Forum Birdwatching 2010

[NoahFence]

Here's a couple more from Nica... A tiger heron and a type of jay.

The shot of the sharpie is awesome by the way!

Thanks! I got a ton of 'em but that was the funniest...

 

[Tricky]

Here's a couple more from Nica... A tiger heron and a type of jay.

That's a magpie jay. I've seen one in South Texas, but he was an "erratic", meaning he was out of his normal range, possibly due to human intervention.

As to the Caracara, sometimes called the Mexican Eagle, those are common in the Houston area. They're mostly carrion eaters, but very handsome.

 

[NoahFence]

...Anyone ever watch these bird cams?

One of my favorites is Hornby Island Eagle Cam - www.hornbyeagles.com

 

[NoahFence]

That's a magpie jay. I've seen one in South Texas, but he was an "erratic", meaning he was out of his normal range, possibly due to human intervention.

As to the Caracara, sometimes called the Mexican Eagle, those are common in the Houston area. They're mostly carrion eaters, but very handsome.

We had a Caracara here in Middleboro, Massachuetts (speaking of 'erratic'!) about 10 years ago.

 

[NoahFence]

Just saw my first Oriole of the year. Now it's spring!

 

[Kestrel]

Saw a male Williamson's Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus in the mountains west of Denver today.

 

[dasmiller]

I keep thinking there will be a 2011 Birdwatching thread, but . . .

No picture, but had an odd sighting 2 weeks ago. I live in the LA area, and while parrots aren't native, there are a few small flocks around, notably at the Manhattan Village mall and the Hermosa Beach plaza.

I was at the mall, and heard an unusual amount of squawking from the parrots, which are not quiet birds even at the best of times. I drove around the parking lot a bit, trying to figure out where they were and what they were squawking about, when a flock of maybe 15 parrots appeared from behind the buildings, harassing a great blue heron.

The GBH appeared to be ignoring them, which would be quite a feat since I thought the noise was distracting from 100 yards away, while the GBH was in the middle of the flock.

The GBH cruised away over the buildings across the street, with the parrots in noisy pursuit.

I wouldn't have thought that GBHs and parrots would have much interaction, but I've found that GBHs are pretty open-minded about what should be considered as "food." I'm speculating that the GBH had found the parrots' nests.

 

[Aitch]

There's a small (about 15) flock of parakeets occasionally spend some time in the trees around our car-park. Twice a day - one the way to and from somewhere else.

May be something to savour, may not happen in the future.

 

[bruto]

Not much new in our neck of the woods, but I did see a bittern the other day. Not a very common bird in Vermont, but occasionally seen.

right now I'm visiting in Indianapolis IN, and not much new flying around. We did go to the zoo, though, where there were some nice marabou storks and a very colorful crested crane, but I guess I can't add them to my list.

 

[Bindamel]

Is this the 2011 thread?

I've been out more with the kids and camera, so I've taken a few bird pictures here and there. We were at a girl scout camp in Antrim, New Hampshire last weekend, and this female ruffed grouse just hung out with us for a while.

 

[Humanzee]

A Black-throated Gray Warbler - I think, spotted last week in Portland, OR. Sorry for the poor focus.

 

[Humanzee]

And a White-crowned Sparrow called in with IBird.

 

[I Ratant]

A rare sight... a juvenile raven... out of the nest, and not flying.. with Mom and Dad hovering near by, shouting at all that get close..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlEsuJsWs1g
The local mockingbirds hit on it.
And the mature pair follow me home and make theatening pecks at the roof...

 

[I Ratant]

The noise from the parents stopped.
I can walk up the street without being hit on.
No sign of the young'un.
Found a complete leg and foot in the street.. but nothing else.
Appears to be an adult leg.. not the pink of the juvenile.

 

[I Ratant]

There's another group of ravens on the west side here..
The smaller ones will take off when I get near, but the big male will let me come in real close.
And the little guys put on a good airshow..

 

[Rolfe]

Nothing so exciting here, but I filled up the bird feeders a little while ago, and I have a veritable flock of sparrows, chaffinches, goldfinches, greenfinches, great tits, blue tits, coal tits and siskins fluttering around. Also a robin, a woodpigeon, a collared dove, a magpie and a couple of rooks.

I think I need a bigger bird feeder.

I haven't seen the great spotted woodpecker since the day before yesterday.

Rolfe.

ETA: Maybe I don't need a bigger bird feeder. Maybe I don't need a bird feeder at all. A couple of minutes ago there was a sound of concerted avian alarm shrieks, and the entire multi-coloured horde flew of in a panic. To be replaced by a sparrowhawk sitting on top of the feeder, looking around for dinner.

I wonder if I could set the cat on the sparrowhawk?

 

[GeeMack]

Nothing so exciting here, but I filled up the bird feeders a little while ago, and I have a veritable flock of sparrows, chaffinches, goldfinches, greenfinches, great tits, blue tits, coal tits and siskins fluttering around. Also a robin, a woodpigeon, a collared dove, a magpie and a couple of rooks.

I think I need a bigger bird feeder.

I haven't seen the great spotted woodpecker since the day before yesterday.

Rolfe.

ETA: Maybe I don't need a bigger bird feeder. Maybe I don't need a bird feeder at all. A couple of minutes ago there was a sound of concerted avian alarm shrieks, and the entire multi-coloured horde flew of in a panic. To be replaced by a sparrowhawk sitting on top of the feeder, looking around for dinner.

I wonder if I could set the cat on the sparrowhawk?

Feeding birds and in turn feeding bigger birds up the chain is part of the deal. Yesterday we were looking out the window commenting on our little feeder birds when there was a flash of very large wings across the parking lot. Not more than 75 feet away there was an explosion of feathers. The flurry of activity was a Coopers Hawk making an apparently successful attack on a Mourning Dove. We identified it by the few feathers left after it was over.

 

[NoahFence]

Rock Dove:

(Or what's left of it)

[/IMG]


That's a Red-Tailed hawk with his lunch outside my living room a few hours ago

 

[Rolfe]

Ah well, at least my mob all flew off safely - this time.

Rolfe.

 

[sphenisc]

Turkey 3-10 June

Caucasian Black Grouse Tetrao mlokosiewiczi
Caspian Snowcock Tetraogallus caspius
Green Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus
Mountain Chiffchaff Phylloscopus sindianus
Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus

and others, plus wolf, harbour porpoise, bottle-nosed dolphin