western states' southern borders where the birds forage for food, a photo gallery, and interesting facts gleaned from birders who've traveled there just to see the cute little birds called Verdins. They seem to thrive in the shrublands and mesquite forests. The site also includes their sweet little song and some calls. They eat aphids!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ship me some!  They would feast here, plenty of aphids.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think I may have seen one around here a few years back, but there aren't many mesquite trees in Walker County, at least none that I know about, and it takes a whole day to get to West Texas. I know they haven't been around because the condition of my rose bushes this year. I need an ecological friendly way to control aphids, and maybe the ants would leave, too with no aphid milk to relish. I'm sick of ants. They have the audacity to build mounds in the lawn, not to mention anywhere in the field or gravel drive edges out to the farm to market road. And I really hate their mounds by the gates and rural mailbox. I think there are birds who eat ants somewhere.. I'll have to look some up and see if there's any way I can lure them to stay year-round.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> You have ladybugs down there?  They'll feast on aphids.
> 
> I only get an occasional ladybug.  I should order some next spring.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> My sister's best friend used to bring ladybugs to her 2 acre place. I've seen a few ladybugs around, but they are so pretty the birds might consider them a delicacy. Not sure on that count, but I've spent a lot of time indoors for the last 2 months after receiving a pneumonia shot that resulted in over 2 months of pneumonia-like symptoms. When I looked up this year's shot, it said they were inoculating people for multiple pneumonia types of organisms. I've had really bad luck with flu shots (toxic shock and flu symptoms), and rotten luck with a lot of different types of shots until I'm not ever going through that again. The two month battle reminds me of a full-winter battle with flu shot allergy in Wyoming, which has 9- to 10-month winters. They all seem to get topped off with chronic bronchitis toward the end. I'm done with inoculations.
Click to expand...


Wow, that was quite a topic shift  

Are you still recovering from that?  I'm sending warm healing thoughtforms, you deserve them.  I support your staying away from shots.  I've never had a seasonal flu shot myself, ever.  I think the body has its own natural defenses and we should let 'em work.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Well, I found this at a commercial website, but for what it's worth they say:
> 
> In the great circle of life, almost everything is part of the food chain. The abundance of ants means that they are an excellent source of food for many other creatures, including birds and other insects. *Sparrows, wrens, antbirds and flickers* are just a few birds that chow down on ants. Some of these birds also engage in the practice of anting, which involves rubbing crushed ants under their wings to serve as an insecticide or fungicide.
> 
> Spiders, though not technically insects, eat ants as well. Many a clueless ant has fallen into a spider’s web, becoming a tasty treat for the spider. For us humans, spiders serve an important role in the ecosystem, as they feed on organisms that we would usually consider pests. Do birds or beneficial insects feed on ants? | EcoRaider​Antbirds????? Never heard of 'em. I guess I'd better get the bird feeders on the front porch active again. The cardinals kind of took the place over, and the only birds who'd stand up to them were infrequent jaybirds and woodpeckers who ignored them entirely. I don't know why half the cardinals in the United States took a cotton to my feeders.



If you get ants in a particular place you don't want 'em, spray vinegar.  They'll vacate wid a quickness.


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## Care4all

Grosbeak

this one, and we have them in a yellow combination too!


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## Care4all

American gold finch, i think?


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## Care4all

two little love birds, sitting in a tree...  K I S S I N G


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## Care4all

Cedar Waxwings


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## Care4all

Pileated Woodpecker...  largest woodpecker in America, I believe?


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## Care4all

some sort of Finch,I think?


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## Care4all

?


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## Care4all

humming bird


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## Care4all

Catbird


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## Care4all

my little Chickadee 

our state bird


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## Care4all

the Common flicker or the Northern Flicker


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## Care4all

the American Bald Eagle













there were two, here's the other one in another tree in my yard


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## Care4all

early spring, they were still molting....  changing their feathers


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## Care4all

Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries


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## Care4all

Canadian geese


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## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I found this at a commercial website, but for what it's worth they say:
> 
> In the great circle of life, almost everything is part of the food chain. The abundance of ants means that they are an excellent source of food for many other creatures, including birds and other insects. *Sparrows, wrens, antbirds and flickers* are just a few birds that chow down on ants. Some of these birds also engage in the practice of anting, which involves rubbing crushed ants under their wings to serve as an insecticide or fungicide.
> 
> Spiders, though not technically insects, eat ants as well. Many a clueless ant has fallen into a spider’s web, becoming a tasty treat for the spider. For us humans, spiders serve an important role in the ecosystem, as they feed on organisms that we would usually consider pests. Do birds or beneficial insects feed on ants? | EcoRaider​Antbirds????? Never heard of 'em. I guess I'd better get the bird feeders on the front porch active again. The cardinals kind of took the place over, and the only birds who'd stand up to them were infrequent jaybirds and woodpeckers who ignored them entirely. I don't know why half the cardinals in the United States took a cotton to my feeders.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you get ants in a particular place you don't want 'em, spray vinegar.  They'll vacate wid a quickness.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Pogo, I have used vinegar in the past and just forgot about it until you mentioned it. Many, many, many thanks for reminding me. However, after watching Dr. Brown's videos among others, ants safeguard some species of moths that produce pheromes that inspire them to care for them as if they were their own babies when they are in caterpillar form. I may just use vinegar sparingly in and around the house, but the other 14 acres, I'm leaving alone so the ants can be nurses for beneficial butterflies out there. I get quite a show at least for 10 months a year of one kind of butterfly and again, another. I just need to get a spray bottle to put the vinegar in and another for the quilt room, to spray water on some older fabrics that the ladies at my church gave me to make charity quilt tops with. I am always thrilled to get a box of scraps even if my house is rather up to the walls in boxes of fabric for making my favorite kind of quilts--anything that uses a fabric only once in what we know is a charm quilt. Some of my charm quilts have over 600 pieces in them for a crib-sized charity quilt top, and I strive to use a fabric only once, which takes oh, say, 720 different fabrics. You just can't have enough organization to locate one of them to cut a 1.5" strip of fabric for a log cabin quilt or eeks! 2,000 different ones for a postage stamp type quilt. In my heart, religion requires me to make as valuable a quilt for a newborn unwanted child as I would have for my own children, who have the best of my originally designed quilts for children as well as adults back when I was running my own store in Wyoming and had to teach classes that would benefit my community as best I could. Those were the days...
Anyhow, spray bottles are going on my list right now to deal with the ants that have bitten me when I was only trying to beautify my little yard that is surrounded by fields and Lake Freedom.


----------



## beautress

Care4all said:


> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries


Cares4all, one time in Wyoming, I think I walked out into our yard and discovered no less than 200 cedar waxwings that must have been migrating and stopped off at our bird feeders for a snack, and they particularly were interested in one of the plants in the yard, not sure which one...we lived there 35 years, and this was at or before the 5th year we lived in the second house we bought as the kids grew up, and we returned from a 5-year stint in the Beaver State in my husband's lifelong career in the same electric power company with headquarters in Portland, where you had to spend a couple of years if you were ambitious to hold a better paying job, and my husband was. Anyhow, I was so impressed by these birds I went to the Natrona County Library and looked them up, and was enchanted that I had NOT run across an off-specie of Cardinal, I had just encountered a group of their cousins migrating from one area of the continent to another, and I can't even remember whether that would have been a spring or fall migration, only that it was chilly outside. Casper, Wyoming is chilly from September to early June, and often as early as August and as late as the first day in July. So no telling, but it could be lethal in 40 below weather often seen in the Equality State unless the group sticks together with the young closest to the middle as they fluff their feathers for protection. I just don't recall what month I saw them, but it was bloody cold outside that particular day, and they were such candy to my eye. It was that sighting that really piqued my love for creatures I hardly knew before seeing the flock of 'em, so unexpectedly noticing them foraging in my yard for who knows what insect, seed, or ripe juniper berries (?) I just dunno. Thanks for the visual reminder of that awesome sighting, so unexpectedly pleasing to my senses.


----------



## beautress

Care4all said:


> ?


I'm guessing that is a male, oven bird? thrush? sparrow? Whatever he is, he is striking, not to mention beautiful.


----------



## Care4all

beautress said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cares4all, one time in Wyoming, I think I walked out into our yard and discovered no less than 200 cedar waxwings that must have been migrating and stopped off at our bird feeders for a snack, and they particularly were interested in one of the plants in the yard, not sure which one...we lived there 35 years, and this was at or before the 5th year we lived in the second house we bought as the kids grew up, and we returned from a 5-year stint in the Beaver State in my husband's lifelong career in the same electric power company with headquarters in Portland, where you had to spend a couple of years if you were ambitious to hold a better paying job, and my husband was. Anyhow, I was so impressed by these birds I went to the Natrona County Library and looked them up, and was enchanted that I had NOT run across an off-specie of Cardinal, I had just encountered a group of their cousins migrating from one area of the continent to another, and I can't even remember whether that would have been a spring or fall migration, only that it was chilly outside. Casper, Wyoming is chilly from September to early June, and often as early as August and as late as the first day in July. So no telling, but it could be lethal in 40 below weather often seen in the Equality State unless the group sticks together with the young closest to the middle as they fluff their feathers for protection. I just don't recall what month I saw them, but it was bloody cold outside that particular day, and they were such candy to my eye. It was that sighting that really piqued my love for creatures I hardly knew before seeing the flock of 'em, so unexpectedly noticing them foraging in my yard for who knows what insect, seed, or ripe juniper berries (?) I just dunno. Thanks for the visual reminder of that awesome sighting, so unexpectedly pleasing to my senses.
Click to expand...

That is EXACTLY what happens here....  in the Spring, when they are coming back here from being away for the Winter, our first experience was about 100 of them all swooping in on to our property and perching on pine trees or our apple trees....  my husband and I were on the deck, sipping our coffee and THEN a whole huge flock of them flew in....  we were like Wha wha wha WHAT is that?  Neither of us had our cameras...

the next year I never went on my deck without my camera around my neck and I got some pictures....

Then in Fall, when they are heading back south, we have wild apple trees on the property, that like 100 or 200 of them swoop in all together on....

Then a few at a time swoop down to the ripe Elderberry bushes on the edge of the woods, and they eat near all of the Elderberries!!!  they LOVE those elderberries, and so do a lot of other birds!

Creatures of habit....  for 10 years now it is the same routine, the Cedar Waxwings stop here on the way in and on the way back south they swoop in again!  Just a beautiful site....  our land is remembered by them and they teach the young about this spot and continues year after year after year....!  Just amazing!!!!


----------



## beautress

Care4all said:


> the American Bald Eagle
> 
> ``
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> there were two, here's the other one in another tree in my yard


One magical, warm spring day, when I went out into our back yard on dead horse hill in Casper, I looked up and saw literally hundreds of bald eagles flying above the west part of town. It was after 1995, but before 2009. I stood there in awe for 15 minutes, not realizing how successful those bringing an endangered specie back into  this awesome sight I was seeing. Might've been after the year 2000, a day I will never forget. Thanks for sharing your pictures, Cares4all. Oh, my kitten is reaching for the keyboard in her mischief and desire for some attention. Funny, she's supposed to be nice after feeding... but NO! She wants ALL of my attention. So I'm off... She may just want some leftover milk from my cereal bowl if I could stop visiting this and other enchanting USMB sites.


----------



## Pogo

Morning Becki.  I came across this video and immediately thought of you.

​


----------



## Crixus

Care4all said:


> the American Bald Eagle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> there were two, here's the other one in another tree in my yard




Wow, nice grabs. Was that by water? When I was a kid I lived in Jacksonville Texas. I would always see Bald Eagles when I went striped fishing at lake Paistine. We would see lots of Osprey to. Some times when a bald eagle would snatch a fish out of the lake and osprey would swoop down on it and try and steal its fish. Nice pics. Wish I was better with a camera.


----------



## Crixus

To many pictures to post here so I just post a link to his website. I used to work with this fella. Very talented photographer. Allot of those pictures were taken with an iPhone and a cannon power shot in Estas Park and Ft. Collins Colorado.

Brandon Downing


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> Morning Becki.  I came across this video and immediately thought of you.
> 
> ​


That's great, Pogo. I just came here to welcome a member who is bored & just saw this.. Fabulous video! Thanks!


----------



## Care4all

Crixus said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> the American Bald Eagle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> there were two, here's the other one in another tree in my yard
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, nice grabs. Was that by water? When I was a kid I lived in Jacksonville Texas. I would always see Bald Eagles when I went striped fishing at lake Paistine. We would see lots of Osprey to. Some times when a bald eagle would snatch a fish out of the lake and osprey would swoop down on it and try and steal its fish. Nice pics. Wish I was better with a camera.
Click to expand...

YES!  We have a creek right across from the meadow in front of the house... within 100 yards, and the Ocean is just a couple of miles and a huge, huge, huge River mouth in to the ocean that is a mile from our house!  Also there are 4 lakes/ponds within 3 or 4 miles distance....  all in my town!  (it's not really a town, it's a rural district)  

I haven't seen an Osprey up here, haven't seen one since we left living in Florida!


----------



## Care4all

Crixus said:


> To many pictures to post here so I just post a link to his website. I used to work with this fella. Very talented photographer. Allot of those pictures were taken with an iPhone and a cannon power shot in Estas Park and Ft. Collins Colorado.
> 
> Brandon Downing


wow!  he's a great photographer!


----------



## beautress

Care4all said:


> Crixus said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> the American Bald Eagle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> there were two, here's the other one in another tree in my yard
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, nice grabs. Was that by water? When I was a kid I lived in Jacksonville Texas. I would always see Bald Eagles when I went striped fishing at lake Paistine. We would see lots of Osprey to. Some times when a bald eagle would snatch a fish out of the lake and osprey would swoop down on it and try and steal its fish. Nice pics. Wish I was better with a camera.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> YES!  We have a creek right across from the meadow in front of the house... within 100 yards, and the Ocean is just a couple of miles and a huge, huge, huge River mouth in to the ocean that is a mile from our house!  Also there are 4 lakes/ponds within 3 or 4 miles distance....  all in my town!  (it's not really a town, it's a rural district)
> 
> I haven't seen an Osprey up here, haven't seen one since we left living in Florida!
Click to expand...

No Ospreys? Oh, and they're so totally wonderful, too. Sad for the area if there aren't any around. Maybe another specie occupies their territory, but not their sheer majesty.


And fishermen might wish they were this good--no poles, no lines, no trips to the store for outfitting...


Nurturing their kids in Dubois, WY


Taking his sweet time...

​


----------



## Marion Morrison

Care4all said:


> some sort of Finch,I think?



I like those things! They raid wasp nests.



Care4all said:


> Catbird





Care4all said:


> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries



It appears those birds like Polk berries.


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## Marion Morrison

Swallow-Tailed Kite.


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## beautress

Ospreys can hover like hummingbirds in spite of exponential size differences, and here's proof:


Is the Osprey endangered? Do the math...


Osprey couple watching beautiful sunrise, Montana

​


----------



## beautress

Marion Morrison said:


>


What  is its name? It sure has distinctive separation of black and white. Newspaper bird with swallow tail? /kidding


----------



## Marion Morrison

beautress said:


> Ospreys can hover like hummingbirds in spite of exponential size differences, and here's proof:
> 
> 
> Is the Osprey endangered? Do the math...
> 
> 
> Osprey couple watching beautiful sunrise, Montana
> 
> ​



He almost sounds like the Honey Badger guy.


----------



## Marion Morrison

beautress said:


> Marion Morrison said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What  is its name? It sure has distinctive separation of black and white. Newspaper bird with swallow tail? /kidding
Click to expand...



Swallow-Tailed Kite. Idk if migratory or what, but there's plenty of hawks around here.


----------



## Care4all

Marion Morrison said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> some sort of Finch,I think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like those things! They raid wasp nests.
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Catbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It appears those birds like Polk berries.
Click to expand...

I thought that was a wild Elderberry bush?  What's a Polk berry??  I'll google it....


----------



## Marion Morrison

Care4all said:


> Marion Morrison said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> some sort of Finch,I think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like those things! They raid wasp nests.
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Catbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It appears those birds like Polk berries.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I thought that was a wild Elderberry bush?  What's a Polk berry??  I'll google it....
Click to expand...


Looks like I spelled Pokeberry wrong.


----------



## Care4all

OK, polk berry look like Elderberry, but elderberries are clustered and Pokeberry are more cone shaped!













polkberry also


----------



## Care4all

Marion Morrison said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Marion Morrison said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> some sort of Finch,I think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like those things! They raid wasp nests.
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Catbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It appears those birds like Polk berries.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I thought that was a wild Elderberry bush?  What's a Polk berry??  I'll google it....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Looks like I spelled Pokeberry wrong.
Click to expand...



actually, I thought I spelled it wrong, but in google images, they have BOTH POLK AND POKE....  they look the same


----------



## Marion Morrison

Care4all said:


> Marion Morrison said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Marion Morrison said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> some sort of Finch,I think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like those things! They raid wasp nests.
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Catbird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cedar Waxwings....  they look like masked bandits!  Eating ripe Elderberries
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It appears those birds like Polk berries.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I thought that was a wild Elderberry bush?  What's a Polk berry??  I'll google it....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Looks like I spelled Pokeberry wrong.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> actually, I thought I spelled it wrong, but in google images, they have BOTH POLK AND POKE....  they look the same
Click to expand...



They are the same. I've never really seen it written until today.


----------



## Care4all

beautress said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Crixus said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> the American Bald Eagle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> there were two, here's the other one in another tree in my yard
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, nice grabs. Was that by water? When I was a kid I lived in Jacksonville Texas. I would always see Bald Eagles when I went striped fishing at lake Paistine. We would see lots of Osprey to. Some times when a bald eagle would snatch a fish out of the lake and osprey would swoop down on it and try and steal its fish. Nice pics. Wish I was better with a camera.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> YES!  We have a creek right across from the meadow in front of the house... within 100 yards, and the Ocean is just a couple of miles and a huge, huge, huge River mouth in to the ocean that is a mile from our house!  Also there are 4 lakes/ponds within 3 or 4 miles distance....  all in my town!  (it's not really a town, it's a rural district)
> 
> I haven't seen an Osprey up here, haven't seen one since we left living in Florida!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No Ospreys? Oh, and they're so totally wonderful, too. Sad for the area if there aren't any around. Maybe another specie occupies their territory, but not their sheer majesty.
> 
> 
> And fishermen might wish they were this good--no poles, no lines, no trips to the store for outfitting...
> 
> 
> Nurturing their kids in Dubois, WY
> 
> 
> Taking his sweet time...
> 
> ​
Click to expand...

Well I'll be a Monkey's uncle!

There are Ospreys in Maine during the summer they migrate up here!

I have not seen one, or if I had, it was up high in the sky and I thought it was a Hawk....

Here's one about 50 miles from where I live....


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## Care4all

Maine on the coast is very stunning!  It all looks like that picture above showing the water.... usually with small islands in the middle of the inlets, bays and coves

We do not have the coastline filled with homes, like in Florida....  and we have a HUGE coastline....

I dunno, it might be something like 500 miles of coast, as a crow flies....  

but it is so crooked and filled with tons and tons of coves, and bays....   I read recently we have 5000 miles of coastline.... including the islands....

_ Lobster and harvests the majority of the lobster in the United States. *Maine* has 3,478 *miles of coastline* - more than California (3,427), and over *5,000 miles of coast* if you include all of the islands as well. Only Florida and Louisiana (mostly bayou) *have* more *miles of coastline*._


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## Marion Morrison

Care4all said:


> Maine on the coast is very stunning!  It all looks like that picture above showing the water.... usually with small islands in the middle of the inlets, bays and coves
> 
> We do not have the coastline filled with homes, like in Florida....  and we have a HUGE coastline....
> 
> I dunno, it might be something like 500 miles of coast, as a crow flies....
> 
> but it is so crooked and filled with tons and tons of coves, and bays....   I read recently we have 5000 miles of coastline.... including the islands....
> 
> _ Lobster and harvests the majority of the lobster in the United States. *Maine* has 3,478 *miles of coastline* - more than California (3,427), and over *5,000 miles of coast* if you include all of the islands as well. Only Florida and Louisiana (mostly bayou) *have* more *miles of coastline*._



And it's 18 there now, right?


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## Care4all

We have these really really cartoon looking funny birds called Puffins....  when my sister came up from Florida to visit we went on a boat tour to see them....  they are so cool looking....


----------



## Care4all

Marion Morrison said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Maine on the coast is very stunning!  It all looks like that picture above showing the water.... usually with small islands in the middle of the inlets, bays and coves
> 
> We do not have the coastline filled with homes, like in Florida....  and we have a HUGE coastline....
> 
> I dunno, it might be something like 500 miles of coast, as a crow flies....
> 
> but it is so crooked and filled with tons and tons of coves, and bays....   I read recently we have 5000 miles of coastline.... including the islands....
> 
> _ Lobster and harvests the majority of the lobster in the United States. *Maine* has 3,478 *miles of coastline* - more than California (3,427), and over *5,000 miles of coast* if you include all of the islands as well. Only Florida and Louisiana (mostly bayou) *have* more *miles of coastline*._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it's 18 there now, right?
Click to expand...




Marion Morrison said:


> Care4all said:
> 
> 
> 
> Maine on the coast is very stunning!  It all looks like that picture above showing the water.... usually with small islands in the middle of the inlets, bays and coves
> 
> We do not have the coastline filled with homes, like in Florida....  and we have a HUGE coastline....
> 
> I dunno, it might be something like 500 miles of coast, as a crow flies....
> 
> but it is so crooked and filled with tons and tons of coves, and bays....   I read recently we have 5000 miles of coastline.... including the islands....
> 
> _ Lobster and harvests the majority of the lobster in the United States. *Maine* has 3,478 *miles of coastline* - more than California (3,427), and over *5,000 miles of coast* if you include all of the islands as well. Only Florida and Louisiana (mostly bayou) *have* more *miles of coastline*._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it's 18 there now, right?
Click to expand...

yeah, it's cold and got 10 inches of snow yesterday....  the day I was suppose to fly to Florida to visit my parent's and sister....  and I canceled and am going to try again to go down there in January....

You have to like winter sports along with summer sports to live here...  Skiing and snowmobiling and ice skating, ice hockey.....  the kids have sledding too.... 

and the Hunting is incredible....  the deer herds are huge/numerous, along with Moose, Muskrats, Wild Turkey galore, and Black Bear....  they hunt Black bear too!

We have ALL of the above, visit our yard frequently.....  except the Black bear only comes in the Spring when she first wakes up from winter Hibernation.....  then I have to wait a year, before I see her again.....  what a beautiful animal.....  they are HUGE up here, not like the smaller Black bear in Florida....  and I mean HUGE HUGE HUGE!!!  Even the deer are bigger than the deer in Florida....  everything is big!  Also we have Duck and Geese that are hunted, and all kids of Pheasants and wild fowl.

It's a whole nuther country up here, compared to the South, of which I have lived, most of my life....


----------



## beautress

Care4all said:


> OK, polk berry look like Elderberry, but elderberries are clustered and Pokeberry are more cone shaped!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 230106
> 
> polkberry also


One of my acquaintances out here in Walker County TX has an elderberry tree in his yard. It's huge. I've seen pokeberries once in awhile by the fences, which are about 52" high, and they're slightly showier, but the elderberries can produce a crop of edible berries, whereas you'd have to change water so many times to make anything about pokeberries nontoxic, because their medical benefits start in the thousandths of a gram and end there, too. The American Indians had their way, though, and a lot of their cultural medicines are all but lost until we run "scientific" studies on them that prove or disprove efficacy. Sometimes that takes 200 years of dogged research, only after the right person's fire is lit to find out why it worked for the Indian, and how many milligrams can work against arthritic pain or kill certain cancers. I looked it up earlier, and can't remember where I read all this stuff, and will see if I can locate something akin to what I was reading.

Keep in mind, that pokeweed, uncooked is likely a poison. Even so, the homeopathic claims rock, if the plant weren't so dangerous in the hands of a novice:

Pokeberry is used as a medicine for arthritis, mumps and other various skin conditions. The roots are used as an anti- inflammatory, expectorant, narcotic, hypnotic, cathartic and purgative. The root helps to treat chronic catarrh, swollen glands, immune diseases and bronchitis. Pokeberry Facts, Health Benefits and Nutritional Value​
WebMD starts off saying that pokeweed is unsafe to use, then it goes into all the things it is used for, which are numerous, plus how the coloring is used in winemaking, ink and dye. Then it ends with the claim not enough information is available to know how pokeweed works. Pokeweed: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning​
At a website, Natural Medicinal Herbs, both good and bad characteristics of this herb:

*Herb: Pokeweed*
*Latin name: Phytolacca americana*

*Synonyms: Phytolacca decandra*

*Family: Phytolaccaceae (Pokeweed Family)*


*Medicinal use of Pokeweed: *
Pokeweed has a long history of medicinal use, being employed traditionally in the treatment of diseases related to a compromised immune system. The plant has an interesting chemistry and it is currently (1995) being investigated as a potential anti-AIDS drug. It contains potent anti-inflammatory agents, antiviral proteins and substances that affect cell division. These compounds are toxic to many disease-causing organisms, including the water snails that cause schistosomiasis. All parts of the plant are toxic, an excess causing diarrhoea and vomiting. This remedy should be used with caution and preferably under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women. The root is alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, cathartic, expectorant, hypnotic, narcotic and purgative. The dried root is used as an anodyne and anti-inflammatory. The root is taken internally in the treatment of auto-immune diseases (especially rheumatoid arthritis), tonsillitis, mumps, glandular fever and other complaints involving swollen glands, chronic catarrh, bronchitis etc. The fresh root is used as a poultice on bruises, rheumatic pains etc, whilst a wash made from the roots is applied to swellings and sprains. The root is best harvested in the autumn and can be dried for later use. The fruit has a similar but milder action to the roots.The juice is used in the treatment of cancer, haemorrhoids and tremors. A poultice made from the fruit is applied to sore breasts. A tea made from the fruit is used in the treatment of rheumatism, dysentery etc. The plant has an unusually high potassium content and the ashes, which contain over 45% caustic potash, have been used as a salve for ulcers and cancerous growths. The leaves are cathartic, emetic and expectorant. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root. Its main action is on the throat, breast, muscular tissues and the joints.

*Description of the plant:*





*Plant:*
Perennial





*Height:*
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)




*Flowering:*
August to
September
*Habitat of the herb: *
Damp rich soils in clearings, woodland margins and roadsides.

*Edible parts of Pokeweed: *
Leaves - they must be cooked and even then it is best to change the water once. They are used like spinach. Only the young leaves should be used since they become toxic with age. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Young shoots - cooked. An asparagus substitute, they are delicious. The shoots are sometimes blanched before using, or forced in cellars to provide an early crop. The tender clear inner portion of the stem can be rolled in cornmeal and fried. Although cultivated on a small scale in N. America for its shoots, caution is advised, see notes above. A nutritional analysis is available. Fruit - cooked and used in pies. Poisonous raw, causing vomiting and diarrhoea. Even the cooked fruits should be viewed with caution. The fruit is a berry about 12mm in diameter. A red dye is obtained from the fruit and used as a food colouring.

*Other uses of the herb: *
A red ink and a dye are obtained from the fruit. A beautiful colour, though it is not very permanent. It makes a good body paint, washing off easily when no longer required, though the slightly toxic nature of the berries should be remembered. The rootstock is rich in saponins and can be used as a soap substitute. Cut the root into small pieces and simmer it in boiling water to obtain the soap. The plant is currently (1980) being evaluated for its snail-killing properties.

*Propagation of Pokeweed: *
Seed - sow autumn or spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it might be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in a seed bed in early spring. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for their first year and plant them out the following spring. Division in March or October. Use a sharp spade or knife to divide the rootstock, making sure that each section has at least one growth bud. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

*Cultivation of the herb: *
Damp rich soils in clearings, woodland margins and roadsides.

*Known hazards of Phytolacca americana: *
The leaves are poisonous. They are said to be safe to eat when young, the toxins developing as the plants grow older. Another report says that the seeds and root are poisonous. The plant sap can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. The plant contains substances that cause cell division and can damage chromosomes. These substances can be absorbed through any abrasions in the skin, potentially causing serious blood aberratins, and so it is strongly recommended that the people wear gloves when handling the plant.​
medicinal herbs: POKEWEED - Phytolacca americana​


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## beautress

Birds that feast on pokeweed and elder berries

:


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## Marion Morrison

Oh! I may have something for this.


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## Marion Morrison

Not hens, but they've been fairly quiet so far.

If they get noisy, they die..I will eat them. One flared the other day, freaked crazy cat the fuck out. 

They look like yardbirds to me, baby. They get left alone unless I need to eat them.

Probably get some goodies, too.

In the yard=yardbirds.


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## Marion Morrison

I could eat for a night just off 1 neck and some rice. 

That leaves 8 pieces per.


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## beautress

Your type of peacocks have a breathtaking royal blue color. You must live in a wonderful climate, Marion. 

I am emphatically the world's worst photographer, but I really love the great egrets that grace the lake on my few acres out here in the land of the tall pines. They are with no doubt in my mind the tip top of elegance in the bird world--the way they move, the art form into which they convert fishing, and preening that looks like a ballet dancer's waltz of the flowers and keeps their feathered coats gleaming white, no flaws. About six years ago, I saw one great egret discouraging 5 flamingos from their mini "vacation" at Freedom Lake (my pet name for my little man-made lake). It's only 2.5 acres in size, but the great egrets are reluctant to share the lake with any other specie, except one truly odd year a group of black guillemots (which I had never heard of, but found them after posting each and every characteristic I saw into a search engine) flew in and owned the lake. They are black (usually northern European) birds with red legs and mouths, and white patches on their wings, which en masse make them look like so much glitter when flying together. I've never seen them since, except once a couple of years later, a pair of them flying over that I just happened to catch a glimpse of.  I don't know what accident of nature brought them here, but it's possible they may have gotten sent off course by storms out in the Atlantic, or maybe nobody noticed what kind of bird they were, since it took me 3 days of examining books 4-inches thick to find the exact bird that I saw. I saw their diving behaviors, the frenetic appearance of them flying back and forth over my lake, just everything about them was completely fascinating. They were here for 2 or 3 weeks, then gradually, they all went away. A month later, the great egret was back, raising their family in nearby tall trees, mostly deciduous, but just as tall as the tall pines indigenous to the area. They say they get to be 120' tall, and I believe it.

I felt so totally blessed to have the most graceful bird in the world visit daily for a summer that is too short, considering how awesome watching them is. They were once considered endangered. I haven't paid enough attention to their current status, but I truly do not care to use bug sprays or chemical fertilizers here unless the birds fail to get at the cockroaches before they get to my patio.


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## beautress

I noticed that one of the birds in the elderberry tree was a magpie.  Wild Side Ornithology Club  Now that was just strange to me, because years ago, our family visited the Sinks in Lander, Wyoming, and where the water reappears, there is a large pool where the magpies frolic and play all summer, and there are hundreds of them. So I loaded "Sinks, Wyoming, Magpies" into Bing and found the following pictures of them In real life, they are at least 20" long, and longer, at least the ones I saw in that part of the Rocky Mountains. The Sinks gets its name from a small river or creek that disappears into a cave. Another creek begins at a source half a mile away, and in pioneer times, people wondered if either body of water was related to each other. Around the turn of the century or a few years later, someone emptied a large sack of food color dye into the Sinks area (at the cave), ran over to the other body of water, but was disappointed four hours later, when no evidence of that dye was to be seen. Eight hours later, the red dye appeared in the other body, that was thought to be some other spring. Not so! The red dye proved that somehow, the water (which flows quickly) must have followed miles and miles of underground pathways before reappearing on the other end.

Anyway, hundreds of these huge, amazingly beautiful birds that are black with a white wing patch but lower body and tail are shades of dark emerald green to a deep jade shade. They squawk and irritate some people, but I am so dominated by visual images, it just doesn't matter. They are fabulously beautiful birds, and when they congregate in the numbers we saw both times we visited the Sinks, they are sociable and fun to watch their loving quibbles to each other and camaraderie, competitiveness in the presence of a small fish or whatever it is they are eating. So I was surprised to see a picture of a magpie in an elderberry tree, although in every way, these feathered friends go for the gusto and with no compunctions whatever, magpies take hearts away from their owners (mine).


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## beautress

Reviewing the Audubon Calendar for December 2018, the first picture was a huge picture of a very pink-to-red-colored finch, the Pine Grosbeak.​
Pine Grosbeaks
After the bluejays left, the Pine Grosbeaks came in (dimorphic) pairs:
Thanks to the Cornell Feeder Watch.
​


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## beautress

Cornell webcam sows more Pine grosbeaks and Redpolls at the feeder. The blue jay made his reappearance briefly now and then..

​


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## beautress

This video, designed especially for cats is a big hit with the household feline, ms. piccolo. She purred more watching this one than ever she has any other.

​


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## beautress

If we can just add one bird a day to our recognition list, it's a good thing. Here's help from youtube, as usual. 


All the videos are a little more fun if you follow them by clicking to "youtube" and then going to full screen. Hope you find that as awesome as Ms. Piccolo does.​


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## Pogo

beautress said:


> If we can just add one bird a day to our recognition list, it's a good thing. Here's help from youtube, as usual.
> 
> 
> All the videos are a little more fun if you follow them by clicking to "youtube" and then going to full screen. Hope you find that as awesome as Ms. Piccolo does.​



This is a great collection of shots, Becki.  I have most of these here with exceptions of redwing blackbirds and warblers, though I've caught them elsewhere to the north.  I'd say chickadees and titmice with the occasional nuthatch are the most common with the occasional roaming Cardinal.  And of course I love my finches, I keep them supplied with thistleseed.  They are picky about freshness though.

We had 21" of snow a week ago so in preparation I put out a cake of insecty suet.  It's been very popular.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> Morning Becki.  I came across this video and immediately thought of you.
> 
> ​


I love the woodpeckers' antics and song thrush, too in your video, and was amazed their bison greatly resemble those huge herds that now roam the Yellowstone Park, which became one of my favorite places on earth in 35 years of living in the Equality State, where indeed, the buffalo roam.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> If we can just add one bird a day to our recognition list, it's a good thing. Here's help from youtube, as usual.
> 
> 
> All the videos are a little more fun if you follow them by clicking to "youtube" and then going to full screen. Hope you find that as awesome as Ms. Piccolo does.​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a great collection of shots, Becki.  I have most of these here with exceptions of redwing blackbirds and warblers, though I've caught them elsewhere to the north.  I'd say chickadees and titmice with the occasional nuthatch are the most common with the occasional roaming Cardinal.  And of course I love my finches, I keep them supplied with thistleseed.  They are picky about freshness though.
> 
> We had 21" of snow a week ago so in preparation I put out a cake of insecty suet.  It's been very popular.
Click to expand...


Thanks, Pogo.
Insecty suet? You da man! I bet you have the happiest birds for miles around, even though picky, as they become accustomed to the snows and adjust to winter's weather if they are not birds that migrate to avoid freezing weather. Glad to see you back on the bird forums. You have a gift for understanding birds, and it blesses everyone who comes here.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> If we can just add one bird a day to our recognition list, it's a good thing. Here's help from youtube, as usual.
> 
> 
> All the videos are a little more fun if you follow them by clicking to "youtube" and then going to full screen. Hope you find that as awesome as Ms. Piccolo does.​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a great collection of shots, Becki.  I have most of these here with exceptions of redwing blackbirds and warblers, though I've caught them elsewhere to the north.  I'd say chickadees and titmice with the occasional nuthatch are the most common with the occasional roaming Cardinal.  And of course I love my finches, I keep them supplied with thistleseed.  They are picky about freshness though.
> 
> We had 21" of snow a week ago so in preparation I put out a cake of insecty suet.  It's been very popular.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Thanks, Pogo.
> Insecty suet? You da man! I bet you have the happiest birds for miles around, even though picky, as they become accustomed to the snows and adjust to winter's weather if they are not birds that migrate to avoid freezing weather. Glad to see you back on the bird forums. You have a gift for understanding birds, and it blesses everyone who comes here.
Click to expand...


Yeah I came across it by chance in one of my closeout-discount stores.  Don't think I had seen that before.  Fortuitous timing.

You're too kind Becki, if there's a blessing here it's your thread and your dedication.


----------



## beautress

Pogo, there was something about the red-winged blackbirds a few years back, that diminished their numbers in the US, I think. Something about a virus that took out a lot of birds was really harsh on the red-winged blackbird. Oh, what was it? Seems like I associate it with a virus that's harsh on humans too, but not sure if some kind of virus with the words West Nile virus may have the culprit. It seems it was pinpointed to have spread from Cuba or an area close thereto. There's always gossip that blames people in a region in the world, but of course, with bird flu, occasionally a likely bird infects some migratory bird, which may account for its pinpointing to be so close to the US, and many of our birds don't pay any attention to human politics and use their forever winter playgrounds whether we prohibit Cuban cigars or not.  I used to be a lot more paranoid about stuff like that, but the longer I'm around, the more I realize that most threats come from accidents of nature. It's like the black guillemots I mentioned a while back that showed up in Freedom Lake a few years back, and was guessing a storm may have thrown them off track, as birds will cluster in the eye of a hurricane or other storm and escape when the storm comes inland and dissipates. Those birds may be a single flock flying around, looking for suitable food, and they may clean out one small area, move onto the next, and having so much fun they forget about making their way back to Northern European/arctic wetlands, and finding pathways in the New World, just like humans did 500 years ago. I'm just grateful I got to see the frenetic aspect of them flying in masse, once in my lifetime. (The white mark on their sides/wings may cause this appearance by the motion and metronome aspect of their wings moving up and down in staccato).

Anyway, Pogo, I just remembered you saying something about not having seen many red-winged blackbirds where you are. I surely hope they make a comeback if their numbers are sparse. It could be that I just haven't tracked them after having moved back home to Texas after the weather in Wyoming exacerbated my fibromyalgia pain, and it was truly unbearable to stay there another winter. By the time I got here, West Nile Virus had been around probably less than 5 years, but I know it was more than 2 years, because an acquaintance of the family  there got West Nile Virus and almost died from it, but somehow worked his way back to health. He must have had a mighty good physician, because initially, it hit people and birds (I think) pretty hard.

By the way, I saw red-winged blackbirds at least once a year while living in Wyoming, and I noticed from the times we drove home to visit relatives in Texas, they were seen on the road back. Once we drove through Kansas and Oklahoma, another time through Western Colorado and the Oklahoma panhandle, and straight down through Amarillo, Texas, and onto the greater Houston area. We also just went directly south through the Colorado rocky mountains, a corner of New Mexico at Raton Pass,, and again, through Amarillo. I eventually gave up on going through Denver due to its perpetual tendency to rearrange I-25 from Denver to Colorado Springs, and the result was so bad, traffic and long waits was worrisome to people from the seventh largest state that had under 500,000 people in the whole state due to the horizontal snows and harsh, cold, windy arctic desert conditions. Brrrr! The only birds brave enough to stay the winter there were the pigeons, who got massacred in the downtown areas due to their tendency to cluster near the banks and shopping district.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo, there was something about the red-winged blackbirds a few years back, that diminished their numbers in the US, I think. Something about a virus that took out a lot of birds was really harsh on the red-winged blackbird. Oh, what was it? Seems like I associate it with a virus that's harsh on humans too, but not sure if some kind of virus with the words West Nile virus may have the culprit. It seems it was pinpointed to have spread from Cuba or an area close thereto. There's always gossip that blames people in a region in the world, but of course, with bird flu, occasionally a likely bird infects some migratory bird, which may account for its pinpointing to be so close to the US, and many of our birds don't pay any attention to human politics and use their forever winter playgrounds whether we prohibit Cuban cigars or not.  I used to be a lot more paranoid about stuff like that, but the longer I'm around, the more I realize that most threats come from accidents of nature. It's like the black guillemots I mentioned a while back that showed up in Freedom Lake a few years back, and was guessing a storm may have thrown them off track, as birds will cluster in the eye of a hurricane or other storm and escape when the storm comes inland and dissipates. Those birds may be a single flock flying around, looking for suitable food, and they may clean out one small area, move onto the next, and having so much fun they forget about making their way back to Northern European/arctic wetlands, and finding pathways in the New World, just like humans did 500 years ago. I'm just grateful I got to see the frenetic aspect of them flying in masse, once in my lifetime. (The white mark on their sides/wings may cause this appearance by the motion and metronome aspect of their wings moving up and down in staccato).
> 
> Anyway, Pogo, I just remembered you saying something about not having seen many red-winged blackbirds where you are. I surely hope they make a comeback if their numbers are sparse. It could be that I just haven't tracked them after having moved back home to Texas after the weather in Wyoming exacerbated my fibromyalgia pain, and it was truly unbearable to stay there another winter. By the time I got here, West Nile Virus had been around probably less than 5 years, but I know it was more than 2 years, because an acquaintance of the family  there got West Nile Virus and almost died from it, but somehow worked his way back to health. He must have had a mighty good physician, because initially, it hit people and birds (I think) pretty hard.
> 
> By the way, I saw red-winged blackbirds at least once a year while living in Wyoming, and I noticed from the times we drove home to visit relatives in Texas, they were seen on the road back. Once we drove through Kansas and Oklahoma, another time through Western Colorado and the Oklahoma panhandle, and straight down through Amarillo, Texas, and onto the greater Houston area. We also just went directly south through the Colorado rocky mountains, a corner of New Mexico at Raton Pass,, and again, through Amarillo. I eventually gave up on going through Denver due to its perpetual tendency to rearrange I-25 from Denver to Colorado Springs, and the result was so bad, traffic and long waits was worrisome to people from the seventh largest state that had under 500,000 people in the whole state due to the horizontal snows and harsh, cold, windy arctic desert conditions. Brrrr! The only birds brave enough to stay the winter there were the pigeons, who got massacred in the downtown areas due to their tendency to cluster near the banks and shopping district.



No actually I just don't see Redwings here because I'm in heavily forested mountains, and the redwings are more a wetlands bird, so they don't hang here   I think they like marshes and lakes and such, which is where I have seen them.  So no worries about population implosions.  I don't see (or hear) mockingbirds around here either because they're more of a city bird.  Soon as I travel to a city though, there they are.

I wonder if you're thinking of the time in Arkansas where four to five thousand redwings were suddenly found dead.  Turned out they were scared by the loud (and mindless) bangs of a New Year's Eve and panicked, and with such poor night vision that many collided with trees and other various objects that they couldn't see.  The roost they called home however was comprised of over a million and a half birds, so relatively speaking it wasn't a significant number ---- but it does provide an ironic answer to your observation that 'most threats come from accidents of nature'  --- here's one that came from humans, and one that was and is totally unnecessary, "celebrating" the occasion of a midnight that we all knew was going to happen.

I'm not a big fan of "New Year's Eve" as you might gather.  The best one I can remember was actually here, last year.  Because I sat out on my porch and as midnight struck I heard........... absolutely nothing.  As it should be.


----------



## beautress

'Disorientated' birds found dead in town










*'Disorientated' birds found dead in town *

10 hrs ago
 ​ A number of "disoriented" wading birds from a threatened species have died in Jersey.

Bird enthusiast Mick Dryden said about 10 woodcocks had been found in unusual parts of St Helier.

He said possibly the birds had become confused by artificial lights in the town, causing them to fly into nearby glass buildings.

The RSPB said people should interfere "as little as possible" with injured woodcocks they might come across.

Mr Dryden, Chairman of the Ornithology Section of the Societe Jersiaise, said the birds were not a common sight in St Helier.

However, he added: "Most birds are attracted by bright light at night...they will fly around them".

Mr Dryden accepted the issue could be due to more of the birds visiting the island than usual in 2018.

However, he observed the levels of ambient lighting around the Esplanade and waterfront areas of St Helier "seemed to be going up".

The birds, he said, were likely to have been blinded by lights in glass panelled office buildings in the area.​​*What is a woodcock?*
According to the RSPB charity a woodcock or _scolopax rusticola_ is a "large, bulky, wading bird" with "short legs and a long, straight, tapering bill. 
'Disorientated' birds found dead in town


----------



## beautress

American Woodcock











American Woodcock Range Map, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology​


----------



## beautress

Oh, the lovely birds on December 30, 2018 Audubon Calendar:

Believe it or not, Sunday and Monday, Dec. 23, 24, 30, and 31 share the same picture of A Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Dec. 25 was a beautiful Red-bellied Woodpecker, the 26th was a Common Redpoll, the 27th was a cute Carolina Wren, and Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th was this cool Blue Jay in his winter light-blue and slightly whitish grey chest. See what the net brings up and will post asap.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee: ……….....Red-bellied Woodpecker...……………Common Redpoll​





...[
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..​

Carolina Wren



​

.


----------



## beautress

Happy New Bird Calendar Year, birdlovers everywhere!










​This year's Audubon page-a-day calendar for 2019 is featuring a lovely bird of Africa, Coracias caudatus, aka Lilac-breasted Roller. Hope I can find as pretty and colorful of a bird online, I am looking at a lovely songbird that has a mauve (lilac with some hot pink thrown in) chest from under his eye to the underside of his wing. Underwings are this light turquoise with a black outer wing, and golden feet, charcoal beak and a matching line through the eye area from beak to back of head. Like I said, the right picture would show you In the meantime, Wikipedia had this to say about this charmingly most wonderful colorful bird that fits the "eye candy" category any day.




​
The lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) is an African member of the roller (or Coraciidae) family of birds.
 It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, and is a vagrant to the southern Arabian Peninsula.
 It prefers open woodland and savanna, and it is for the most part absent from treeless places.

Take a trip to a South African website to hear the call/chatter of this lively, lovely bird: Sound recordings of Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) | the Internet Bird Collection (IBC) | HBW Alive​


----------



## beautress

When you just want to flake out and relax sometime in the new year, here's some birdsong for background music. 
​


----------



## beautress

Day II of the new Calendar Page-a-Day calendar I got from the Audubon Society. Unlike the American songbird calendar, this page-a-day celebrates the little feathered friends of other parts of the world that we never get to see. Today's bird (Wednesday, January 2, 2019) shows the Malayan Banded Pitta, aka _Hydrornis irena_, reminds me of a little bird near my northwest pasture fence a few years back known as Killdeer, although the coloration shows little bands of dark against orange tiny feathers. I'll hope I can find a picture online that is available to show this cute little critter's garb, as distinctive as a tuxedo of years when they were always black. 




















​Just for fun, here's an American Killdeer that the Malayan Banded Pita reminded me of. I had a little tribe of these who loved to next near the northwest fencepost of my little farmstead in northern Walker County, Texas.: Haven't seen killdeer lately, but I must've found them when they were nesting, or somehow, the plants they liked in that area were not present after horses left the pastures when we got here because my husband hated horses, so we never owned any of them, and he didn't want to care for them as the people who were using the pasture from the earlier owner wanted the owner to oversee their well-being while they did other things. So we did not continue to pasture the horses. Not sure what if any relationship there was between the two species..


----------



## Marion Morrison

What's the smallest bird? There's some small flocks of these extremely tiny birds out in the yard right now.

About 1/3 to 1/4 the size of a Finch. Never seen them before.


----------



## beautress

Marion, if you like an accurate identification of what birds you saw, it pays to get a notepad and describe what you are seeing:

(1) Do the birds look alike? If they were together, different characters may have been due to dimorphism, but some things will likely be the same: Are their beaks pointed, fat, or somewhere in between? What color are the beaks? What color are the legs? Any distinguishing marks on the birds (barring of chest, shoulders, or wings (barring means the light and dark coloring or unique lines made by rows of light colored feathers and rows of dark colored feathers. Are there identifying on the top of the birds' heads (white crown, black crown, etc.) Were some of the birds a different color? A lot of times, a pretty blue bird or a pretty red bird will have a duller brown or gray mate in order to disguise her nesting in similar-colored grasses or trees that she would blend in with (or not). Your best bet would be to search for the smallest known bird by loading what information you have into a search engine. Chances are, you will wind up with a lot of hummingbirds... But if they look like sparrows, wrens, or other familiar bird, they may be a specific specie. The confusion all of us have with identification of birds is the failure to pay attention to the details of the bird. Some behaviors are so prevalent in a specie that you will find them common to a specific kind of bird. Other birds are only around for a short duration if they are migrating. I guessing that since you saw so many of them, they were a migrant flock, keeping together until they reached their target area (or not), writing a list down of how they acted or what their calls sounded like are your only hope of determining what they are. Sparrows can be small, and so can some other little birds. If you have a way to record them, some birders are so bright they can tell you what they are just by hearing them. You could send your info to where it would be appreciated--Cornell lab for birds, Audubon society, etc., or even a nearby university that has a good bird man (ornithologist) as a resident professor, or a zoo if your birds are thought to be exotic. If you live in an area that has an aviary someone there might be able to know what you are seeing if your record the date of your sighting, since migratory birds are tracable in some instances. If not, write everything down you remember about the birds and ask someone at the National Aviary: The National Aviary - The Nation's Premier Bird Zoo

If you take really good notes, you can probably find them all by yourself with the aid of a good image group. I personally love Bing! and use Images constantly to show the bird I am looking at. It takes a lot of time to educate yourself on something like the "smallest bird" and give an idea of their size in inches or centimeters, you're a step ahead onto realizing what you just saw. But nothing is better than that eye color, underwing color, barring, supercilium (or not), and the colors of the markings or their shade of light or dark. Did they spend the night or disappear as quickly as they descended upon your watchman's blind? 

Size is only one characteristic leg color, body color, beak color, wingspan size, sounds, personality--they're all characteristics and key to identification of unknown flocks. I hope you find your birds. There is joy in knowing what you are seeing, but when you know the markings, time, characteristics--and being able to separate who they are from say crows, cardinals, wrens, titmice (pretty small grey birds), etc, I know you can do it. That's how you can put these tidbits of knowing into an identification focus you can find with a good search engine and image file, as Bing.


----------



## Marion Morrison

beautress said:


> Marion, if you like an accurate identification of what birds you saw, it pays to get a notepad and describe what you are seeing:
> 
> (1) Do the birds look alike? If they were together, different characters may have been due to dimorphism, but some things will likely be the same: Are their beaks pointed, fat, or somewhere in between? What color are the beaks? What color are the legs? Any distinguishing marks on the birds (barring of chest, shoulders, or wings (barring means the light and dark coloring or unique lines made by rows of light colored feathers and rows of dark colored feathers. Are there identifying on the top of the birds' heads (white crown, black crown, etc.) Were some of the birds a different color? A lot of times, a pretty blue bird or a pretty red bird will have a duller brown or gray mate in order to disguise her nesting in similar-colored grasses or trees that she would blend in with (or not). Your best bet would be to search for the smallest known bird by loading what information you have into a search engine. Chances are, you will wind up with a lot of hummingbirds... But if they look like sparrows, wrens, or other familiar bird, they may be a specific specie. The confusion all of us have with identification of birds is the failure to pay attention to the details of the bird. Some behaviors are so prevalent in a specie that you will find them common to a specific kind of bird. Other birds are only around for a short duration if they are migrating. I guessing that since you saw so many of them, they were a migrant flock, keeping together until they reached their target area (or not), writing a list down of how they acted or what their calls sounded like are your only hope of determining what they are. Sparrows can be small, and so can some other little birds. If you have a way to record them, some birders are so bright they can tell you what they are just by hearing them. You could send your info to where it would be appreciated--Cornell lab for birds, Audubon society, etc., or even a nearby university that has a good bird man (ornithologist) as a resident professor, or a zoo if your birds are thought to be exotic. If you live in an area that has an aviary someone there might be able to know what you are seeing if your record the date of your sighting, since migratory birds are tracable in some instances. If not, write everything down you remember about the birds and ask someone at the National Aviary: The National Aviary - The Nation's Premier Bird Zoo
> 
> If you take really good notes, you can probably find them all by yourself with the aid of a good image group. I personally love Bing! and use Images constantly to show the bird I am looking at. It takes a lot of time to educate yourself on something like the "smallest bird" and give an idea of their size in inches or centimeters, you're a step ahead onto realizing what you just saw. But nothing is better than that eye color, underwing color, barring, supercilium (or not), and the colors of the markings or their shade of light or dark. Did they spend the night or disappear as quickly as they descended upon your watchman's blind?
> 
> Size is only one characteristic leg color, body color, beak color, wingspan size, sounds, personality--they're all characteristics and key to identification of unknown flocks. I hope you find your birds. There is joy in knowing what you are seeing, but when you know the markings, time, characteristics--and being able to separate who they are from say crows, cardinals, wrens, titmice (pretty small grey birds), etc, I know you can do it. That's how you can put these tidbits of knowing into an identification focus you can find with a good search engine and image file, as Bing.



TL;DR. Teeniest birds ever, small flock, dark color, eat yard bugs and poof.

Maybe up to 3 1/2 inches long, less than 1 1/2 inch diameter.

There can't be that many varieties of birds that flock and are smaller than a Hummingbird. Well..they might be 20% bigger than a hummingbird.

Smallest bird I've ever seen..in decades. Yes, they're smaller than Hummingbirds.

That should narrow it down a bit. Migrates, smaller than hummingbird, eats ground bugs.


----------



## beautress

Gee, Marion, I'm just a sideliner in the world of Ornithology. I love birds, but I dont' know all their markings, sizes, etc. Saying your birds are sparrows may or may not hit the mark. They are small, but ornithologists weigh birds, and nothing is lighter than a hummingbird to the best of my recollection, although again, I just love birds a lot, and there are dozens if not hundreds of subspecies of sparrows, all with names. I'm sorry my post was too long and boring, but if you truly are wanting to know what you saw, you need either the willingness to go to the best places listed on the first post of this thread (freedombecki) and sift through their search engines, which may or may not be able to list all the birds that are 3" from head to tail v. 2 3/4" head to tail. This may be a case of "next time." I went through a phase until someone I read told about writing down the characteristics. This in the case of tiny birds may take you putting a binocular hanging on a nail by the back or front door to be handy when you're wondering what bird you are looking at. Note pad. Pencil. Recording details.

I now know about your birds:
came in large flock 
dark shade of feathers
unusually small birds
carnivorous eaters
birds not commonly seen before
forage insects available exhausted in short time
viewer impressed by what he saw

sighting: early morning, Jan 2, 2019

I do not know:
if there were bird feeders?
bird bath or water source around?
color of "dark" feathers
Streaked with brown, gray, gold, rust,?
Any white or light areas on bird?
time viewer spends outdoors--sustained v. seldom
color of beaks
color of legs
Approximate population of "large" flock (dozens, hundreds, a thousand?)



​


----------



## Marion Morrison

beautress said:


> Gee, Marion, I'm just a sideliner in the world of Ornithology. I love birds, but I dont' know all their markings, sizes, etc. Saying your birds are sparrows may or may not hit the mark. They are small, but ornithologists weigh birds, and nothing is lighter than a hummingbird to the best of my recollection, although again, I just love birds a lot, and there are dozens if not hundreds of subspecies of sparrows, all with names. I'm sorry my post was too long and boring, but if you truly are wanting to know what you saw, you need either the willingness to go to the best places listed on the first post of this thread (freedombecki) and sift through their search engines, which may or may not be able to list all the birds that are 3" from head to tail v. 2 3/4" head to tail. This may be a case of "next time." I went through a phase until someone I read told about writing down the characteristics. This in the case of tiny birds may take you putting a binocular hanging on a nail by the back or front door to be handy when you're wondering what bird you are looking at. Note pad. Pencil. Recording details.
> 
> I now know about your birds:
> came in large flock
> dark shade of feathers
> unusually small birds
> carnivorous eaters
> birds not commonly seen before
> forage insects available exhausted in short time
> viewer impressed by what he saw
> 
> sighting: early morning, Jan 2, 2019
> 
> I do not know:
> if there were bird feeders?
> bird bath or water source around?
> color of "dark" feathers
> Streaked with brown, gray, gold, rust,?
> Any white or light areas on bird?
> time viewer spends outdoors--sustained v. seldom
> color of beaks
> color of legs
> Approximate population of "large" flock (dozens, hundreds, a thousand?)
> 
> 
> 
> ​



Dark brown feathers, less than 2 dozen in a flock. Short pointy dark beak. Very skittish, getting a pic is doubtful. Nothing is light colored on them. Yes, I have a birdbath and critter water. I have a view of section of yard all day almost. These birds don't stay in 1 area long. They come, eat a few bugs, and on to the next place. They're shorter than the grass.


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## beautress

OK, Marion. I plugged in "Small, Dark brown bird" into my search engine and got this:

1. Brown Rock Chat --insectivores





Problem: they're an old-world bird.


2. Wren





3. Winter wren (northwest coastal state)




4. Grasshopper Sparrow (smallest sparrow)





See how hard it is to find a bird someone else saw? The only solid brown bird I could find was the chat. Unfortunately, it lives in India.



​

2.


----------



## Marion Morrison

beautress said:


> OK, Marion. I plugged in "Small, Dark brown bird" into my search engine and got this:
> 
> 1. Brown Rock Chat --insectivores
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Problem: they're an old-world bird.
> 
> 
> 2. Wren
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. Winter wren (northwest coastal state)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4. Grasshopper Sparrow (smallest sparrow)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See how hard it is to find a bird someone else saw? The only solid brown bird I could find was the chat. Unfortunately, it lives in India.
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 2.



They looked like the chat. Skinnier body like that, very small. Sparrows raid my wasp nests all the time, they are kinda nice to have around. They hit that nest 2-3x a day, grab a larva or full-grown wasp and eat it.


----------



## beautress

Sorry, we only have one chat known to this continent, and it has light colored parts and was 4.7". So did the smallest brown bird I could find here, the Bushtit, and it was 4.3" and pictured below, nothing like a chat at all.





Great article and list of similar-sized birds that you may be able to locate the birds you actually saw, keeping in mind that a group of birds as nervous as bushtits may never stay in one place long enough to look like the model bird above, and therefore may be smaller due to dehydration or whatever other problem the group encountered to make them look as small as they were. Also, if there was a storm from a different area than North America in which the birds got transported to the North American continent in that manner, isolated groups do appear from time to time on the other side of the world from here: I'm hoping one of the species below looks like your elusive little fellows. Virginia creepers comes to mind, but that may not be the birds you saw.

Bushtit Fact Sheet

*Similar Birds: *​
Wrentit (_Chamaea fasciata_)​
Verdin (_Auriparus flaviceps_)​
Pygmy Tit (_Psaltria exilis_)​
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (_Polioptilia caerulea_)​
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher (_Polioptila melanura_)​
Gray Vireo (_Vireo vicinior_)​
Juniper Titmouse (_Baeolophus ridgwayi_)​
Oak Titmouse (_Baeolophus inornatus_)​


----------



## beautress

Also, Marion, I visited my old favorite bird identification area, a dot gov that can help, and I just highlighted and copied a group of small birds you might look up sometime to see if one of them is the small flock you saw: Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

Bushtit-Family: Aegithalidae
Bushtit _Psaltriparus minimus _

Nuthatches-Family: Sittidae
Red-breasted Nuthatch _Sitta canadensis _
White-breasted Nuthatch _Sitta carolinensis _
Pygmy Nuthatch _Sitta pygmaea _
Brown-headed Nuthatch _Sitta pusilla _

Creeper-Family: Certhiidae
Brown Creeper _Certhia americana _

Wrens-Family: Troglodytidae
Cactus Wren _Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus _
Rock Wren _Salpinctes obsoletus _
Canyon Wren _Catherpes mexicanus _
Carolina Wren _Thryothorus ludovicianus _
Bewick's Wren _Thryomanes bewickii _
House Wren _Troglodytes aedon _
Winter Wren _Troglodytes troglodytes _
Sedge Wren _Cistothorus platensis _
Marsh Wren _Cistothorus palustris _


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## beautress

Marion Morrison said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> OK, Marion. I plugged in "Small, Dark brown bird" into my search engine and got this:
> 
> 1. Brown Rock Chat --insectivores
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Problem: they're an old-world bird.
> 
> 
> 2. Wren
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. Winter wren (northwest coastal state)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4. Grasshopper Sparrow (smallest sparrow)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See how hard it is to find a bird someone else saw? The only solid brown bird I could find was the chat. Unfortunately, it lives in India.
> 
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 2.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They looked like the chat. Skinnier body like that, very small. Sparrows raid my wasp nests all the time, they are kinda nice to have around. They hit that nest 2-3x a day, grab a larva or full-grown wasp and eat it.
Click to expand...

Marion, did you check out the above post? I'm sorry. I forget that if I don't hit "reply" the person you're talking to at USMB is not duly notified. lol Hope you figured out what it is. I know that Black Guillemots are generally arctic circle birds that dwell mainly on European shores and even inland lakes where they enjoy dipping. I had the unique pleasure of observing these strange black birds that looked like confetti as they flew in and out of my backyard lake area, because they have an enlongated white spot on or beneath their wings, red mouths and red legs. It took me a couple of days of researching books and online, but I finally identified them because I took good notes and went straight to it. They hung around for a couple of weeks, which was a delight to look out on the late and watch them swoop over the surface _en masse. _The glitter of their frenetic wing flying was awesome to see. Never noticed any bird like them Then one day, they disappeared. The following summer I saw only one pair, not in a group as before. It is just so wonderful to know that you can find the bird you are looking for if you just take notes. I talked to some bird folk when I went to an Audubon presentation at the local library. Unfortunately, none of them had ever had the joy of noticing the flock, but online I found someone who knew that occasionally, a flock will get isolated in the eye of a great storm that can travel thousands of miles before it lands. These birds may have just stopped here on their way back to wherever they came from once they had a chance to recharge their strength with the good eating they found in my pond that would keep them here two weeks before going back to wherever they came from. One thing that bothered me a little was that their appearance was their blackness was a shade to the dusky but very, very dark brown color rather than sleek black, but the markings and red mouths and legs were the reason I knew I had identified them right. Maybe something in the winds that brought them to Walker County, Texas lightened their color, or they dipped in an oil slick somewhere. There are derricks dotting the countryside within a couple of hundred miles from here, which would be nothing for the migratory birds that black guillemots are. Either that, or they are such secretive birds they fly all over east Texas, seldom staying at the same area unless a few years have passed, long enough for their feeding grounds to replenish whatever they dined upon. But for me, seeing them fly was a treat I shall never forget.


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## beautress

Back to the Audubon flip page calendar, January 3, 2019 is the Little Blue Heron, for which they show one of the white morphs or a young Little Blue Heron _Egretta caerulea _flying, and it looks like an adult. The little blue heron is not common in my lake, but I see a family of their cousins, the Great White Egrets in my Freedom Lake which are too elegant to describe here. Apparently the Little blue heron is common in the lake areas of Mississippi, according to what I read of them at the Audubon website or the Pautuxent Bird Identification Infocenter.

Here's what I found somewhere at the government or Audubon sites. Credits on the pictures when opened.
​


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## beautress

For January 4, my Audubon flip a page shows the beautiful Regal Sunbird or _Cinnyris regius_. Of course, it is exotic, so I had to go to Bing to get this African Congo cutie. Audubon only has North American birds. It is an amazing website, though, complete with maps, the sound of the bird, and full description that reflects someone's enchantment about sighting this or that little feathered friend.


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## beautress

Whooper Swan,_ Cygnus, cygnus



















_​
_









_
​01.05.2019 - Today's Audubon Page-a-Day shows 5 swans swimming on a snow-surrounded lake. I saw my first swan when I was about 4-8 years old at what was then called the Houston Zoological Gardens, and more recently, The Houston Zoo. In 1971, my husband and I saw some on our honeymoon near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When he was transferred to Oregon, we saw them swimming near the Shakespearean Festival area at Ashland, Oregon in 1982; in 2006, we saw some more on our Baltic Sea tour in a park pond in Poland.​
Swans are majestic birds, but they're not just a pretty face in the bird world. In April of 2012, in a residential pond in Des Plains, Illinois, a man was killed when a swan overturned his kayak, then according to eyewitnesses, drowned when the swan blocked him from swimming to shore.  How dangerous are swans?
​The ornithologist consulted by the author of the article printed in the UK, thought the aggressor bird was likely a male mute swan that only gets riled when someone approaches the nest where young swans are being tended. Continental swan attacks are very rare to almost never according to the report.
​Even though they are exceedingly good parents to their babies, approaching one in the springtime (or any other time) is not the best of good ideas. They are intolerant of outsiders when raising a brood.


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## beautress

Monday, January 7, 2019 my page-a-day bird from Audubon Soci3ety lists the Violet Sabrewing, _Campylorerus hemilejucurus this day, but doesn't say a word, so I haveta go look it up.  Wikipedia: Violet sabrewing - Wikipedia
_
_The *violet sabrewing* (Campylopterus hemileucurus) is a very large hummingbird native to southern Mexico and Central America as far south as Costa Rica and western Panama.

It is a species of the understory and edges of mountain forests, especially near streams. The female violet sabrewing lays two white eggs in a relatively large cup nest on a low horizontal branch, usually over a stream.

The violet sabrewing is 15 cm (5.9 in) long; the male weighs 11.5 g (0.41 oz) and the female 9.5 g (0.34 oz). It is the largest hummingbird found outside of South America and the largest sabrewing. The adult male is deep violet, with a dark green back and wing coverts. The shafts of the male's outer primary flight feathers are thickened and flattened to give the distinctive feature which gives the sabrewings their English and scientific names. The three outer pairs of feathers of the otherwise black tail are white; this gives rise to the scientific species name, hemileucurus translating as "half-white tail", but several other sabrewings share the tail pattern, not least the white-tailed sabrewing of Venezuela and Tobago_​


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## beautress

01.09.2019
The Atlantic Puffin
_Fratercula arctica_ – “little brother of the north”​


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## beautress

01.10.2019
Roseate Spoonbill
_Platalea ajaja

_​


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## beautress

01.08.2019
Ring-necked Pheasant
_Phasianus colchicus
_​


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## beautress

Today's Audubon Page-a-Day is showing a huge flock of Pied Avocets in flight. Boy, would I ever like to have seen that due to their wing markings.

Pied Avocets
_Recurvirostra avosetta

I think it captured the frenetic nature of wing patterns for birds in a huge flock. The only other bird I've actually seen that has unique markings is the Black Guillemot. They're absolutely awesome in vitro._​


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## beautress

Pied avocet - Wikipedia
_Recurvirostra avosetta_​_The pied avocet is a striking white wader with bold black markings. Adults have white plumage except for a black cap and black patches in the wings and on the back. They have long, upturned bills and long, bluish legs. It is approximately 16.5–17.75 in (41.9–45.1 cm) in length of which the bill is approximately 2.95–3.35 in (7.5–8.5 cm) and the legs are approximately 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm). Its wing-span is approximately 30–31.5 in (76–80 cm).[8] Males and females look alike. The juvenile resembles the adult but with more greyish and sepia tones. _

_The call of the avocet is a far-carrying, liquid, melodious kluit kluit.[8] _

*Behaviour[edit]*

_Pied avocet (juvenile)_ near Oosterend, Texel island, the Netherlands
These birds forage in shallow brackish water or on mud flats, often scything their bills from side to side in water (a feeding technique that is unique to the avocets[9]). They mainly eat crustaceans and insects.

Their breeding habitat is shallow lakes with brackish water and exposed bare mud. They nest on open ground, often in small groups, sometimes with other waders. 3–5 eggs are laid in a lined scrape or on a mound of vegetation. 

​


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## beautress

Red-legged honeycreeper
_Cyanerpes cyaneus_​This morning, I flipped the page-a-day calendar to its weekend page for January 12 and 13 (Sat-Sun) and today's bird is a Red-legged Honeycreeper is found. Then at Wikipedia, it says:

Overview -The red-legged honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) is a small songbird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and on Cuba, where possibly introduced.
The red-legged honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) is a small songbird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and on Cuba, where possibly introduced. 

Description

The red-legged honeycreeper is on average 12.2 cm (4.8 in) long, weighs 14 g (0.49 oz) and has a medium-long black, slightly decurved, bill. The male is violet-blue with black wings, tail and back, and bright red legs. The crown of its head is turquoise, and the underwing, visible only in flight, is lemon yellow. After the breeding season, the male moults into an eclipse plumage, mainly greenish with black wings. 
Females and immatures are mainly green, with paler, faintly streaked underparts. The legs are red-brown in the female, and brown in young birds.

Read more on Wikipedia​
So now, it's just a matter of presenting some pictures that I can find, because the Page-a-Day birds don't seem to be online, not ever. On the calendar, though, the bird is a lovely purple with a black mask on his eyes, a light-colored bluish cap, black back and wings, not to mention fluorescent hot hot red legs.


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## beautress

Red-legged honeycreeper
_Cyanerpes cyaneus_​
This bird appeared diverse in colors--some were royal blue, some were turquoise, some were green. The description said the females were brown, but none were shown. Maybe I better reload the verbiage for description. Will post the differences below when done. Change description...etc...

Ok, I found more stuff on the Red-legged honeycreeper pairs, mom feeds baby, color morphs, etc. Very few were the lovely shade of purple the calendar shows, most were a brilliant royal blue. It is not clear to me whether this was a case like butterflies being able to show one color when feeding, and morph to a more spectacular color when preening or trolling for a mate.. <giggle> I loved both colors of the males, but the females appeared green, not brown as the Wikipedia description said. Colorblind issues aside, the shape and beauty of this bird is fascinating. Occasionally, some exotic bird will make its way up to my Walker County Texas home, or the nearby woods, but I've yet to notice a Red-legged honeycreeper. The only red-legged bird I've seen here was a flock of Black guillemots, and they are generally arctic birds that dwell in northern areas of Europe (Great Britain to the Arctic Circle and Baltic Sea area, I think. I have NO IDEA how a flock of Black Guillemots would arrive here, but the few days they hung around Freedom Lake was a treat I will never, never forget. I will definitely keep an eye out for the Red-legged honeycreeper should I be so lucky one finds its way a few hundred miles north of their usual areas, but summers bring unusual things--could be that when the eye of a hurricane disperses, it frees the birds trapped in its eye at or near my area. One year the most beautiful green bird I ever saw--iridescent Kelly green to be exact--arrived on my property, and it was so beautiful, about 18 inches from the tip of its elegant beak to the tip of its slightly elongated tail. It was stunning, and I sifted through every bird book I have including a 5" thick encyclopedia, and I never saw the bird that was looking me over, too. Nature is truly full of intrigue and diversity, and what I beheld, I have never, never seen another like it nor found it anywhere, and got zero response when I emailed a few bird organizations. Oh, and I have no history of alternative drug use and am not on any kind of prescription meds. But I know what I saw, and it's loveliness is a little part of my heart years later, because I truly loved every moment it hung around eyeing me and vice-versa.


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## beautress

Snowy Owls Rock!




























]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


















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## beautress

Bald Eagle
_Haliaeetus leucocephalus_
America's National Bird





From a book I wrote entitled "Aesthetics of Southwest Album Applique Quilt" becki marsh Copyright, 1992​
Wingspan: 71 inch – 91 inch​
Weight: 6.61 pound – 14 pound​
Speed: 35 mph – 43 mph (Gliding) · 75 mph – 99 mph (Diving)​
From National Geographic: Bald Eagle | National Geographic

About the Bald Eagle

The bald eagle, with its snowy-feathered (not bald) head and white tail, is the proud national bird symbol of the United States—yet the bird was nearly wiped out there. For many decades, bald eagles were hunted for sport and for the "protection" of fishing grounds. Pesticides like DDT also wreaked havoc on eagles and other birds. These chemicals collect in fish, which make up most of the eagle's diet. They weaken the bird's eggshells and severely limited their ability to reproduce. Since DDT use was heavily restricted in 1972, eagle numbers have rebounded significantly and have been aided by reintroduction programs. The result is a wildlife success story—the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has upgraded the birds from endangered to least concern.

Example of  Bald Eagle behavior known as kleptoparasitism​


​
*Behavior*
Bald Eagles are powerful fliers—soaring, gliding, and flapping over long distances. In one of several spectacular courtship displays, a male and female fly high into the sky, lock talons, and cartwheel downward together, breaking off at the last instant to avoid crashing to earth. Bald Eagles frequently harass birds including Ospreys and other eagles to steal their food, and occasionally do the same to mammals such as river or sea otters. On the ground, Bald Eagles walk in an awkward, rocking gait. Capable of floating, a Bald Eagle may use its wings to “row” over water too deep for wading. Though often solitary, Bald Eagles congregate by the scores or even the hundreds at communal roosts and feeding sites, particularly in winter. These groups can be boisterous, with birds jostling for position and bickering over prey. During breeding season you may see Bald Eagles defending their territories from a variety of intruders, including raptors and ravens, coyotes and foxes. When feeding at carcasses, Bald Eagles may push Black and Turkey Vultures out of the way; other species including ravens, coyotes, bobcats, and dogs sometimes hold their own. Bald Eagles are often harassed or chased by their fellow raptors and by songbirds including blackbirds, crows, and flycatchers. Bald Eagle Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
​


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## beautress

01.15.2019 The Audubon Page-a-Day Calendar is showing the Royal Flycatcher's (_Onychorhynchus coronatus_) unique headdress today, and what a showy feathered hat it is. One enthusiast I read this morning said when the plain-looking bird displays his crown, you never forget it. Please open the pictures below to see what this enthusiast meant. 

​


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## beautress

01.16.2019  The Daily Picture: Adélie Penguins

On March 5, 2018, The New York Times ran a story about scientists who found a "supercolony" of Adélie Penguins in Antartica's Danger Islands. It's a happy find for bird lovers, but the author was intrigued because in order to support such a colony of birds, there had to be a very abundant supply of food for them. A Supercolony of Penguins Has Been Found Near Antarctica



Apparently the diet of Adélie Penguins is carnivorus--they eat krill and fish that are smaller than themselves according to sources. Their chicks are fed when the parents regurtigate food, and both parents participate in feeding them.


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## beautress

01.17.2019 Prothonotary Warbler, _Protonotaria citrea
Prothonotary Warbler | Audubon Field Guide
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea In southeastern swamps in summer, this bright golden warbler sings from high in the trees. It is unique among eastern warblers in its habit of nesting in holes in trees, rather than in the open; it will sometimes nest in birdhouses placed close to the water.













They look like sweet little birds to me.


​
_


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## beautress

Wood Ducks Rock!!! I'm glad today's calendar reminded me of them!

01.18.2019













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## beautress

01.18.2019 and 01.19.2019, Northern Saw-whet Owl,_ Aegolius acadicus
Northern Saw-whet Owl







_
Birders who prowl through conifer groves in winter sometimes find this round-headed little gnome perched there, sitting still as if to avoid notice. Avoiding notice is a task at which this owl often succeeds; it is overlooked in many places where it occurs. Late at night in the breeding season, males give a rhythmic tooting song that may go on for hours with scarcely a break. The bird was named for this song, which reminded settlers of the sound of a whetstone sharpening a saw
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## beautress

From USGS Pawtuxent Bird Identification Center, Northern Saw-whet Owl







​
*Northern Saw-whet owl Aegolius acadicus *
*Identification Tips:*

Length: 7 inches Wingspan: 17 inches
Small, nocturnal, predatory bird
Large, rounded head
Yellow eyes
Brownish facial disks
Dark bill
Brown upperparts with large white spots
Pale underparts with large, dark irregular streaks
Sexes similar
*Similar species: *
The Boreal Owl is most likely to be confused with the Northern Saw-whet Owl but lacks brown in the face, has a pale bill, has a dark border to the face and darker brown upperparts. Screech-owls have ear tufts. Pygmy-owls have longer tails and different markings.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.​
Seven inches isn't very long for a bird with a 17" wingspan, but imho, these birds are flat-out cuties.


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## beautress

Turned over the leaf on my Audubon Page-a-day calendar and was pleased to find my favorite bird from the tropics.. In years past, I was so fascinated by the bird, I designed an applique pattern after it, but now, it just hangs on a wall in my music room. Its black and white feathers look good with music notes, which you can find in the fabric department of many stores dedicated to modern quilting and interesting fabrics.  Anyway, there it sits, never to seen by anyone else but me, now that my dear man is now a real angel of heaven that he always was on this side of the Jordan.

*Resplendent Quetzal
*​Good description here: Resplendent quetzal - Wikipedia
The *resplendent quetzal* ( /ˈkɛtsəl/) (_Pharomachrus mocinno_) is a bird in the trogon family. It is found from Chiapas, Mexico to western Panama (unlike the other quetzals of the genus _Pharomachrus_, which are found in South America and eastern Panama). It is well known for its colorful plumage. There are two subspecies, _P. m. mocinno_ and _P. m. costaricensis_.

The resplendent quetzal plays an important role in various types of Mesoamerican mythology. It is the national bird of Guatemala, and its image is found on the country's flag and coat of arms. It also lends its name to the country's currency, the Guatemalan quetzal (abbreviation GTQ).
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## beautress

More Resplendent Quetzals...




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## beautress

01.22.2019
White ibis
Eudocimus albus
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## beautress

White ibis
Eudocimus albus
White Ibis​
*Identification Tips:*

Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 38 inches
Sexes similar
Medium-sized long-legged long-necked wading bird
Long, decurved bill
Holds neck extended in flight
*Adult: *


White body plumage with black tips to outer primaries
Bill and facial skin pinkish-red
Red legs
*Immature: *


Brown head, neck, back and wings
White belly
Orange bill and facial skin
Dull legs
*Similar species: *
Adults are unmistakable. Curlews are much smaller, mottled brown and black with white necks and bellies and usually with a distinctive head pattern. The white belly of the immature White Ibis distinguishes it from Glossy Ibis and White-faced Ibis.

From the Cornell Bird Lab: White Ibis Sounds, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

*Calls at Roost*
Their call is a rather unmusical, harsh and nasal honk given in flight or while foraging
(The sounds at the above Cornell Link didn't sound threatening, maybe a little on the complainant side, though ..)


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## beautress

01.23.2019 
Snowy owl
_Bubo scandiacus_

Amazing birds aren't scared of anything
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## Pogo

beautress said:


> 01.17.2019 Prothonotary Warbler, _Protonotaria citrea_
> _Prothonotary Warbler | Audubon Field Guide
> Prothonotary Warbler
> Protonotaria citrea In southeastern swamps in summer, this bright golden warbler sings from high in the trees. It is unique among eastern warblers in its habit of nesting in holes in trees, rather than in the open; it will sometimes nest in birdhouses placed close to the water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They look like sweet little birds to me.
> 
> 
> 
> _​



Always found this name fascinating.  Not just a warbler, a _prothonotary _warbler

As the USS Enterprise would say.....


"Fire Prothon torpedoes!"


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## beautress

01.24.2019
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
_Ara ararauna_




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## beautress

01.25.2019
American avocet _Recurvirostra americana    _
American Avocet




​*American avocet Recurvirostra americana *
*Identification Tips:*

Length: 15 inches
Large, very long-legged shorebird
Long, very thin, upturned black bill
Blue-gray legs
White rump and tail
Sexes similar, but bill is more strongly recurved in female than in male
*Adult alternate: *

Rust red head, neck and chest
White lores and eyering
White upper back, breast, belly and tail
White back is bordered by two long, black stripes on the scapulars
Black outer wing and white inner wing, with a black bar through middle of inner wing
*Adult basic: *

Similar to adult alternate, but head, neck, and chest are grayish
*Juvenile: *

Gray face
Rusty wash on head and hindneck 
I love these amazing birds. They are eye candy, and I have seen a couple of them out back from time to time, scavenging the side of Freedom Lake.


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## beautress

American Avocet Winter haunts (CBC)





American Avocet Summer preferences





Maps are at the Pawtuxent Bird Identification Center, USGS.
American Avocet and American Avocet

For the sound it makes go here: 
American Avocet Sounds, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology​*Calls*: The call of male and female American Avocets is a repeated, high-pitched _kleet_. They are generally silent, calling only when disturbed.


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## beautress

01.26.2019
Red-crowned Crane_ 
Grus japonensis _






The Red-crowned Crane is the National Bird of China and is also found in Japan and Manchuria.
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## beautress

I apologize for being late now and then, but yesterday, I spent my whole day working on a quilt for a friend of mine who is pretty bad-off due to lung cancer. His chemo has been so severe he feels weak a lot, but still finds the strength to feed his small herd of cows, take care of cats and dogs, not to mention keeps up with his squirrel and bird feeding activities. And now, it's off to the quilt room. It's really nice to take a break and go through this wonderful Audubon page-a-day Calendar to see what bird they found so fascinating they would give their tribe a page on weekdays, or a slot on the Saturday-Sunday page. I'm going to get one next year, too, but if I make it through this year publishing my online findings about these precious little winged friends, I'll be surprised. One of these days I'm going to pick some of these birds and design a quilt. Unfortunately, some birds are so amazing, I have designed a wallhanging of a t least two of them--the American Eagle in a kind of a Southwest-manufactured style, and a Resplendent Quetzal which seems to have a tai twice or evenl thrice as long as its body.

Semt from my landline using yappatalk… I kept losing cell phones, so I changed back, but by then they cancelled landlines through wires in the country, which leaves you servers that blank out completely when it rains or clouds cover the entire landscape. It doesn't seem to be raining right now, though.
Finding some random birds on bing..






Credits here:Songbirds of North America - $19.00 + Free shipping

Oh, my goodness. It's a t-shirt source! lol
That might not be such a bad shirt for a bird lover...​


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## beautress

01.28.2019
Black-collared Barbet
_Lybius torquatus
Found in countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Angola.
Information from: Black-collared Barbet (Lybius torquatus) videos, photos and sound recordings | the Internet Bird Collection | HBW Alive
A couple of Black-collared Barbets discussing something: 
_​


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## beautress

Found some really cute pictures of these little harpies...ok, so they're enthusiastic when they speak Black-collared Barbetese to each other …




​From Wikipedia: The black-collared barbet usually is about 20–25 cm long, plump-looking and has a large head. It also has the heavy bill fringed with bristles that is characteristic of the genus _Lybius_.[2] This barbet has a very obvious black collar and head which gives reference to its name. It also has a fire-engine red coloring around the eyes and beak.[3] It has morphologically variable coloring because there is a replacement of a red head with a black head. It also has a more intense color and is larger than other barbets. This bird is also sexually monomorphic, which means that there is generally no phenotypic difference between the males and females of this species. The morphology, size and behavior are basically the same.[4]

The black-collared barbet is one of the many duetting species in the genus _Lybius_ and it regularly uses duetting in its day-to-day life. There are no solitary song instances heard from this species.[5] Also, the repertoire of the duets do not vary greatly.[4] This species is readily recognized by its loud duet, commonly rendered as _"too-puddly too-puddly too-puddly"_ or "too-doodle too-doodle"[5].... accompanied by wing-flicking. In addition to the wing-flicking, the birds in the pair face each other while calling and lean forward while bowing ceremoniously to each other. This bird produces a variety of calls including its snarling warning call and loud buzzing. The snarling could be the initiating sound of the duet.[5]

The "too-puddly" song is actually an antiphonal duet. That means that one bird out of the pair sings the first note, then the other bird in the pair sings the second note. To bystanders, this does not sound like it comes from two different birds.[3] It has distinct sexual duet roles after a greeting ceremony and the partner's notes do differ. The birds do not sing simultaneously, but are synchronized in their duets.[4] The time between when one bird stops singing to when the other bird in the pair picks the song up is called the auditory response time for the duet. The approximate auditory response time for this bird is 178 ms.[5]

This species also incorporates more wing and flight displays into their greeting ceremonies, mating, and territorial displays.[4] It is a gregarious species, often acting in concert when driving off intruders and roosting together (up to 15 recorded) in nest holes. Their flight is direct with a loud whirring of wings. More details are here: Black-collared barbet - Wikipedia​
Nature and its diversity--awesome!


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## beautress

01.30.2019
Common Crane, _Grus grus





_​


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## beautress

Upland Goose
_Chloephaga picta leucoptera_
South American bird, male and female.





Information on the Upland Goose here: The Andes, Fauna and Nature, Part 3: Patagonia.
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## beautress

02.01.2019
Summer Tanager
These are ever present in the summers here in Walker County, Texas. They are truly eye candy!



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## beautress

Common Ostrich






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## beautress

02.04.2019 
King Bird of Paradise
_Cicinnurus regius_


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## Pogo

Check it out Becki --- I'm using a recycled 2013 Audubon Songbird calendar and for February it displays a pair of Green Jays






_Cyanocorax yncas_​
Mostly in South America, Mexico and -------------- South Texas!  

Cornell All About Birds page:  Green Jay Overview

What a feast of color.  Do you get to see any where you are?


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Found some really cute pictures of these little harpies...ok, so they're enthusiastic when they speak Black-collared Barbetese to each other …
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​From Wikipedia: The black-collared barbet usually is about 20–25 cm long, plump-looking and has a large head. It also has the heavy bill fringed with bristles that is characteristic of the genus _Lybius_.[2] This barbet has a very obvious black collar and head which gives reference to its name. It also has a fire-engine red coloring around the eyes and beak.[3] It has morphologically variable coloring because there is a replacement of a red head with a black head. It also has a more intense color and is larger than other barbets. This bird is also sexually monomorphic, which means that there is generally no phenotypic difference between the males and females of this species. The morphology, size and behavior are basically the same.[4]
> 
> The black-collared barbet is one of the many duetting species in the genus _Lybius_ and it regularly uses duetting in its day-to-day life. There are no solitary song instances heard from this species.[5] Also, the repertoire of the duets do not vary greatly.[4] This species is readily recognized by its loud duet, commonly rendered as _"too-puddly too-puddly too-puddly"_ or "too-doodle too-doodle"[5].... accompanied by wing-flicking. In addition to the wing-flicking, the birds in the pair face each other while calling and lean forward while bowing ceremoniously to each other. This bird produces a variety of calls including its snarling warning call and loud buzzing. The snarling could be the initiating sound of the duet.[5]
> 
> The "too-puddly" song is actually an antiphonal duet. That means that one bird out of the pair sings the first note, then the other bird in the pair sings the second note. To bystanders, this does not sound like it comes from two different birds.[3] It has distinct sexual duet roles after a greeting ceremony and the partner's notes do differ. The birds do not sing simultaneously, but are synchronized in their duets.[4] The time between when one bird stops singing to when the other bird in the pair picks the song up is called the auditory response time for the duet. The approximate auditory response time for this bird is 178 ms.[5]
> 
> This species also incorporates more wing and flight displays into their greeting ceremonies, mating, and territorial displays.[4] It is a gregarious species, often acting in concert when driving off intruders and roosting together (up to 15 recorded) in nest holes. Their flight is direct with a loud whirring of wings. More details are here: Black-collared barbet - Wikipedia​
> Nature and its diversity--awesome!



Such an outstanding post for its informativity.  Had to rate it "Winner" but I wanted to rate it "chicken dinner".

Wait, I'm not sure that came out right for a bird thread but you get the idea.


----------



## beautress

When you hear one, you will know why the Western Meadowlark is the state bird in six states. What can I say? I've lived in two of the states for 5 years or more twice.

​My husband bought us 40 acres out in Wyoming that was in the middle of nowhere, except for one fact: several times in the summer almost every year for 44 years, we'd pack a lunch and take off for our land in Rolling Hills, Wyoming (which was surrounded by other vacant 40-acre lots and a couple of neighbors), to see what miniature wild flowers would grow out there, and of course, listen to the state bird trill often while nesting on those sagebrush-covered, weedy arctic desert but idyllic rolling hills... what lovely times, just listening to the birds, while walking fence, when at any time a baby antelope would spring 6 or 8 feet into the air to run helter-skelter from the hiding place its mother had left it. I swear, their little legs were the size of a tinker toy--very slender, but quite powerful enough to project them sky high and running out of reach of their quite stunned, potential enemies. Those were wonderful days. Once I found a two-inch high miniature columbine in full blossom, knowing that the ones up on Casper Mountain would grow to 15 inches high, and the ones in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado were often found on 25" tall clusters with 3-inch narrow blooms.

Wild Columbine being pollinated 
by a Ruby-throated hummingbird




​


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> Check it out Becki --- I'm using a recycled 2013 Audubon Songbird calendar and for February it displays a pair of Green Jays
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Cyanocorax yncas_​
> Mostly in South America, Mexico and -------------- South Texas!
> 
> Cornell All About Birds page:  Green Jay Overview
> 
> What a feast of color.  Do you get to see any where you are?


Thanks for posting one from 2013. Since I was busy all the year in 2013 trying to make 100 quilt tops in one year for charity, I may have been a little neglectful here. Got 110 quilt tops done, I'm pretty sure, but made the extra 10 quilts just in case I made some unknown error in counting, because just taking on such a marathon in stitches can get intense. Since then, I'm down to 40-60 per annum. I'm working more on the technical end of quilt making--absolutely matched corner, reducing errors in measurement to small, not medium ones. We're talking right on mesurements, not 1/16 off corners where four blocks intersect. Perfection, never. But the 90 degree corners make a great difference.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Check it out Becki --- I'm using a recycled 2013 Audubon Songbird calendar and for February it displays a pair of Green Jays
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Cyanocorax yncas_​
> Mostly in South America, Mexico and -------------- South Texas!
> 
> Cornell All About Birds page:  Green Jay Overview
> 
> What a feast of color.  Do you get to see any where you are?
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for posting one from 2013. Since I was busy all the year in 2013 trying to make 100 quilt tops in one year for charity, I may have been a little neglectful here. Got 110 quilt tops done, I'm pretty sure, but made the extra 10 quilts just in case I made some unknown error in counting, because just taking on such a marathon in stitches can get intense. Since then, I'm down to 40-60 per annum. I'm working more on the technical end of quilt making--absolutely matched corner, reducing errors in measurement to small, not medium ones. We're talking right on mesurements, not 1/16 off corners where four blocks intersect. Perfection, never. But the 90 degree corners make a great difference.
Click to expand...


I remember how much quilts, uh, loom in your life 

Well I don't do stitching, I do music.  So here's a song for you.

​
Weaver! With your lovers loom
I have seen you by the light of the moon
Winking those eyes of green and gold
Dancing, dancing, dancing
Dancing, dancing, dancing
Down the silver maze of the Milky Way
And all across the heavens​(off topic)


----------



## beautress

Thanks, Pogo. Lovely song. Thanks.

I found a really cute bird quilt online (made by someone else). I just try to make geometric, quickie quilt tops pieced for the charity work. Art quilts take longer, but I love them best. Unfortuinately, I've done almost nothing but pieced quilts, many log cabins, rectantle windmill blades, and 9-patch pieced quilts.

You have to click on it to see it. Whoever made it made a beautiful work of art using birds as theme.


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## beautress

Today's bird is the red-and-green McCaw, Ara chloropterus:  Red-and-green macaw - Wikipedia
















​


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## beautress

According to Wikipedia:

The *red-and-green macaw* (_Ara chloropterus_), also known as the *green-winged macaw*,[2] is a large, mostly-red macaw of the genus  _Ara_.

This is the largest of the genus _Ara_, widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central South America. However, in common with other macaws, in recent years there has been a marked decline in its numbers due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the parrot trade. 

*Description[edit]*
The green-winged macaw can be readily distinguished from the scarlet macaw. While the breast of both birds are bright red, the upper-wing covert feathers of the green-winged macaw is mostly green but can occasionally sport a few yellow feathers above the band of green (as opposed to mostly yellow, or a strong mix of yellow and green in the scarlet macaw). In addition, the green-winged macaw has characteristic red lines around the eyes formed by rows of tiny feathers on the otherwise bare white skin patch; this is one of the biggest differences from a scarlet macaw to the casual viewer. Iridescent teal feathers are surrounded by red on the tail. If seen together, the green-winged macaw is clearly larger than the scarlet macaw as well.

In terms of length, this species is second only in size to the hyacinth macaw, the largest of the macaws. The red-and-green macaw attains a total body length of 90 to 95 cm (35 to 37 in) in adults.[3] Twelve adults were found to average 1,214 g (2.676 lb).[4] A weight range of between 1,050 and 1,708 g (2.315 and 3.765 lb) has been reported.[3] While its weight range is broadly similar to that of the hyacinth, the average weight of the red-and-green macaw is slightly surpassed by both the hyacinth and great green macaws, and amongst all living parrots additionally by the kakapo.[3][4]

*Behavior[edit]*
The green-winged macaw generally mates for life. The female typically lays two or three eggs in a nest made in a hole in a tree. The female incubates the eggs for about 28 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 90 days after hatching.[5]

*Re-introduction programme[edit]*
Aves Argentinas, a partner of BirdLife International is leading the re-introduction of the species in Argentina. The bird which has not been seen for some years and is listed as critically endangered in Argentina was released in Iberá Provincial Reserve (Spanish: Reserva Provincial Iberá) in the north-eastern province of Corrientes. The birds are from zoos and breeding centres in Argentina and were released in 2015.[6] 

Sorry so sleepy. Didn't get much sleep last night due to working on a quilt through the night. It's catch up time, so sayonara till tomorrow.


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## beautress

Blue-and-yellow Macaw
_Ara ararayba






Blue-and-yellow macaw - Wikipedia
_​_The *blue-and-yellow macaw* (Ara ararauna), also known as the *blue-and-gold macaw*, is a large South American parrot with mostly blue top parts and light orange underparts, with gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland and savannah of tropical South America. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to humans. 

These birds can reach a length of 76–86 cm (30–34 in) and weigh 0.900–1.5 kg (2–3 lb), making them some of the larger members of their family. They are vivid in appearance with blue feathers on the top of their wings, torso, and tail—and halfway on top of their head; the other half of the top of their head is covered with gradient hues of green feathers, starting out lime in the front and gradually becoming chartreuse further down. On the bottom of these mentioned areas of their body are light orange feathers. Their beak is black, as well as the feathers under their chin. The face feathers are white, turning pink in excited birds, and lined with small, black striped patterns of feathers around the eyes. The irises are light yellow. Blue-and-yellow macaws live from 30 to 35 years in the wild and reach sexual maturity between the ages of 3 and 6 years.[4]

Little variation in plumage is seen across the range. Some birds have a more orange or "butterscotch" underside color, particularly on the breast. This was often seen in Trinidad birds and others of the Caribbean area. The blue-and-yellow macaw uses its powerful beak for breaking nutshells, and for climbing up and hanging from trees.[4]

*Distribution and habitat*
This species occurs in Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The range extends slightly into Central America, where it is restricted to Panama. Although they were nearly wiped out in Trinidad due to human activity during the 1970s, a recent programme of reintroduction has proved successful. Between 1999 and 2003, wild-caught blue-and-gold macaws were translocated from Guyana to Trinidad, in an attempt to re-establish the species in a protected area around Nariva swamp. A small breeding population descended from introduced birds is found in Puerto Rico,[1] and another has inhabited Miami-Dade County, Florida, since the mid-1980s.[5]

*Breeding*

he blue-and-yellow macaw generally mates for life. They nest almost exclusively in dead palms and most nests are in Mauritia flexuosa palms.The female typically lays two or three eggs. The female incubates the eggs for about 28 days. One chick is dominant and gets most of the food; the others perish in the nest. Chicks fledge from the nest about 97 days after hatching. The male bird's color signals readiness for breeding. The brighter and bolder the colors, the better the chance of getting a mate.[6]

*Conservation and threats[edit]*
The blue-and-yellow macaw is on the verge of being extirpated in Paraguay, but it still remains widespread and fairly common in a large part of mainland South America. The species is therefore listed as Least Concern by BirdLife International. It is listed on CITES Appendix II, trade restricted.[1]

*Aviculture[edit]*



At Walsrode Bird Park, Germany
Even well-tended blue-and-yellow macaws are known to "scream" for attention, and make other loud noises. Loud vocalizations, especially "flock calls", and destructive chewing are natural parts of their behavior and should be expected in captivity. Due to their large size, they also require plentiful space in which to fly around. According to World Parrot Trust, an enclosure for a blue-and-yellow macaw should, if possible, be at least 15 m (50 ft) in length.[7] Captive macaws, kept with good diet, exercise, and veterinary care have been recorded to live 60 or more years.[8] People considering a macaw as a companion parrot must be aware of this and consider that the bird may outlive the owner.

_
​


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## beautress

*Peruvian Pelican* 
_Pelecanus thagus



_​From Wikipedia: Peruvian pelican - Wikipedia

The *Peruvian pelican* (_Pelecanus thagus_) is a member of the pelican family. It lives on the west coast of South America, breeding in loose colonies from about 33.5° in central Chile to Piura in northern Peru, and occurring as a visitor in southern Chile and Ecuador.[2]

These birds are dark in colour with a white stripe from the top of the bill up to the crown and down the sides of the neck. They have long tufted feathers on the top of their heads. It was previously considered a subspecies of the brown pelican (_Pelecanus occidentalis_). The Peruvian pelican is considerably larger, ranging from about 5 to 7 kg (11–15 lb) in weight, 137 to 152 cm (4.5–5.0 ft) in length and with a wingspan of about 228 cm (7.5 ft).[2] Compared to the brown pelican, it also has proportionally longer crest feathers, as well as differences in the colours of the gular pouch, beak, scapulars and greater wing coverts.[2]

The main breeding season occurs from September to March. Clutch size is usually two or three eggs. Eggs are incubated for approximately 4 to 5 weeks, with the rearing period lasting about 3 months.

This bird feeds on several species of fish. Unlike the brown pelican, it never dives from a great height to catch it food, instead diving from a shallow height or feeding while swimming on the surface.[3] On occasion it may take other food items, such as nestling of imperial shags, young Peruvian diving petrels, gray gulls and cannibalize unrelated chicks its own species.[4][5]

Its status was first evaluated for the IUCN Red List in 2008, being listed as Near threatened.[6] 
















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## beautress

Greeted by friendly grackles at Walmart this am!





​


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## beautress

Found this around the internet when I went searching...


----------



## beautress

​


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## beautress

Several states have the same state birds as other. In popularity, three states together have 18 states enjoying title of State Bird for these three species of wonderful winged wild avians. Second-place most popular is the western meadowlark, claimed by 6 states--Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming..
​


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## beautress

Ernie S. said:


> Check out this eagle cam. It's very addicting.



Ernie!!!! Thanks!

​


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## beautress

02.17.2019
Victoria Crowned-Pigeon



​


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## beautress

Conservation of Avians is important as this will show:

​


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## beautress

File:Black-browed Albatross, Beagle Channel.jpg - Wikipedia
Black-browed Albatross can be found in Patagonia, Argentina in frigid water areas.​


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## Pogo

beautress said:


> File:Black-browed Albatross, Beagle Channel.jpg - Wikipedia
> Black-browed Albatross can be found in Patagonia, Argentina in frigid water areas.​
> View attachment 247724​



I hope this doesn't sound sexist but ................ nice wings!


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## Pogo

beautress said:


> Conservation of Avians is important as this will show:
> 
> ​



They could have used this for background music........

​


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## beautress

​Love those red-winged blackbirds very much.


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## beautress

Common Firecrest, credits, Wikipedia




Showing off his crest​


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## beautress

Just a birdhouse for indoors fun...




​


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## beautress

The bird aesthetic's favorite wakeup call...
​


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## Pogo

beautress said:


> The bird aesthetic's favorite wakeup call...
> ​



We certainly have a plethora of tufted tifmice here, they and the chickadees are the most frequent feeders.

My personal favorite wakeup call though is still the Phoebe.  Beautiful cheery sound to wake up to and I usually get one nesting around the bridge outside my bedroom window.

Won't be long before the wood thrushes start gracing the dawns and dusks too.

​
What _amazing _photography here.  And sound recording as well.


----------



## beautress

Thanks, Pogo. Those sounds are just totally beautiful.


----------



## Marion Morrison

The boys after a snack.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Thanks, Pogo. Those sounds are just totally beautiful.



I'm not much of a photographer but I am an audio engineer so I'm really impressed by Cornell's recordings there.  It's no easy task to capture a bird like that fighting off the winds and other background sounds, and takes enormous patience.

Some of those calls I sampled from other Phoebes were freaking my speakers out.


----------



## beautress

Marion Morrison said:


> The boys after a snack.
> 
> View attachment 253199


Some of my favorite birds. I've seen two really fabulous groups of birds like yours, Marion. We were at an aviary someplace between Tampa and Orlando, FL one year doing some sight-seeing and visiting a nearby gallery of Tiffany's masterpieces, etc. On the grounds before you got inside of the aviary, there were a gaggle of these amazing creatures, and they were displaying for some of the plainer hens around. I just remember how gorgeous they were.

On another long-distance vacation (we lived in Wyoming at the time), we visited New Orleans and went to the zoo there. This was many years ago, but there were some spectacular peacocks and pea hens in one area of the zoo there (small but fabulous) with birds so beautiful in the peacock family, I almost cried. Seems that one of them was completely white, others were that royal blue and turquoise-green with patterned dots of purple and orange color on each fabulous tail feathers on the males. That's just what I recollect.

Peacocks and Pea hens are beautiful when the males are showing off. 

Your snapshot shows just how beautiful the combs are on the peacocks, not to mention how they add to the elegance of an already spectacularly sophisticated piece of eye candy in the bird world. Thanks for sharing. My husband and I were fond of zoos. Our A's and Z's just happened to be Aviaries and Zoos! lolol Now, he's gone, and I miss those times of getting to see birds, mammals, and sea life. Oh, which reminds me. If you like fish, you must go to Lisbon, Portugal. They have this amazing humongous group of Aquariums a train ride from Lisboa to the *Oceanario*, I think is what they called it. Their zoo impressed me as being a place that the animals were very happy looking. I wouldn't have known the difference, except we visited a zoo in or near Oklahoma City one time, and every animal there was depressed. That really distressed me to see such miserable creatures. I read a few years later they completely remodeled the zoo to be more like their homelands, so I hope that changed from what I had the empathetic misery of seeing. Back then, those poor creatures were obviously unhappy. I got to noticing how the animals felt about their surroundings after that. Oddly, the smaller zoos I've seen--one in Las Vegas and the one in New Orleans didn't have that problem. They didn't have every specie on earth, but the ones they had were cheerfully challenged about their incarcerations. Kudos to LV, NV and NO, LA. Somebody loved to have their animals happy there when we visited.  

Most of the ones we saw were actually somewhere in between, or else I wasn't paying attention at the time. As a child, though, I recall visiting the Houston Zoological Gardens (now called the Houston Zoo), and those were happy times from the time I was 4 until my teenage years. We didn't go every year, however. Dad was a teacher, when Uncle Sam/military/etc. didn't have anything using his skills, and he had to work in the summers to make ends meet. Fortunately, my mother's sister had a car and loved to take us to Hermann park for horseriding and visiting the zoo now and then.  Seems like the younger I was, the birds were lured into staying delightfully out of the cages, but most recently (about 5 or 6 years ago) they had an amazing aviary, not to mention a totally fun butterfly house near the planetarium that is several stories high and accommodates a beautiful waterfall the vertical parameter of the specialized home for Lepidoptera mainly. The Zoo has an aviary. I'd like to go back sometime this year and visit the zoo before it gets too hot but before school lets out. About this time of year, teachers in elementary schools start taking their classes to the zoos, and any particular zoo in the world, you can tell them by a group of kids all wearing the same colors of t-shirts, probably because of being able to keep up with their own school's children is easier that way.

When I was growing up, it was come as you are if you were lucky enough to take in the zoo on a field trip. lol


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, Pogo. Those sounds are just totally beautiful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not much of a photographer but I am an audio engineer so I'm really impressed by Cornell's recordings there.  It's no easy task to capture a bird like that fighting off the winds and other background sounds, and takes enormous patience.
> 
> Some of those calls I sampled from other Phoebes were freaking my speakers out.
Click to expand...

Oh, my goodness. One of my friends in years past was an audio engineer of sorts. Lost touch with him, though, after so many years of being online. Some years, all I do is sew quilts, so it may have been the year I made about 80 quilts. That pretty much eats up a year when you're working on quilt shows for a business survival in a small town, and that year when I got back, his website was gone._ c'est la vie._ 

I sure enjoyed the video you provided. It was truly some of the best music ever, and I'm not trained in bird music, but I know what is beautiful to my ears.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, Pogo. Those sounds are just totally beautiful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not much of a photographer but I am an audio engineer so I'm really impressed by Cornell's recordings there.  It's no easy task to capture a bird like that fighting off the winds and other background sounds, and takes enormous patience.
> 
> Some of those calls I sampled from other Phoebes were freaking my speakers out.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh, my goodness. One of my friends in years past was an audio engineer of sorts. Lost touch with him, though, after so many years of being online. Some years, all I do is sew quilts, so it may have been the year I made about 80 quilts. That pretty much eats up a year when you're working on quilt shows for a business survival in a small town, and that year when I got back, his website was gone._ c'est la vie._
> 
> I sure enjoyed the video you provided. It was truly some of the best music ever, and I'm not trained in bird music, but I know what is beautiful to my ears.
Click to expand...


How gratifying to hear that  --- the Pamela Morgan song?  She was the lead singer in a Newfoundland band called Figgy Duff (named for a pudding).  Kind of the Canadian Steeleye Span if that means anything.  Music is my passion. I'm swimming in it, worked in radio for decades.  I like gifting people with music, just a matter of finding out what touches them.  With your permission I'll post more bird-themed music -- you know, just to keep it on topic.


----------



## Pogo

beautress  LOVE the new avatar Becki.  It's a reminder, gonna be that time real soon.  Gotta get the nectar ready and the feeders up this week.

I remember one spring, I think it was March around this time, weather was warming up and I was on the porch saying to myself, "Self, I wonder if it's time yet to put the hummer feeders up..."  Right at that moment a ruby throat buzzed right up to my face and snarled "HEY!  WHERE DA FOOD AT??"



Might have shown you this before --- got one standing still.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, Pogo. Those sounds are just totally beautiful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not much of a photographer but I am an audio engineer so I'm really impressed by Cornell's recordings there.  It's no easy task to capture a bird like that fighting off the winds and other background sounds, and takes enormous patience.
> 
> Some of those calls I sampled from other Phoebes were freaking my speakers out.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh, my goodness. One of my friends in years past was an audio engineer of sorts. Lost touch with him, though, after so many years of being online. Some years, all I do is sew quilts, so it may have been the year I made about 80 quilts. That pretty much eats up a year when you're working on quilt shows for a business survival in a small town, and that year when I got back, his website was gone._ c'est la vie._
> 
> I sure enjoyed the video you provided. It was truly some of the best music ever, and I'm not trained in bird music, but I know what is beautiful to my ears.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> How gratifying to hear that  --- the Pamela Morgan song?  She was the lead singer in a Newfoundland band called Figgy Duff (named for a pudding).  Kind of the Canadian Steeleye Span if that means anything.  Music is my passion. I'm swimming in it, worked in radio for decades.  I like gifting people with music, just a matter of finding out what touches them.  With your permission I'll post more bird-themed music -- you know, just to keep it on topic.
Click to expand...

Thanks Pogo. That would be wonderful. And I look forward to it.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress  LOVE the new avatar Becki.  It's a reminder, gonna be that time real soon.  Gotta get the nectar ready and the feeders up this week.
> 
> I remember one spring, I think it was March around this time, weather was warming up and I was on the porch saying to myself, "Self, I wonder if it's time yet to put the hummer feeders up..."  Right at that moment a ruby throat buzzed right up to my face and snarled "HEY!  WHERE DA FOOD AT??"
> 
> 
> 
> Might have shown you this before --- got one standing still.View attachment 253372​


Oh, that little gray hummer. What a cutie pie.


----------



## beautress

Love blue jays. In Wyoming, they loved the front yard bird feeder, but the neighbors didn't. So we moved. Now, I have everything--except my husband, who died a couple of years back. But I've now got a pair of great white egrets who use lake freedom on a daily basis in good weather months, and oh, are they elegant creatures. Make that fabulous. Especially the year they trained 3 youngsters to fly away at the end of their season here. They spent a few days teaching them how to take off, land, and then a week later, all 5 of the family were gone for the winter. *sigh* But the memories of them teaching youngsters to leave the nest, they were all so beautiful--family helping family.

Oh, yes, I've been collecting Jays in "pictures." I'm going to share some of the Bing! blue jays that are flying. Their patterns are so...they speak for themselves:


----------



## beautress

More blue jays...
​




​


----------



## beautress

baby blue jays..









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----------



## beautress

"The Most Beautiful Birds" (bing images)



























​


----------



## beautress

One of those birds inspired me to waste at least half an hour looking for other birds of the same markings.

The red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha)





​


----------



## xband

beautress said:


> One of those birds inspired me to waste at least half an hour looking for other birds of the same markings.
> 
> The red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​



I caught an owl at the height of the Vietnam War on the 17th parallel and it was an Oriental Scops Owl. I named the owl, Al the Owl and about the size of your hand but had talons and my pet. Al could not hoot but whistled.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> One of those birds inspired me to waste at least half an hour looking for other birds of the same markings.
> 
> The red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​




Becki, I have been lax in bringing da music.  So in tribute to your lovely post here is the Thieving Magpie by Rossini.

​


----------



## beautress

I love magpies, Pogo. I've heard that before, but in the context of Magpies, it is just like those birds! There's this little-known place near Lander Wyoming called "the Sinks." There, the Popo Agie River sinks down into a rock-covered small cavern called "the Sinks" then about a half mile down the road, a small, shallow lake appears, formed by a small, rounded rock wall where magpies gather in the summer months to eat small frye rainbow trout, sun themselves on the banks, and cheerfully banter with the other magpies

The river flowing into the cave at Sinks Canyon






Get some trout food from the vending machine and walk to the end of the viewing platform to see rainbow trout
the Rise at Sinks Canyon
















Sinks Visitor Center (near the cave when the river "sinks"  into the ground


----------



## beautress

Wow, I had to turn the page on my Audubon bird calendar, which rendered me at least a month (maybe more) on checking out the calendar birds! 

April 19, 2019, Black-tailed gnatcatcher _Polioptila melanura _




It's location is here for breeding birds:




Patuxent BBS for _Polioptila melanura 
_​


----------



## beautress

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

















​


----------



## Pogo

OK Becki, here's a bird song from left field....


"O Pato" (The Duck) performed by pianist/singer Elaine Elias:

​(Ducks can't say "quack" in Portuguese, so they go "quem quem"...


----------



## beautress

Well, I sure flunked the test...will have to work on it!
​


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> OK Becki, here's a bird song from left field....
> 
> 
> "O Pato" (The Duck) performed by pianist/singer Elaine Elias:
> 
> ​(Ducks can't say "quack" in Portuguese, so they go "quem quem"...


What a cheerful sound! Years ago, my best friend's daughter majored in Portuguese. When I asked how it compared to Spanish, she said, "Portuguese is more musical." Couldn't be truer, because when we visited Portugal, we were always around so many people, the language sounds just kind of went over my unwitting head. Thanks for sharing the great music, and ducks, go "cuen, quem,"- a-ok!   

Oh, and thanks!


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> OK Becki, here's a bird song from left field....
> 
> 
> "O Pato" (The Duck) performed by pianist/singer Elaine Elias:
> 
> ​(Ducks can't say "quack" in Portuguese, so they go "quem quem"...
> 
> 
> 
> What a cheerful sound! Years ago, my best friend's daughter majored in Portuguese. When I asked how it compared to Spanish, she said, "Portuguese is more musical." Couldn't be truer, because when we visited Portugal, we were always around so many people, the language sounds just kind of went over my unwitting head. Thanks for sharing the great music, and ducks, go "cuen, quem,"- a-ok!
> 
> Oh, and thanks!
Click to expand...


I hate to speak in absolutes, but having looked over and listened to a ton of different languages, I think Portuguese is the most sensuously beautiful language on earth, specifically the Brazilian version.


----------



## beautress

We lost a large colony of Emperor Penguins in 2016, and I just heard about it. An Emperor Penguin Colony in Antarctica Vanishes
​


----------



## beautress

The Northern Cardinal






​*Northern cardinal*
Bird
The northern cardinal is a bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal or just cardinal. It can be found in southern eastern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Minnesota to Texas, and south through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Big Island of Hawai’i. Its habitat includes woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands. Northern cardinal - Wikipedia​
One year I had so many cardinals visiting my yard, it became clear that they are very fond of raw peanuts. lol I was buying 4 packs of peanuts every week, maybe more. They made nests everywhere under the front plants that grow, and by neglecting the area I wound up with poison ivy I'll never get rid of around the front porch. I'm so allergic.


----------



## beautress

Blue Jays




































Credits to Bing! ​


----------



## beautress

Blackburnian Warbler _Setophaga fusca
_​Blackburnian Warbler. The Blackburnian Warbler stands out among warblers for its *bright orange and black breeding colors*. It's the only warbler with an orange throat, making it relatively easy to distinguish from American Redstart — the only other warbler with orange and black plumage. 



​
Blackburnian Warbler | American Bird Conservancy


----------



## beautress

Blackburnian Warbler - first 5 are male, #6 is female



















​


----------



## beautress

American Redstart,_  Setophaga _ruticilla











Great Map of Redstarts at Audubon: American Redstart
male...........................................................female















​


----------



## beautress

American Redstart Song
​


----------



## beautress

Kinda fun for birdlovers...
​


----------



## beautress

Lew Scharpf's wonderful bird identification video--sight and sound, American birds
​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Lew Scharpf's wonderful bird identification video--sight and sound, American birds
> ​



Great video Becki  

Recorded very loud though. My cat started freaking out.   Now he's gazing out the window puzzled about hearing daytime bird noises in the dark 

Something tore down my bird feeder, probably either a coon or a bear.  Gonna have to make a new one.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lew Scharpf's wonderful bird identification video--sight and sound, American birds
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Great video Becki
> 
> Recorded very loud though. My cat started freaking out.   Now he's gazing out the window puzzled about hearing daytime bird noises in the dark
> 
> Something tore down my bird feeder, probably either a coon or a bear.  Gonna have to make a new one.
Click to expand...

Oh, my goodness. I have to put my computer sound to low for some of those bird ones. And coincidentally, Miss Piccolo freaked quite a bit when I was playing it. She refused to come into eat. Nobody likes to eat like Miss Piccolo, but nope! She would not come in the back door for 30 minutes until the sound was good and off. lol

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. Sorry your bird feeder got downed. This year I decided to let the field go fallow and grow. You never saw so much seed on grass as is in my field, and I have every imaginable bird call lately. I wish you godspeed on getting your new bird feeder going. If you can, I hope you show a pic when it's done. I bought a computer printer a month after I got my new computer, and sadly, I still don't know how to make it work. I think I buried the instructions in a pile of quilt fabrics. lol My table looks like a regular cyclone hit it. Nighers. I'm tired after a long day of quilting.


----------



## beautress

Yellow-headed Blackbird
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Yellow-headed Blackbird


----------



## beautress

Yellow-headed Blackbird
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus































​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Yellow-headed Blackbird
> Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
> 
> View attachment 258646View attachment 258647View attachment 258648View attachment 258649View attachment 258650
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 258651
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​



Nice!  

I guess I owe a piece of music by now.... you've posted several blackbirds lately so here's Silly Wizard.

​


----------



## beautress

Wow, Pogo. I love that lovely piece. Thanks. Is the singer Scottish? That's just an amazing song, that's all.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Wow, Pogo. I love that lovely piece. Thanks. Is the singer Scottish? That's just an amazing song, that's all.



Yes, good ear.  That's Andy M. Stewart.


----------



## beautress

I finally saw an egret yesterday. I happened to look outside and caught a glimpse of him from upstairs. I couldn't tell if he was a young great whiet egret or just a white egret. He had a larger beak than the narrow scissors I've seen on the great white egrets usually across the lake from my window. I haven't opened the windows over there to try to conserve energy lately. I've had bronchitis for 5 weeks and it's just letting up some. That followed 6 long and dreary months of fighting off pneumonia symptoms following an inoculation that was supposed to ensure that I would never again have pneumonia. I got by without taking any prescriptions, and I think my immune system is sturdier now than it was before. I pinpointed vitamins and supplements, only to find out the last few weeks of the pneumonia that it's advisable to eat a raw carrot every day to discourage throat carrier germs that safeguard the bad stuff in your chest. Also, a stick of celery is good for that and other issues, so lately, it's been a carrot and a stick of celery morning and before retiring. Carrots have something in them that decimates mouth and throat bacteria/diseases. I didn't know that before I got good and sick of being good and sick for months. lol

Have a great evening. I haven't had serious symptoms for about three days, my longest run of good health in 7 or 8 months. 

O, I think I'll try and find an egret that looks like the one in the shallow end of Lake Freedom. BRB.

like egret seen yesterday





Great Egret - most graceful birds on earth, hands down!


----------



## beautress

fly away


​


----------



## beautress

Friday, May 17, 2019: today's Audubon calendar bird is the Tufted Titmouse. They're such cute little charmers at all angles, imho!




















​


----------



## beautress

And in flight, tufted titmice are fabulous!

























​


----------



## beautress

Accepted range:



​


----------



## depotoo

In our backyard.  Great blue heron


----------



## beautress

Notice how that showy tuft is tucked neatly away when they fly. They're regular aerospace engineers of flight. And still cute too boot!


----------



## beautress

depotoo said:


> In our backyard.  Great blue heronView attachment 261251


You must truly be blessed to have a great blue heron trust himself into your property's keeping. We have 3 of them who compete unsuccessfully with the great egrets. The egrets are late risers, and most of the time the great herons make themselves scarce in their presence, but not always. "Pinkie" (the lavender G. blue heron) is the shyest of all. I know her because of her unique color. Haven't seen her yet this year. But I've been indoor with pneumonia and bronchitis all winter and spring. Last pneumonia shot I will ever take.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Notice how that showy tuft is tucked neatly away when they fly. They're regular aerospace engineers of flight. And still cute too boot!




Tufted Titmice, along with Carolina Chickadees, are the most common birds at my feeders, Becki.  

After that I'd say the occasional Nuthatch, some wrens (who nest in a jar hung sideways on my porch) and, if I put out the proper thistles and suet cakes, finches and woodpeckers.

I still haven't got my new feeder built.  It will be modeled like this, found on something called "the internet" ---






I had to prowl around the recycling center to find a 2-liter Pepsi bottle since I never drink that stuff.  Then I realized I don't have a cap for it.    so that will be the next step, then I can mount it.

The rollers (I'll use paper towel cores) are to keep squirrels from climbing over to it. They'll just roll off.  I get a lot of animal vandalism.


Other than the titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches it's the time of year I get to hear my favorite bird music, the wood thrush, around dawn and dusk.  

And oh yes the rufus towhees always greet me and I talk back.  I've been known to walk around with a handful of black sunflower seeds.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how that showy tuft is tucked neatly away when they fly. They're regular aerospace engineers of flight. And still cute too boot!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tufted Titmice, along with Carolina Chickadees, are the most common birds at my feeders, Becki.
> 
> After that I'd say the occasional Nuthatch, some wrens (who nest in a jar hung sideways on my porch) and, if I put out the proper thistles and suet cakes, finches and woodpeckers.
> 
> I still haven't got my new feeder built.  It will be modeled like this, found on something called "the internet" ---
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to prowl around the recycling center to find a 2-liter Pepsi bottle since I never drink that stuff.  Then I realized I don't have a cap for it.    so that will be the next step, then I can mount it.
> 
> The rollers (I'll use paper towel cores) are to keep squirrels from climbing over to it. They'll just roll off.  I get a lot of animal vandalism.
> 
> 
> Other than the titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches it's the time of year I get to hear my favorite bird music, the wood thrush, around dawn and dusk.
> 
> And oh yes the rufus towhees always greet me and I talk back.  I've been known to walk around with a handful of black sunflower seeds.
Click to expand...

A tufted titmouse may  have overwintered here. My sewing machine faces the window of the oak at second story level, where the shyer birds tend to hop freely about knowing they are completely safe that far off the ground. So I saw tufted titmice having a ball hopping around, flying and landing, landing and flying all winter long. They are happy creatures and I love watching them. The only thing more entertaining is seeing a Virginia creeper do its act. That just makes me laugh every time, but sightings are rare from the window, since they tend to prefer ground to low branch areas of a smaller tree than the great oak tree out front which towers above a steepled roof high above the second story. 

Your feeder looks beautiful in its illustration phase, and looks as though once you get the lid fixed, you can tell at a glance when to refill. What a clever idea. I have relatives that think pepsi cola is mother's milk, so I could get some lidded bottles from some of them if I wanted. Unfortunately, they're clean down to Galveston 90 miles south of here or likely 100. Since my farmstead is 6 miles north of the nearest town, it's probably further. Oh, well, I know others around here who toast to soft drinks a lot. I quit drinking them about the time I retired. Reduced activities mean reduced caloric burn, and nobody over 50 needs that. I hope when it's finished you can transfer a pic over here to Wild Side.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how that showy tuft is tucked neatly away when they fly. They're regular aerospace engineers of flight. And still cute too boot!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tufted Titmice, along with Carolina Chickadees, are the most common birds at my feeders, Becki.
> 
> After that I'd say the occasional Nuthatch, some wrens (who nest in a jar hung sideways on my porch) and, if I put out the proper thistles and suet cakes, finches and woodpeckers.
> 
> I still haven't got my new feeder built.  It will be modeled like this, found on something called "the internet" ---
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to prowl around the recycling center to find a 2-liter Pepsi bottle since I never drink that stuff.  Then I realized I don't have a cap for it.    so that will be the next step, then I can mount it.
> 
> The rollers (I'll use paper towel cores) are to keep squirrels from climbing over to it. They'll just roll off.  I get a lot of animal vandalism.
> 
> 
> Other than the titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches it's the time of year I get to hear my favorite bird music, the wood thrush, around dawn and dusk.
> 
> And oh yes the rufus towhees always greet me and I talk back.  I've been known to walk around with a handful of black sunflower seeds.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> A tufted titmouse may  have overwintered here. My sewing machine faces the window of the oak at second story level, where the shyer birds tend to hop freely about knowing they are completely safe that far off the ground. So I saw tufted titmice having a ball hopping around, flying and landing, landing and flying all winter long. They are happy creatures and I love watching them. The only thing more entertaining is seeing a Virginia creeper do its act. That just makes me laugh every time, but sightings are rare from the window, since they tend to prefer ground to low branch areas of a smaller tree than the great oak tree out front which towers above a steepled roof high above the second story.
> 
> Your feeder looks beautiful in its illustration phase, and looks as though once you get the lid fixed, you can tell at a glance when to refill. What a clever idea. I have relatives that think pepsi cola is mother's milk, so I could get some lidded bottles from some of them if I wanted. Unfortunately, they're clean down to Galveston 90 miles south of here or likely 100. Since my farmstead is 6 miles north of the nearest town, it's probably further. Oh, well, I know others around here who toast to soft drinks a lot. I quit drinking them about the time I retired. Reduced activities mean reduced caloric burn, and nobody over 50 needs that. I hope when it's finished you can transfer a pic over here to Wild Side.
Click to expand...


I intend to, in fact that's what I was going to post here instead of the illustration but there I was scrounging a bottle at the recycling center thinking I had what I needed, and then --- no cap   Such a little thing.

I'm outfitting mine with simple twigs for perches rather than the plastic strips.  That's what I did with my old plastic feeder that was destroyed by --- I dunno raccoons or a bear or whatever.  It looks simple enough.

I should prolly just stock up on soda bottles whenever I recycle for backup materials.


----------



## beautress

Oh, for the first time I saw a South African bird specie's nest atop an electric company's high wire, and the Sociable Weaver is its architect. I'm going to read up and share these little twits. I bet they put gray hairs on a South African Electrical Engineer's head!


















​
The *sociable weaver* (_Philetairus socius_) is a species of bird in the weaver family that is endemic to southern Africa.[2] It is the only species assigned to the genus _*Philetairus*_.[3] It is found in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.[1] but their range is centered within the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.[4] They build large compound community nests, a rarity among birds. These nests are perhaps the most spectacular structure built by any bird.[5]​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> The only thing more entertaining is seeing a Virginia creeper do its act. That just makes me laugh every time, but sightings are rare from the window, since they tend to prefer ground to low branch areas of a smaller tree than the great oak tree out front which towers above a steepled roof high above the second story.



And here I thought Virginia Creeper was a plant.  

Well it put a song in my head.  Doesn't everything.

​


----------



## beautress

More Sociable Weaver architecture:


----------



## beautress

Oh, silly me, Pogo! I thought you were talking about a Brown creeper from Virginia. My bad! I actually saw several brown creepers when we lived in Wyoming, they are hilarious. First they climb up to a certain height, then do this strange twist and contort dance going every which way going down the trunk. They're such clowns! I don't know why I got them confused with a plant. 





​


----------



## beautress

Brown creeper being a Brown Creeper
​


----------



## beautress

​


----------



## beautress

'Nother Brown Creeper entertainment video.  I just think they're so funny. The ones in Wyoming never failed to amuse.
​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Oh, silly me, Pogo! I thought you were talking about a Brown creeper from Virginia. My bad! I actually saw several brown creepers when we lived in Wyoming, they are hilarious. First they climb up to a certain height, then do this strange twist and contort dance going every which way going down the trunk. They're such clowns! I don't know why I got them confused with a plant.
> 
> 
> ​




​Ah yes, I've got those, didn't pay much attention.  I thought the Nuthatches were funnier....

​


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, silly me, Pogo! I thought you were talking about a Brown creeper from Virginia. My bad! I actually saw several brown creepers when we lived in Wyoming, they are hilarious. First they climb up to a certain height, then do this strange twist and contort dance going every which way going down the trunk. They're such clowns! I don't know why I got them confused with a plant.
> 
> 
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​Ah yes, I've got those, didn't pay much attention.  I thought the Nuthatches were funnier....
> 
> ​
Click to expand...

No less! The punchline was the boy bird showing his stuff on the last scene. Thanks for an adorable look into the life of nuthatches.


----------



## beautress

Now, I've neglected the really, really big birds of the world, but not everyone has, as below:
​


----------



## Pogo

Along with the migrating birds in this season we get here in Appalachia a plethora of exotic moths and butterflies.  Here's one I found on the glass of my door this morning sleeping off a night of moth decadence:





I'm calling him "Pogofounditus BowlofTrixius".  Tried to get a shot of the underside but could not get it in focus through the glass.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> Along with the migrating birds in this season we get here in Appalachia a plethora of exotic moths and butterflies.  Here's one I found on the glass of my door this morning sleeping off a night of moth decadence:
> 
> View attachment 262698​
> 
> I'm calling him "Pogofounditus BowlofTrixius".  Tried to get a shot of the underside but could not get it in focus through the glass.


That's beautiful, Pogo. I'm not certain, but I associate that picture with a kind of Maple leaf moth. That is pink, yellow, and very fuzzy. How big was it?


----------



## beautress

Pyrrhuloxia




























​


----------



## beautress

This comes from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and is found here: Pyrrhuloxia Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Pyrrhuloxias are stocky, medium-sized songbirds with tall crests and long tails. They have heavy but short seed-cracking bills with a curved culmen, or upper edge.

*Measurements - about the size of a Northern Cardinal.*

Both Sexes
Length: 8.3 in (21 cm)
Weight: 0.8-1.5 oz (24-43 g)
Adult Male





Pyrrhuloxia female


​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Along with the migrating birds in this season we get here in Appalachia a plethora of exotic moths and butterflies.  Here's one I found on the glass of my door this morning sleeping off a night of moth decadence:
> 
> View attachment 262698​
> 
> I'm calling him "Pogofounditus BowlofTrixius".  Tried to get a shot of the underside but could not get it in focus through the glass.
> 
> 
> 
> That's beautiful, Pogo. I'm not certain, but I associate that picture with a kind of Maple leaf moth. That is pink, yellow, and very fuzzy. How big was it?
Click to expand...


'Bout an inch and a quarter as I recollect.  A medium size.  

From a quick Googly Image search it looks like _Dryocampa rubicunda, _a/k/a Rosy Maple moth or "great silk moth" so you were right.




Just my good fortune he (it's prolly a he, males are always showing off) chose to spend the night on my glass door.


----------



## beautress

Roseate Spoonbills in reflecting pond




Wonder if they share a small segment of DNA with Pogo's pink moth's DNA....












​


----------



## beautress

Roseate Spoonbill,_ Platalaya ajaja





_​


----------



## beautress

I'm so fond of the color blue, that this is hands down, one of my most favorite birds: the Mountain Bluebird:


----------



## beautress

Thanks to Bing!​


----------



## beautress

With spending time outdoors mowing fields, etc., I've been seeing this one bird hanging around over the area that was part wild until I mowed it. I don't know exactly what this hawk is doing but he looks the most like this one, called the Broad-winged Hawk.



​The one out back in the field by the workshop/barn has been hanging around in the taller trees, and he likes to be seen. I'm not certain he's the Broad-winged Hawk, because I haven't seen him very often, but the other day he was in the huge tall oak tree near the front of the barn and flew to the southwest corner of the field by the back yard. He was huge! and beautiful and majestic.The wingspan was likely 36-38", and he was a light, mottled tan color and his flight was quick as lightning. So the name may or may not be "Broad-winged Hawk." But this bird was beautiful in flight.


----------



## beautress

A little music from Henry Mancini's writing of a Themesong for "The Thorn Birds"

​


----------



## beautress

When I was researching a book I wrote on ABC Animals for children, X was a challenge, and I actually found it only by looking through my 1960s version of a college Webster's Dictionary that I had purchased at the behest of the professor of my Freshman English Class at the University of Houston. Anyhow, the X section in the dictionary wasn't all that long compared to other letters, but I read every X word until I came to a curious bird that was called a "xenops." I found pictures of xenops birds here and there, and did a drawing from one of the pictures I found, since I knew they were at the time found in South America and Australia (and probably a few islands or nearby places to these two areas bordering the south Pacific Ocean area. I ran across one article on the Xenops that made the claim it was the bird that inspired the book, "The Thorn Birds" by Australian author, Colleen McCullough. I found no reference of that nature today, but oh, well, that was back in the late 80s, and was over 40 years ago when computers weren't as fully packed as they are now, but it was better than the 60's when all we had were hard-covered books, and were happy to have them.

So whether or not they're THE 'thorn' bird, I found the only "X" I liked in the world of ornithology, and here are a few pictures of the little cuties:
Plain Xenops,_ Projeto dacnis 




_​


----------



## beautress

Great Xenops _Megaxenops parnaguae_






The Great Xenops is a handsome, distinctive furnariid of the caatinga region of eastern Brazil. It is brilliant rufous-orange overall, with a white throat, and a wedge-shaped, slightly upturned bill. The bill may be used to pry and chisel at bark as it works along branches, but it also forages in vegetation. It occurs alone or in pairs, often in attendance at mixed flocks. There is no published information on the breeding behavior of this species. Its song is a bubbly chattering, its call a harsh, descending squeal "_kier_!". There is a map of its range below at Cornell's Ornithological Department

Great Xenops - Introduction   	     | Neotropical Birds Online​


----------



## beautress

Other Thorn Birds found today: This may be a streaked Xenox, courtesy of Wikipedia:





​


----------



## beautress

According to Cornell University, this is from their page on the Streaked Xenops:

Streaked Xenops _Xenops rutilans_
_



_
_



_
​Some 11 subspecies of the Streaked Xenops are generally recognized over the species’ very wide range, although geographical variation is frequently described as being slight. This species and the Plain Xenops (_Xenops minutus_) are the two most amply distributed of the genus. The Streaked Xenops ranges from Costa Rica and Panama south throughout the tropical Andes as far as northwest Argentina, in addition to montane northern South America, as well as much of southern Amazonia and over the rest of the Brazil south to Paraguay and northeast Argentina. It is also the only _Xenops_ to occur on the island of Trinidad. Throughout this range, the Streaked Xenops is usually reasonably common, and is usually encountered in pairs within mixed-species flocks, from the understory to the subcanopy. It is generally the most extensively streaked xenops below.


----------



## beautress

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a really wonderful page on the Plain Xenops, _Xenops minutus_
_




_​_Plain Xenops is a peculiar furnariid that recalls a mixture between a tit (Paridae) and nuthatch (Sittidae) in its behavior and structure. It is the only member of the genus Xenops without significant streaking on the head, back, and underparts. Mostly brown, this species has a unique moustachial stripe wrapping around the lower auriculars, a white postocular stripe, and extensive rufous in the wings and tail. Its wedge-shaped, upturned bill is used to chisel at twigs and bark to obtain arthropod prey. It feeds by hitching along branches, often hanging or using its tail for support at odd angles. Individuals or pairs frequently associate with mixed flocks in the mid-story and canopy. This species excavates a cavity in rotten wood for its nest. Plain Xenops is distributed widely from Mexico south to eastern Brazil and northeastern Argentina._
_





Plain Xenops - Introduction            | Neotropical Birds Online_​


----------



## beautress

Well, I didn't find the Australian version, maybe I read a myth back in the 80s when I was designing my ABC Animal Quilt. 

Here is a lovely alternative, however, a film on Northern Territory of Australia's birds. If I see one, I will come back:

Birding the Northern Territory, Part 1​


----------



## beautress

Australian Northern Territory birds, Part 2

​


----------



## beautress

Well, here's a "thornbill" of Australia, and it's a mimic that picks up on other birds to frighten predators
​


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## beautress

5 good things that Blue Jays do:
​


----------



## beautress

David Attenborough and the Lyre Bird
​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> David Attenborough and the Lyre Bird
> ​




That is INSANE Becki.  

A _chainsaw?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I_ am officially impressed. _ 

_
Mimickry is an art I respect.  In some quarters I've been nicknamed "Mockingbird" for my ability to imitate other voices I hear (which is a big help in language learning).  A chainsaw or a camera shutter however is way out of my range.


----------



## beautress

Methinks Sir David Attenborough was a sort of bird and nature Laurette of the world, Pogo. His clever findings have always made his books, films, and works magnets to people who never got hooked on birds and the entire animal kingdom before. And there are few like him, but we have Americans who do great things in the lovely science of God's beautiful nature as well. They just don't get to be knights of the realm.


----------



## beautress

Some very weird bird sounds....
​


----------



## beautress

Thank you for dropping by, Mr. Pogo. You are sorely missed here.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Thank you for dropping by, Mr. Pogo. You are sorely missed here.



Thanks for the kind word Becki.  I pretty much quit posting on USMB due to too much mod interference but I do check back to police Lucy's music thread that she put me in charge of, and to see what wonders you've graced us with here.

That reminds me I owe you some pics of my soda bottle bird feeder.  I have two versions having modified the first one to be more practical, and it was more popular with the birdies as well.  That recently was torn down, either the squirrels or perhaps the bear came back.  Anyway I'll catch up on that, preparing for company right now so it's a busy week.  Cheers and hugs.

LOOOOOVED the last weird sounds video btw.


----------



## beautress

Oh, goodness, Pogo. Would love to see your soda bottle Bird feeder. I've been busy with Karaoke music practice and finishing 11 quilt tops for my friend, EJ's grandchildren. There were 5 boys and 5 girls, and 1 on the way, but I got them all done! Whew! I've been working on him since he died on June 24. He was a retired Volunteer Fire Department  fireman for 44 years, and we became good friends because he helped my husband a couple of years before he died from complications of dementia in 2016, and after a couple of years, he was recommended to help me get my lawn mowers back to working. One was on the back of a Kubota big tractor, and one was a never-ending repair wreck under the name of Craftsman. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong from the beginning, and the one time I was putting it on the back of the truck, the dern thing almost fell on me, because I was riding it up the ramp to the back end of my truck, and took a fall. I had to push away from it mid-air to keep it from taking my leg off or worse. I still have it, still hate it, but EJ got it working several times for me to have it fail 15 minutes I tried to mow with it, give or take 5 minutes. Now he's gone, too. Fortunately, I purchased a Husqvarna zero-turn, and it doesn't go south on me when I use it for 6 months on end. Geeze, I came here to post a kind of sad story on American birds I found online when I turned on the computer about an hour ago.


----------



## beautress

*Three billion birds have been lost in North America since 1970*

The story is here: Three billion birds have been lost in North America since 1970​The birds that survive must be very prolific, because the article says that house cats devour between one and four billion birds per annum. That's greater than the population of birds that come here, according to my math, but that's what it says.

Overall, the researchers discovered that birds found in grasslands—including well-known families such as sparrows, warblers, blackbirds, and finches—have been hit hardest, with their populations cut 53 percent over the last 48 years. (Read why birds matter in _National Geographic_ magazine.)​I had a dozen scissor-tailed flycatchers lighting on the electric wires here for 10 years, then this year, not a single one have I seen. I just can't figure it out, except we had the rainiest year on record in the past 12 months. It rained starting in the summer last year, and we had a month reprieve in August. Now, we have had several days of rain and clouds, but not as much precipitation as they said we'd have. Still, no scissor-tailed flycatchers. They are so absolutely beautiful, It was disappointing not to see them this year. I hope they recuperate and show up next year. I wonder if there was a virus or something that took them away. They stay well away from cats, from what I've observed, and I only have one cat. Recently I've let her stay in the house, even if she is a royal pain in the butt by her zeroing in on my crochet thread. Grrrr! What a pill Miss Piccolo is. Meow.

I think Ms. Piccolo may have had a run-in with a hawk when she was out and about around 6 months ago. For some reason, she was putting up such a meowl-fest, I started leaving her in the house, in a large bathroom space so she will leave my yarns, threads, and fabrics alone. She leaves her toys alone when she has yarn to pounce on and turn a ball into a tattered mass of fly-away money.  Well, really, if I banned the cat, the mice would play. And this house has been scorpion-free since I brought home this cute li'l innocent kitten a couple of years ago. If you've ever stepped on an adolescent-stage scorpion, you will know what undying pain is for a few days. Texas cats seem to understand how to play "I win" with scorpions. 

Three billion birds, doggone it. I'll have to start leaving more food around. My husband used to help me with stuff like that when he was living. He loved the birds, too, and helped with the birdbath occasionally.


----------



## beautress

Saturday Silly Birds

​


----------



## beautress

I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
*Birds on the Endangered Species List*

* Animals that did Not go Extinct*

*Animals About to Go Extinct*
​


----------



## beautress

Sleepytime. Sorry. Hard to sleep last night. Thanks again to Pogo for dropping by. Hopefully, someday, we'll get a glimpse of his soda bottle bird feeder.

 Bless the birds, beasts, and the children. 
​


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Sleepytime. Sorry. Hard to sleep last night. Thanks again to Pogo for dropping by. Hopefully, someday, we'll get a glimpse of his soda bottle bird feeder.
> 
> Bless the birds, beasts, and the children.
> ​



I ain't fergot, Becki 

I got busy on other thingies and the last feeder got ripped down and destroyed but that's just an opportunity to make a new better one, maybe tomorrow.  I put out one last hummingbird feed for any that still haven't started their migration so the seed feeder will be next on the agenda.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
> *Birds on the Endangered Species List*
> 
> * Animals that did Not go Extinct*
> 
> *Animals About to Go Extinct*
> ​



May have mentioned this some other time but a few years ago speaking of endangered, I spotted a red cockaded woodpecker pecking 'round my forest.


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
> *Birds on the Endangered Species List*
> 
> * Animals that did Not go Extinct*
> 
> *Animals About to Go Extinct*
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> May have mentioned this some other time but a few years ago speaking of endangered, I spotted a red cockaded woodpecker pecking 'round my forest.
Click to expand...

They're nice birds.

I've seen several of these on my front porch bird feeder, although I think they're redheaded woodpeckers (?): 





They showed up and weren't all that bashful, or they just knew I wouldn't hur them. They liked the chow, ​And I've see a couple of these:




I saw these in different years, and boy, both times it was a happy accident.​To tell you the truth, since my better half died in June of 2016, I haven't been very good about putting food out for the birds. Lately, I've fed them twice. It was fun to put food out when my husband got pleasure from looking at the birds, too, after he lost interest in everything else except taking joy rides when he got his hands on a set of keys. He had dementia, and I'd been warned by the sheriffs in 3 counties including this one to keep him off the roads. I'm trying to start life over, Pogo. It's funny how when you lose an important other of over 44 years, the things you love just remind you of what was good  when you were a partner, but there's not so much fun in it when you're all by yourself, lonely as hell, and have no one to show off your stuff to anymore. It takes very bright people to appreciate birds and when a light goes out, it's like there's not enough light to see until you start building bridges back to the places you love as much as you love life.

Life is complex, but when you lose someone you cared for, you have just got to sit down and think about what life is going to be all about in the future. I am just now starting to get angry, and that's supposed to happen a week after your loved one dies. Didn't happen. I was in a fog, didn't come here very often the 2 years after he passed. That should have been water under the bridge in less than a month, but no, it took 2 years, maybe more.


----------



## Moonglow

Last year horny toads appeared around the place..The owls returned and the bald eagles disappeared again and black bears returned.....


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
> *Birds on the Endangered Species List*
> 
> * Animals that did Not go Extinct*
> 
> *Animals About to Go Extinct*
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> May have mentioned this some other time but a few years ago speaking of endangered, I spotted a red cockaded woodpecker pecking 'round my forest.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> They're nice birds.
> 
> I've seen several of these on my front porch bird feeder, although I think they're redheaded woodpeckers (?):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They showed up and weren't all that bashful, or they just knew I wouldn't hur them. They liked the chow,​And I've see a couple of these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw these in different years, and boy, both times it was a happy accident.​To tell you the truth, since my better half died in June of 2016, I haven't been very good about putting food out for the birds. Lately, I've fed them twice. It was fun to put food out when my husband got pleasure from looking at the birds, too, after he lost interest in everything else except taking joy rides when he got his hands on a set of keys. He had dementia, and I'd been warned by the sheriffs in 3 counties including this one to keep him off the roads. I'm trying to start life over, Pogo. It's funny how when you lose an important other of over 44 years, the things you love just remind you of what was good  when you were a partner, but there's not so much fun in it when you're all by yourself, lonely as hell, and have no one to show off your stuff to anymore. It takes very bright people to appreciate birds and when a light goes out, it's like there's not enough light to see until you start building bridges back to the places you love as much as you love life.
> 
> Life is complex, but when you lose someone you cared for, you have just got to sit down and think about what life is going to be all about in the future. I am just now starting to get angry, and that's supposed to happen a week after your loved one dies. Didn't happen. I was in a fog, didn't come here very often the 2 years after he passed. That should have been water under the bridge in less than a month, but no, it took 2 years, maybe more.
Click to expand...


I don't know the top one but the big bottom one is a pileated woodpecker (and they are big, just check out those talons).  Those are numerous around these woods, I heard one off in the distance just this evening.  It's ironic that my friend who got me into birding (there were a couple but the major one) has all these various birds on her life list but has never seen the pileated woodpecker, and my place is crawling with them.  The cartoon character Woody Woodpecker was based on this guy.

Can't say much about the rest except to promise you a permanent metaphorical shoulder and sympathetic ear.


----------



## beautress

We had horned toads in Wyoming, who lived on the cliff side of Dead Horse Hill. They were so cute when they wiggled their little fat guts away. They disappeared the year the Bald Eagles had their rendezvous one year from my backyard lookout that oversaw the Platte River basin headed out west toward Alcova as seen from my back fence. Never saw another. I don't know if they were snacks for the eagles or just got scared and left the country. 

Welcome to the wild side, Moonie. Beats civilization, no?


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
> *Birds on the Endangered Species List*
> 
> * Animals that did Not go Extinct*
> 
> *Animals About to Go Extinct*
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> May have mentioned this some other time but a few years ago speaking of endangered, I spotted a red cockaded woodpecker pecking 'round my forest.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> They're nice birds.
> 
> I've seen several of these on my front porch bird feeder, although I think they're redheaded woodpeckers (?):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They showed up and weren't all that bashful, or they just knew I wouldn't hur them. They liked the chow,​And I've see a couple of these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw these in different years, and boy, both times it was a happy accident.​To tell you the truth, since my better half died in June of 2016, I haven't been very good about putting food out for the birds. Lately, I've fed them twice. It was fun to put food out when my husband got pleasure from looking at the birds, too, after he lost interest in everything else except taking joy rides when he got his hands on a set of keys. He had dementia, and I'd been warned by the sheriffs in 3 counties including this one to keep him off the roads. I'm trying to start life over, Pogo. It's funny how when you lose an important other of over 44 years, the things you love just remind you of what was good  when you were a partner, but there's not so much fun in it when you're all by yourself, lonely as hell, and have no one to show off your stuff to anymore. It takes very bright people to appreciate birds and when a light goes out, it's like there's not enough light to see until you start building bridges back to the places you love as much as you love life.
> 
> Life is complex, but when you lose someone you cared for, you have just got to sit down and think about what life is going to be all about in the future. I am just now starting to get angry, and that's supposed to happen a week after your loved one dies. Didn't happen. I was in a fog, didn't come here very often the 2 years after he passed. That should have been water under the bridge in less than a month, but no, it took 2 years, maybe more.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't know the top one but the big bottom one is a pileated woodpecker (and they are big, just check out those talons).  Those are numerous around these woods, I heard one off in the distance just this evening.  It's ironic that my friend who got me into birding (there were a couple but the major one) has all these various birds on her life list but has never seen the pileated woodpecker, and my place is crawling with them.  The cartoon character Woody Woodpecker was based on this guy.
> 
> Can't say much about the rest except to promise you a permanent metaphorical shoulder and sympathetic ear.
Click to expand...

Thank you ever so kindly, Mr. Pogo. I tried to stop moping around this last year, but everything I did turned to a disaster, as life does sometimes. I fell for a guy who loved birds and had hummingbirds by the dozens visiting his yard He raised cows, but had this habit of smoking like a chimney. About two weeks after we started dating, he visited his VA doctor who found "a couple of small spots" on his lungs. He underwent chemotherapy for about 6 months, but by that time his "spots" became malignant, metastasized, and the last chemo, it had shown up a spot in his brain. He died a months after that. We never got too close because he was bipolar, and I'm not certain, but that condition may have made him feel a little paranoid, too. But I was hooked. I found him on the floor one day after 2 days he didn't return a phone call, so called his family and the hospital. His nurse daughter-in-law advised him to do home hospice, so he did. 10 days later he was gone. I spent the better part of those days by his side. His offishness disappeared, but he lost his speech capacity, so no telling what his thoughts were. He seemed glad I stood by him, and I did. The last day, I told him to go to the light. That home hospice would not allow him to eat or drink anything until he drew his last breath. I didn't know how cruel that could be to someone who cared for another, but the only contact I've had with his family was to deliver quilt tops to the grandmother of his great grandchildren, one apiece. Good therapy, I'm a little over it, but I can't drive by his farm/ranchouse without having tears rush in. I don't know why, but his caring for not only birds, but all the little obnoxious critters around his place, he took care of all of them with more food than they could eat before the rain spoiled it. I just truly realized I loved his caring for the varmint squirrels, etc. just grabbed my heartstrings and pulled them up pretty tight. lol


----------



## beautress

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
> *Birds on the Endangered Species List*
> 
> * Animals that did Not go Extinct*
> 
> *Animals About to Go Extinct*
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> May have mentioned this some other time but a few years ago speaking of endangered, I spotted a red cockaded woodpecker pecking 'round my forest.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> They're nice birds.
> 
> I've seen several of these on my front porch bird feeder, although I think they're redheaded woodpeckers (?):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They showed up and weren't all that bashful, or they just knew I wouldn't hur them. They liked the chow,​And I've see a couple of these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw these in different years, and boy, both times it was a happy accident.​To tell you the truth, since my better half died in June of 2016, I haven't been very good about putting food out for the birds. Lately, I've fed them twice. It was fun to put food out when my husband got pleasure from looking at the birds, too, after he lost interest in everything else except taking joy rides when he got his hands on a set of keys. He had dementia, and I'd been warned by the sheriffs in 3 counties including this one to keep him off the roads. I'm trying to start life over, Pogo. It's funny how when you lose an important other of over 44 years, the things you love just remind you of what was good  when you were a partner, but there's not so much fun in it when you're all by yourself, lonely as hell, and have no one to show off your stuff to anymore. It takes very bright people to appreciate birds and when a light goes out, it's like there's not enough light to see until you start building bridges back to the places you love as much as you love life.
> 
> Life is complex, but when you lose someone you cared for, you have just got to sit down and think about what life is going to be all about in the future. I am just now starting to get angry, and that's supposed to happen a week after your loved one dies. Didn't happen. I was in a fog, didn't come here very often the 2 years after he passed. That should have been water under the bridge in less than a month, but no, it took 2 years, maybe more.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't know the top one but the big bottom one is a pileated woodpecker (and they are big, just check out those talons).  Those are numerous around these woods, I heard one off in the distance just this evening.  It's ironic that my friend who got me into birding (there were a couple but the major one) has all these various birds on her life list but has never seen the pileated woodpecker, and my place is crawling with them.  The cartoon character Woody Woodpecker was based on this guy.
> 
> Can't say much about the rest except to promise you a permanent metaphorical shoulder and sympathetic ear.
Click to expand...

The top one is a Redheaded Woodpecker, Pogo. They are not shy birds, but will allow you to admire their strinking beauty if they know you're the one who feeds them, and you're not too aggressive (stays a distance, etc.) The pileated woodpeckers want nothing to do with people. If you see one around here, it's not by the front porch feeder, but out in the woods at an unexpected place you may have never trod before. Just an impression of one person. I really know little about them, except they're almost as astonishing to see as their spectacular Redheaded Woodpecker cousins. For one thing, they seem twice the size as a redhead, which is about the size of a bluejay, but in no way is similar in shape, maybe 8.25" body length plus whatever tail that follows it, maybe a little smaller(?) Can't remember, like I said I wasn't doing much bird feeding after my husband died. Right now, I'm in a dither because I haven't contacted the IRAs my husband established, and he left everything to me. He also had stock market stuff coming out the ears. I'm just not business-minded, and can't even put my hands on documents procured after his death--death certificates, And letters of something-or-another established by a day spent at the courhouse telling a judge about my husband and his life, and showing him a will, etc. My worry for this whole year was about paying taxes on this huge acreage since I'm not able to care for animals and the orchard I planted died out in the drought of 2011 when the well water didn't have enough supply for the needs of the tree that I underestimated, never having cared for trees in my whole life. At least the pecan tree made it, but I don't have a clue how to get going and do all the household tasks and the business procedures too. My dear late husband spoiled me by doing every last detail of taking care of money, and all I can do is be sick with worry because it's like the bird feeders, just no incentive. If he was a vegetable just laying around in bed, I'd be doing everything, but gone? It's a different universe without him. I guess I sound like a crazy person, serves me right prolly.


----------



## Pogo

beautress said:


> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pogo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went looking for an endangered birds of america video, but all I could find was this one, plus a second one, which included 3 or 4 birds but lots of other creatures:
> *Birds on the Endangered Species List*
> 
> * Animals that did Not go Extinct*
> 
> *Animals About to Go Extinct*
> ​
> 
> 
> 
> 
> May have mentioned this some other time but a few years ago speaking of endangered, I spotted a red cockaded woodpecker pecking 'round my forest.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> They're nice birds.
> 
> I've seen several of these on my front porch bird feeder, although I think they're redheaded woodpeckers (?):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They showed up and weren't all that bashful, or they just knew I wouldn't hur them. They liked the chow,​And I've see a couple of these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw these in different years, and boy, both times it was a happy accident.​To tell you the truth, since my better half died in June of 2016, I haven't been very good about putting food out for the birds. Lately, I've fed them twice. It was fun to put food out when my husband got pleasure from looking at the birds, too, after he lost interest in everything else except taking joy rides when he got his hands on a set of keys. He had dementia, and I'd been warned by the sheriffs in 3 counties including this one to keep him off the roads. I'm trying to start life over, Pogo. It's funny how when you lose an important other of over 44 years, the things you love just remind you of what was good  when you were a partner, but there's not so much fun in it when you're all by yourself, lonely as hell, and have no one to show off your stuff to anymore. It takes very bright people to appreciate birds and when a light goes out, it's like there's not enough light to see until you start building bridges back to the places you love as much as you love life.
> 
> Life is complex, but when you lose someone you cared for, you have just got to sit down and think about what life is going to be all about in the future. I am just now starting to get angry, and that's supposed to happen a week after your loved one dies. Didn't happen. I was in a fog, didn't come here very often the 2 years after he passed. That should have been water under the bridge in less than a month, but no, it took 2 years, maybe more.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't know the top one but the big bottom one is a pileated woodpecker (and they are big, just check out those talons).  Those are numerous around these woods, I heard one off in the distance just this evening.  It's ironic that my friend who got me into birding (there were a couple but the major one) has all these various birds on her life list but has never seen the pileated woodpecker, and my place is crawling with them.  The cartoon character Woody Woodpecker was based on this guy.
> 
> Can't say much about the rest except to promise you a permanent metaphorical shoulder and sympathetic ear.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The top one is a Redheaded Woodpecker, Pogo. They are not shy birds, but will allow you to admire their strinking beauty if they know you're the one who feeds them, and you're not too aggressive (stays a distance, etc.) The pileated woodpeckers want nothing to do with people. If you see one around here, it's not by the front porch feeder, but out in the woods at an unexpected place you may have never trod before. Just an impression of one person. I really know little about them, except they're almost as astonishing to see as their spectacular Redheaded Woodpecker cousins. For one thing, they seem twice the size as a redhead, which is about the size of a bluejay, but in no way is similar in shape, maybe 8.25" body length plus whatever tail that follows it, maybe a little smaller(?) Can't remember, like I said I wasn't doing much bird feeding after my husband died. Right now, I'm in a dither because I haven't contacted the IRAs my husband established, and he left everything to me. He also had stock market stuff coming out the ears. I'm just not business-minded, and can't even put my hands on documents procured after his death--death certificates, And letters of something-or-another established by a day spent at the courhouse telling a judge about my husband and his life, and showing him a will, etc. My worry for this whole year was about paying taxes on this huge acreage since I'm not able to care for animals and the orchard I planted died out in the drought of 2011 when the well water didn't have enough supply for the needs of the tree that I underestimated, never having cared for trees in my whole life. At least the pecan tree made it, but I don't have a clue how to get going and do all the household tasks and the business procedures too. My dear late husband spoiled me by doing every last detail of taking care of money, and all I can do is be sick with worry because it's like the bird feeders, just no incentive. If he was a vegetable just laying around in bed, I'd be doing everything, but gone? It's a different universe without him. I guess I sound like a crazy person, serves me right prolly.
Click to expand...


Becki I think you need to hire yourself a financial advisor, or in other words just channel all those assets into a single investment manager service.  I have mine in the local Edward Jones office and it's great, they take care of everything for a small and reasonable fee.  And you DO need to know what the tax requirements are, for instance I'm _required_ to take a minimum annual payment from my IRA so you want to keep on top of that before it spins away and you have to play catch-up. 

And then the stocks, you need to know (OR someone you designate needs to know) what they are and how they're doing.  When my dad deteriorated for ten years with Parkinson's he had investments that he hadn't told anybody about, ergo no one was watching as they should have, and when the crash came in 2008 he (and our inheritance) lost a good six figures of assets.  All those years of building up a nest egg and then he was too spaced out on the drug cocktails that is American medicine to have any idea what was going on.  So you want *some *eyes on all that so you don't get to the same point of looking back and thinking "if only I had dealt with this...".

Really, don't worry about arranging and working the numbers.  _They_ will do that for you.

(/offtopic)


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## beautress

Thanks, Pogo, I missed that. Oddly, I got a call from the lawyer's office to get my land deed figured out Monday,, and they were working on a plan to contact all the accounts and get them in my name. It will take a load off my shoulders to know I can call up my broker company and order him to cut a check to pay my horrific tax bill every year from now on. When all that get's settled out, I'm going to try and take your advice if I need to. I actually went to a bar last week to sing Karaoke hoping to meet some single people my age. <gong!> The average age there looked about 25. I don't think they had dating their grandma's pal in mind. Wait a minute. There was one who had a "Vietnam vet" t-shirt on, kinda cute, but all of a sudden I got terrified. People play by different rules these days, and I don't like those rules. *sigh* Pass the knitting needles and dust off the sewing machine. I'm going back to sewing quilts for the duration. A little fear is a sobering influence. And the bar people didn't look too enthusiastic when I ordered a hot dr. pepper with lemon for my throat. I'm allergic to alcohol. I drove the 50-mile drive home in Hill Country at about 45 mph around midnight, wondering why I sang Carly Simon's The Spy Who Loved Me to a bunch of gang men people who were perfect strangers, which suits me fine now that I think about it. Mr. VVet left early anyway. <giggle> Between karaoke participants, the bar played risque country music. I couldn't believe my ears to hear all those 4-letter words stashed into quasi-country music. I bet some of those younger gals parents' hadn't been to a bar in a million years. I really wasn't expecting a choir rehearsal, but the sex ed songs...in exaggerated politically correct groups kinda put my stomach in my throat. It was a quiet, uneventful drive home in the dark between tall pines and farm prairies where cows rule.

Well, so much for my one and only time ever to go to a bar by myself to meet people who weren't even there.


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## beautress

Killdeer







​My first sighting of killdeer birds was in 2009. We had moved from Wyoming back home to Texas, and bought a small acreage in Walker County, where I was walking fence one day and noticed these very distinctively marked, beautiful small birds squeaking, squawking, and making a commotion as I passed by. I tried to look them over as best I could, and when I had several things known about them--dark horizontal stripes along head and neck, obviated by white stripes above and below each dark stripe. Just one look, and I was hooked. They were there every day, until I started mowing the northwest and western fence lines, which face the farm to market road I live on. They really didn't like the mowing, so I decided to go back to the house and come back the following day when they weren't around (fat chance.) After a couple of weeks, the killdeer were gone. The next year, rinse, repeat. They'd had enough, packed up and left. I really was not aware that they were like field chickens--they lay their eggs right there in full view, and they protect them by fleeing the nest area where 4 eggs could be sitting there, and go into their noisy broken-wing fugue in which they pretend their wing is broken, luring the predator away from the eggs and nest, and begin following a distant to keep their visitor from stepping on or eating their eggs. (see video above)


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## beautress

Went for a visit to the Audubon Society page and found this amazing creature--a female Cerulean warbler. 




^^ If she isn't too cute, I don't know what is! ^^​
Recently, ornithologists associated or corresponding with Audubon have discovered at least two females singing their hearts out. Their story is here: Female Cerulean Warblers Chirp Away at Birdsong Stereotypes


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## beautress

*Scientists say a patch of hot water in the Pacific killed a million seabirds in less than a year*​​Very sad loss of birds this year due to hot spots in the Pacific NorthWest​​

A common murre, a fish-eating seabird of the North Pacific, were part of one of the largest mass die-offs in recorded history.​

As many as 1 million seabirds died at sea in less than 12 months in one of the largest mass die-offs in recorded history, and researchers say warm ocean waters are to blame.

The birds, a fish-eating species called the common murre, were severely emaciated and appeared to have died of starvation between the summer of 2015 and the spring of 2016, washing up along North America's west coast, from California to Alaska.
Scientists say a patch of hot water in the Pacific killed a million seabirds in less than a year

​


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## beautress

*Around A Million Birds Estimated Dead After A Hot ‘Blob’ In Pacific Ocean, Study Reveals*
​*
KEY POINTS*

A million birds die and wash up on coasts
Researchers blame warm water patch in the Pacific for this
Birds commonly known as ‘Murre’ most affected
Agroup of researchers from the University of Washington estimated that around one million seabirds died in the Pacific region after a hot water “blob” caused an imbalance in the ecosystem. The study was published Wednesday.

The researchers had taken into account the immense number of sea birds, preying on fish, had died and washed up across the coast in Alaska and California in the United States. The birds, more commonly known as the Murre, had a high mortality rate.

The study found out that the deaths were caused due to a shift in temperature of the area from cold to hot and was termed by the scientists as the “blob”. A gigantic section of hot water had severe effects on the ecosystem of the place. The section of about 1000 miles of water was found out to be around three to six degrees hotter than the rest of the area.


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## beautress

One of 3 areas in map form:


The Blob That Cooked the Pacific


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## beautress

Another type of map:




Are Climate-Related 'Hot Blobs' Spreading and Killing Marine Life Worldwide?​


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## beautress

A longtime member of USMB has defended the birds at a discussion on electrically powering the nations, and here's the proof: Texas solar lead


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## beautress

10 Fun Facts About Chickadees
​


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## Shawnee_b

I love chicadees! Got them here in KY too but 10 years in Maine I fed them every day cause Maine was hell in winter. As I walked to their feeder they would land on me, hear their wings. If I had seed or blackoil sun seeds in my hand they would land and eat. Cool little birdies


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## beautress

Shawnee_b said:


> I love chicadees! Got them here in KY too but 10 years in Maine I fed them every day cause Maine was hell in winter. As I walked to their feeder they would land on me, hear their wings. If I had seed or blackoil sun seeds in my hand they would land and eat. Cool little birdies


Feeding them in winter prevents a lot of death. I really need to fill my feeders. Thanks because your post reminded me, Shawnee_b.


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## Shawnee_b

beautress said:


> Shawnee_b said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love chicadees! Got them here in KY too but 10 years in Maine I fed them every day cause Maine was hell in winter. As I walked to their feeder they would land on me, hear their wings. If I had seed or blackoil sun seeds in my hand they would land and eat. Cool little birdies
> 
> 
> 
> Feeding them in winter prevents a lot of death. I really need to fill my feeders. Thanks because your post reminded me, Shawnee_b.
Click to expand...


You're welcome Beautress. Yup, birdies got to eat. Chickadees like suet too.


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## beautress

Shawnee_b said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shawnee_b said:
> 
> 
> 
> I love chicadees! Got them here in KY too but 10 years in Maine I fed them every day cause Maine was hell in winter. As I walked to their feeder they would land on me, hear their wings. If I had seed or blackoil sun seeds in my hand they would land and eat. Cool little birdies
> 
> 
> 
> Feeding them in winter prevents a lot of death. I really need to fill my feeders. Thanks because your post reminded me, Shawnee_b.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> You're welcome Beautress. Yup, birdies got to eat. Chickadees like suet too.
Click to expand...

Update: Well, I found some birdseeds at another town I visited last night going to a Karaoke event, but only the peanuts got placed atop the wood fence. I still need to fill the bird feeders with the rest, but it's dark and cold out there at present, so I have to wait till tomorrow morning, if it will just stop raining and the sun will come out a few minutes. Well, it says cloudy but shows no cloud on the map. "???" I guess that's sign language for "go figure." *sigh*


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## beautress

...Mutter, mutter. /putting on shoes and a jacket and headed out with the Songbird bell and a flashlight...


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## Shawnee_b

Cool stamps. I get some birds here in KY I didn't in Maine. Al;though more grossbeaks in Maine. Had a rose breasted here last year, so pretty.

I found the chickadees liked blackoil sunflowers best and some suet.


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## beautress

That's what I forgot. But last night I got both Songbird and Wildbird food. Both had Blackoil sunflower seeds, but the Songbird had the most.black sunflower seeds. I have plenty of feeders, it's just getting out there in the cold. At least I spent a few minutes tying the bell to some branches on the spreading oak tree.

From what I've heard, Maine has some very dedicated birders. I hear a bird out right now singing "Preacher, preacher, preacher, preacher" in rapid succession. Wonder what he is?


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## Shawnee_b

beautress said:


> That's what I forgot. But last night I got both Songbird and Wildbird food. Both had Blackoil sunflower seeds, but the Songbird had the most.black sunflower seeds. I have plenty of feeders, it's just getting out there in the cold. At least I spent a few minutes tying the bell to some branches on the spreading oak tree.
> 
> From what I've heard, Maine has some very dedicated birders. I hear a bird out right now singing "Preacher, preacher, preacher, preacher" in rapid succession. Wonder what he is?



 I dunno, I'm about deaf. Can't even hear that beautiful English Sparrow song. 

Oh yes, some birders up there. Get a chance check out Borestone Mountain, they used to release Perigrine Falcons there. My Buddy Jack Dunstan was the ranger. He is housebound now, called him last week. Poor guy, wicked birder. I had a Peregrine few weeks ago. 

Pure blackoil is what chickadees love. I have a cool feeder looks like a 3 ball snowman bout 12" tall, wire mesh just big enough for sunflower seed. They love it!!!


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## Pogo

beautress said:


> That's what I forgot. But last night I got both Songbird and Wildbird food. Both had Blackoil sunflower seeds, but the Songbird had the most.black sunflower seeds. I have plenty of feeders, it's just getting out there in the cold. At least I spent a few minutes tying the bell to some branches on the spreading oak tree.
> 
> From what I've heard, Maine has some very dedicated birders. I hear a bird out right now singing "Preacher, preacher, preacher, preacher" in rapid succession. Wonder what he is?



Carolina wren?

​


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## Pogo

Pogo said:


> beautress said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I forgot. But last night I got both Songbird and Wildbird food. Both had Blackoil sunflower seeds, but the Songbird had the most.black sunflower seeds. I have plenty of feeders, it's just getting out there in the cold. At least I spent a few minutes tying the bell to some branches on the spreading oak tree.
> 
> From what I've heard, Maine has some very dedicated birders. I hear a bird out right now singing "Preacher, preacher, preacher, preacher" in rapid succession. Wonder what he is?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Carolina wren?
> 
> ​
Click to expand...



Check this out too Becki......... same wren featured in here

​


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## beautress

​


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## Pogo

So Becki, I've now got _five_ hummingbird feeders dotted around three sides of the house and the word is out.  Constant hummage, right outside the window where I sit.

The soda bottle feeder never really worked out.  It was easy prey for squirrels or bears or whatever kept ripping it down.  I've got a more standard column feeder, quite large, and I'll get that out soon.  Not that the birdies need it, it's very lush here with the rain we've had.


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## beautress

Pogo said:


> So Becki, I've now got _five_ hummingbird feeders dotted around three sides of the house and the word is out.  Constant hummage, right outside the window where I sit.
> 
> The soda bottle feeder never really worked out.  It was easy prey for squirrels or bears or whatever kept ripping it down.  I've got a more standard column feeder, quite large, and I'll get that out soon.  Not that the birdies need it, it's very lush here with the rain we've had.


Thanks, Pogo.

Here's another type of bird called a Vireo. It has several different kinds.
Red eyed vireo





Yellow-throated vireo





White-eyed Vireo



​


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## Pogo

beautress said:


> Thanks, Pogo.
> 
> Here's another type of bird called a Vireo. It has several different kinds.
> Red eyed vireo
> View attachment 587020
> 
> 
> Yellow-throated vireo
> View attachment 587024
> 
> 
> White-eyed Vireo
> View attachment 587030
> ​



Love me some vireos.  Here's the yellow one, complex call, it's in four parts like the wood thrush


Nice 2CU Becki


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## beautress

Whippoorwill





Pogo said:


> Love me some vireos.  Here's the yellow one, complex call, it's in four parts like the wood thrush
> 
> 
> Nice 2CU Becki


Good to see you too, Pogo. Thanks for sharing. I'll have to visit Cornell website and listen up, if they still have the birds' call in their bird identification section.


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## beautress

I am very concerned about the fate of birds if the electric car business and the temptation for people to put up "free" solar panels that may be able to fry migrant birds flying a mile high. I'm also concerned the heat sent up to the atmosphere will cause a reaction in the ozone that could send the heat right back and ensure that this planet fries all life here. I think it's a big mistake to convert the nation from fossil fuels to electric generation, because electric generation is not only inefficient, it totally depends on fossil fuels, and will need twice as much if we go electric cars. Little home units times millions will decimate bird species.

Enjoy the birds while they are still here, everyone. The United States Congress just passed the stupidest law ever written when they demanded that in 2 or 3 years everyone must convert to electric cars. that is a death knell to birds, if not all life on this planet, and it's damn expensive in draining off fossil fuels twice as fast. I hope we get this thread going again to those who just got here in the last few years and love birds. Welcome one and all nature and bird lovers!  Just for the love of birds, I am gong to find my favorite one, if I can find decent pictures of a Great White Egret. They used to come to my lake out back and raise their little (little?) big ones and teach them to fly before disappearing each fall. They're not here every day of the good weather, but sometimes they are if stuff is quiet around here.

To tell you the truth, after living around Great Egrets for 12 years now, there is no more beautiful and elegant bird on this planet than they.












						Great Egret Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
					

The elegant Great Egret is a dazzling sight in many a North American wetland. Slightly smaller and more svelte than a Great Blue Heron, these are still large birds with impressive wingspans. They hunt in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a...



					www.allaboutbirds.org
				












						Fun Great Egret Facts For Kids | Kidadl
					

Looking for fun and interesting great egret facts? Learn about the amazing bird and discover other animals from tiny insects to giant mammals!



					kidadl.com
				


The great egret (Ardea alba), also known by many other names like large egret, common egret, great white heron, and great white egret, is part of the egret bird species. Egrets are birds that have longer legs than their body. Great egrets are a species of North American birds that are related to many subspecies which can be found all over the world. One particular bird species known as the great blue heron is also an American bird found mostly in the Caribbean. It is a similar species but a colorful blue species of the Great Egret. Research is still taking place at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York to understand whether these two are separate species or the subspecies of the great egrets.

Like every other water-bird species, the great egrets also prey on the marine fish and sometimes are seen swimming instead of wading to catch their food. Other than that, as these birds are large in size, they do not have many predators; that is why they sleep on the trees beside the freshwater habitat.

Here on our page, we have a lot of interesting facts on the Great Egret for everyone to enjoy.



​*How do they communicate?*​Great egrets communicate with each other through the use of various vocalizations which they produce from their bill. These sounds include nasal squeals, croaking, clicking sounds, and harsh calls. Apart from the vocals, they also communicate by displaying their wings.

*How big is a great egret?*​The range of size of a great egret when it is standing can be around 31-39 in (80-100 cm) in length. These birds are larger than the laughing gulls of South Carolina, which are about 16 in (15.24 cm) in length.

*How fast can a great egret fly?*​The speed that a great egret can fly up to is around 25 mph (40 kph), which is rather fast!

More delightful secrets about egrets here:





						Great Egret: 21 Facts You Won't Believe!
					

Looking for fun and interesting great egret facts? Learn about the amazing bird and discover other animals from tiny insects to giant mammals!




					kidadl.com


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## beautress

The Great Egret family is back. It's usually not this late, but between the roofers and redigging the seasonal creek, they just don't like noise including if you are 400 meters away from the small lake and headed toward the road from the house. They do not care for any motor noise whatever, and they don't like human passers-by. They're so beautiful, though, even if I have to run and go find the binoculars.


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## beautress

Shawnee_b said:


> I dunno, I'm about deaf. Can't even hear that beautiful English Sparrow song.
> 
> Oh yes, some birders up there. Get a chance check out Borestone Mountain, they used to release Perigrine Falcons there. My Buddy Jack Dunstan was the ranger. He is housebound now, called him last week. Poor guy, wicked birder. I had a Peregrine few weeks ago.
> 
> Pure blackoil is what chickadees love. I have a cool feeder looks like a 3 ball snowman bout 12" tall, wire mesh just big enough for sunflower seed. They love it!!!


I thought doctors could heal hard-of-hearingness if  you weren't born that way. Sometimes, some people have ears that collect wax enough to muffle sounds. And there are aids that can help you if that hereditary aspect is not in play. Best wishes on fixing your ability to hear birds again. There's another bird that comes around my farm around the first day of spring every year, and I can't recall much about it, but it sounds like a 3-syllable word that slips my mind by fall every year. I don't know how I got to be a septuagenarian with keen hearing abilities, so much so I have to tune it out from time to time.


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## beautress

Oh, and the Great Egret visited us last night. I saw him flying when I drove up and parked my car by the house. I'll try and find the closest youtube to what I saw. BRB. They are the most graceful of all God's birds. No other bird is as totally worthy of the grace of the Great Egret, imho. Swans look clumsy next to the Great Egret who move in splendor every little moment of their lives. I've been watching them fly over my pond since 2009 when we moved here to East Texas bird heaven that our place has been and seems to be. My husband died 6 years ago, and watching the egrets is a comfort to know he can now view them from heaven above. ❤️ 🤍 💙
​


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## beautress

Youtube always follows your search and provides similar videos, I am very fond of this one, eventhough the birds are unfamiliar since they fly south from France to unknown destinations ... enough words here's the real stuff: soothing music, too. 

​


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## beautress

From Canada... not sure what provence...
​


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## beautress

From Nick Schrader to youtube to us...
​


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## beautress

More from "MyBackyardBirding" thanks to youtube.
​


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## beautress

Hummingbirds
​Hope everyone who has posted here is well and still loves birds. Their sight and songs are so amazing around here... I pray that this drought yields us enough rain to keep the great white egret family that visits here every year a joyful place to stay.


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## beautress

Central American Birds that live in rainforest in the tallest Avocado trees on earth....my favorite eye candy in the world, the Resplendant Quetzal:




The Resplendent Quetazal is Guatemala's National Bird. 






​


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## beautress

*Lifestyle Alert!!! Lifestyle Alert!!!
The information below could change your mind
and force you into a fevered the irreversible ADORING birds Disease
Wanting to know about birds is incurable, and lowering the fever and recuperation is Not an Option!!!
Just remember: I told you so!!!*
DO NOT WATCH THE VIDEO IF YOU WISH TO REMAIN AS YOU ARE!!!!

🧡🦅🧡This may make you feel like the last time you visited a hospital newborn nursery /heart-melt-melt  🧡  🦅 🧡
​


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## beautress

The Healing Factor of Tranquil and Lovely Birds...
​


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## beautress

The Most Deadly Birds on Earth
Some birds you should avoid:
​


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## beautress

Birdsongs, from the MacAuley Library.

Lovely bird sounds a link belioew








						Snapshot of Sound Celebrates Macaulay Library’s 90th Year
					

May 18th, 2019 marked the 90th anniversary of the first sound recording of wild birds in North America and the beginning of the Macaulay Library. May 18th also marked the start of the first ever Snaps




					www.macaulaylibrary.org
				



​


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## Compost

beautress said:


> Birdsongs, from the MacAuley Library.
> 
> Lovely bird sounds a link belioew
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Snapshot of Sound Celebrates Macaulay Library’s 90th Year
> 
> 
> May 18th, 2019 marked the 90th anniversary of the first sound recording of wild birds in North America and the beginning of the Macaulay Library. May 18th also marked the start of the first ever Snaps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.macaulaylibrary.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​


That was fun!  My pet finches sang along.  LOL


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## beautress

Really beautiful birds...

( go to youtube)​


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