BS: Birdwatching 2012

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Bettynh
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 12:29 PM

A mockingbird has been singing for the last week or so around the clock. Fortunately, he's about a block away. When he chose to sing from my roof, it was hard to sleep.

The Juneberries are ripening - the bush has a constant flow of robins and catbirds. A bird will settle, carefully move to the end of a branch (berries hang off very slim branches) and grab a berry, hopefully before the next arrives to cause a commotion. There are at least two pair of each. I think the catbirds, being slighter, have a bit of advantage. I like the berries ripe, but the birds are harvesting them red. I doubt I'll even find one for a taste, but the entertainment is worth it.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 17 Jun 12 - 10:07 AM

Another bird I cannot identify. Not all that unusual which makes ID a little harder. This bird is not a regular in my yard.   Hope someone here can help.

Unidentified

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 11:40 PM

I am now convinced that the woodpecker is a juvenile Downy. There have been several juveniles at the feeder the past couple of weeks.

I have had more than 20 house sparrows devouring all my sunflower seeds and suet this summer. They empty the feeders in less than a day and eat a cake of suet every day. I finally quit putting out sunflower seed. I had read that house sparrows do not eat sunflower seed, by apparently these Ozark sparrows can't read. I have started to use a mixture of nuts, seed, and fruit and all the other birds except for the house finches and house sparrows don't mind the change. I am now putting out a lot less food. The woodpeckers that enjoyed the suet are fine with the new seed mixture so we will see how it goes. Now if the house sparrows would just move on to someone else's yard that would be even better. I have been removing their nest from the bluebird boxes and raised a family of bluebirds this spring. I still have some house sparrows in the gourds I put up for Purple Martins and there are some nesting along with Martins in the Martin house.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ragdall
Date: 10 Jun 12 - 09:22 PM

Arkie,
Your woodpecker looks like a Downy to me.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 11:35 AM

Thanks for comments. Looks like maeve nailed it. I suspected as much but have had hybrid juncos and who knows what else. In the link below it looks like the red cap has moved a bit to the back.

Father and son

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: My guru always said
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 10:41 AM

Suddenly this morning, a young male Sparrowhawk landed in our birdbath with one of our Great Tits in his claws. He looked around smugly for a while, long enough for me to note his features for later identification, and then flew off carrying his prey. Gobsmacked!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: maeve
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 07:51 AM

Yes, Adrien. The placement of the red spot changes as the Downy matures and grows adult plumage. It's common for young birds to have quite different plumage from the adults- think of ducklings and chicks in comparison to mature ducks and chickens.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Beer
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 07:06 AM

The "Acorn Woodpecker" come close.
We are having fun watching two new nester's. The House Wren is a treat and the Great Crested Flycatcher decided to take up residency.
ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Beer
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 06:56 AM

Arkie,
That is very interesting. The word "evolution" comes to mind. Are you say maeve that as the bird matures the red spot would move down? Could be I guess.
Ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: maeve
Date: 07 Jun 12 - 03:44 AM

One can see the white back as a long white stripe in Arkie's photo. I'd say it's an immature male Downy with characteristic placement of the baby's red head spot. An immature female would look like a smaller version of an adult female; no red on the head.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 11:18 PM

It also doesn't have the white back, Arkie. I'm wondering if it is a juvenile, or perhaps a sapsucker? I dunno. You live where you would possibly have some woodpeckers I'd never see here. Hopefully some one else can chime in and help confirm the bird.

The Robins and Bluebirds sure do love splashing around the the birdbath. I guess thrushes are particularly partial to taking a bath among "backyard" birds?

In the fwiw department, I highly recommend a birdbath wiggler. I have three birdbaths, one of which has a wiggler. I actually got it to cut down on mosquitos, which are not inclined to lay eggs in water that is moving a bit, but they work as well as some sort of drip system to attract birds. The one bath with the wiggler gets much, much more traffic than the other 2. I've had mine for 4 years and it just keeps going. A set of fresh D batteries lasts for most of the season. I take the batteries out in winter and retire it. The local Wild Bird Center carries replacement parts like the gasket that seals the battery and motor compartment and the little rubber gaskets with plastic inserts that stir the water. I've replaced the stirring gaskets once, and the seal gasket to the battery/motor compartment is probably in need of replacement now. The motor is still going strong. In other words, quite durable.

I'm gonna go ahead and buy them for the other birdbaths, and am looking at the solar powered ones.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 09:37 PM

I have been watching downy woodpeckers at the feeder all year but noticed a few days ago that the red cap on one was different. It is a different color and not located in the same place. Question is this actually a downy or is this a hybrid of some sort. The bird in question should be first picture in the link below.

Woodpecker in question

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Beer
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 12:15 PM

Here is a little something that was just sent to me.
Adrien


http://www.cas.umt.edu/geosciences/faculty/langner/Osprey/index.htm


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 10:34 AM

The recent rains have flooded out two of our favorite osprey nests in Maine, doing in the young chicks. That's the second year in a row for such tragedy. Both nests are located on platforms and evidently they don't drain well. Very sad news.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ragdall
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 01:22 AM

I've been away and haven't had a chance to check which birds are still around in June.

My back yard tally for May is 16:

   1. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
   2. House Sparrow
   3. White-crowned Sparrow
   4. Chipping Sparrow
   5. Lincoln's Sparrow
   6. Savannah Sparrow
   7. Dark-eyed Junco
   8. Evening Grosbeak
   9. Purple Finch
10. House Finch
11. Pine Siskin
12. Northern Flicker
13. Rufus Hummingbird
14. Black-capped Chickadee
15. Wilson's Warbler
16. American Crow

               rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 03:05 PM

The birds are going through a a couple of pounds of sunflower seed a day, and a bag of suet nuggets about every 4-5 days. Noticing the finches go for the niger seed only when the sunflower feeders are low or competition for the sunflowers too stiff. This is a change. It may mean I need to scrub the niger feeder. Still only a few goldfinches, which used to be the dominant species at my feeders. I'm wondering if the house finches have simply out competed them to the point they have moved on.

So many juveniles of every species! Today, I have delighted in watching a family of Red-bellied woodpeckers in particular, and the robins at the birdbath. Also a juvenile squirrel and a turtle dove repeatedly facing off on the ground below the feeders.

Heavy rain and storms last night. Weird scratching noises on the carport proved to be 5 Carolina Wrens trying their best to find perches on the inside corners of the carport ceiling, trying to cling to the thin metal wrapping over the edges of the vinyl.

Tomorrow I'll get my butt in gear early, but today is-laze-around-and-just-watch-the-natural-world day.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Jun 12 - 08:11 AM

Also in Maine:

The eagle nest that may be viewed from the Woolwich-Arrowsic bridge on a nest platform on a small island features an 8-week old chick, looks almost as large as its parents. The osprey nest platform which may be viewed from the same bridge probably has chicks now but we haven't seen them yet. The Taste of Maine nest nearby, which has a webcam, has a couple of chicks which hatched 2 weeks ago.

The eagle nest in the Bar Harbor area, with an eagle cam, finally features two healthy chicks. They've had bad luck there for 3 or 4 years. Hopefully this year will be successful. It's a beautiful nest site.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ranger1
Date: 01 Jun 12 - 06:33 AM

Both pairs of osprey on the Casco Bay side of the park have hatched out chicks. We won't know for another week or two how many, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 May 12 - 08:52 PM

We don't usually see small herons in Midcoast Maine, usually just the Great Blue Heron. But the other morning I ran across a small one in the wet spot in the meadow, probably feeding on frogs. It looked most like a Black Crowned Night Heron but it was broad daylight and I would swear that its breast was bright yellow rather than white.

Any thoughts?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: maeve
Date: 31 May 12 - 03:27 PM

The American Birding Association urges birdwatchers to keep in mind the
Principles of Birding found at the included link... FYI.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 May 12 - 04:33 PM

I spent the last two weeks in Egypt, and was amazed by all the birds. There were egrets everywhere, especially on our Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan. I was fascinated by the huge crows - I think they're hooded crows. Best of all, I liked the Pied Kingfishers that I saw along the Nile.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 22 May 12 - 09:49 AM

Several feeders, trees, and flowers can be seen from the window next to my computer and I am not sure if I am distracted from the computer by the birds or distracted from the birds by the computer. I get to enjoy both but wish the birds were not so camera shy. Here are some visitors we have had this spring. Hope the link works.

Birds in the Ozarks

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: open mike
Date: 06 May 12 - 03:17 PM

The feeders visible from th ehouse are a constant source of amuesement and entertainment...
from the clown-like antics of the goldfinches on the thistle seed socks
to the hummers hovering at the "juice bar" there is almost always some activity !!

Bluebirds have begun to visit since the forest fire of '08 cleared lots of trees..they like open space and we had none prior to that.

Towhees, grosbeaks and varied thrush all require a second look to distinguish them from each other.

the wild turkey who used to visit daily has not come around lately.. I suspect next time we see here she will be leading a brood of chicks

red-headed sparrows (house sparrows? purple finch?) an black headed juncos often visit the feeder.

We have robins and sparrow hawks visiting occasionally , as well as
a covey of quail...or maybe event 2 - 3 different coveys...almost 50 in all.

There was a yellow warbler hovering near the door the other day and
a startling blue bird was briefly seen...probably an indigo bunting or a lazuli bunting.

Blue jays (camp robbers) and cowbirds come sometimes.

Woodpeckers like the suet cakes ...and the flickers do too.

there is a family of wrens nesting in a bird house very near
the house

and high above in the sky there are Osprey probably fishing at a near by lake...for the babies we sometimes hear shrieking from the nest.

Also red tailed hawks, ravens and crows fly near.

We rarely see, but often hear owls,

and inside the canaries are always singing and chirping...we have 15 of them now...the original 6 have all hatched clutches of eggs.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 06 May 12 - 08:37 AM

yesterday evening a fledging Carolina chickadee that could not yet fly hopped up on the carport onto a wire planter and visited with me for quite some time. Closest observation observation of a chickadee I have ever had the opportunity to make. Momma chickadee didn't seem too upset that I was near. It eventually hopped down and toddled across the yard to a low shrub. Hope it made it through the night (cats prowl at night around these parts.)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ranger1
Date: 06 May 12 - 06:17 AM

I spent four hours osprey watching last week and getting paid to do it! Other birds making an appearance were a kingfisher, a pileated woodpecker, a bald eagle, a couple of great blue herons, eiders, mourning doves, chickadees, black-throated green warblers (heard, but not seen), crows, and a ton of herring gulls, with the occasional ring-bill gull thrown in.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ragdall
Date: 05 May 12 - 07:31 PM

Guest,999,
That's an impressive collection. Thousands of White-crowned Sparrows migrate through here every April. There are still a few around entertaining us with their varied vocals. They must not be as plentiful in the East?

I've never seen a grackle.

    rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 05 May 12 - 07:00 PM

We are having heavy rain right now, and 3 house finches are perched on the window sill under the eave, peering curiously in through the window.

Either that or the window screen looks like a big mesh thistle feeder and they are wondering when I'm planning on filling it!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: GUEST,999
Date: 05 May 12 - 04:10 PM

About two hours ago there were two mourning doves, one pigeon, two grackles, half dozen starlings, some hedge sparrows and a white-crowned sparrow (never seen one before), a downy woodpecker, red winged blackbird and a raven. They were all pecking at seed or the fat feeder and getting along. Mostly the raven just strutted around.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ranger1
Date: 05 May 12 - 06:55 AM

Kat, owls eat everything, fur, bones, claws, toenails, etc. and then regurgitate the non-digestibles back up in pellet form. Kinda like a cat does a hairball. You can purchase sanitized owl pellets through many scientific supply catalogs, so that you can pick 'em apart and see what the owl was eating.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 04 May 12 - 10:28 PM

To the extent I am home to observe have been watching an interesting duet between the Downy Woodpeckers and the Red-bellied woodpeckers this past week or so. They appear to both compete and also cue off one another in terms of food sources. The little Downies are not at all intimidated by the much larger Red-bellied Woodpeckers and they don't appear to quarrel over the either the suet or sunflower feeders, but they definitely appear to track one another's movements amongthe trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 12 - 12:09 AM

A cardinal is nesting in the purple chaste (Vitex) in my back yard. Last year I paid attention to a nest, so my pit bull paid attention. I think she might have eaten the fledglings when they landed on the grass under the tree, so this year I haven't gone near the cardinal. I'll put the dog in the house and take a few photos tomorrow (I have to head out of town, and the time between hatching and fledgling is so short I might not be back before they're gone!)

I have been caring for a friend's Chocolate Lab for four months (come next week). She has been in the hospital, long story, but he has learned from my two dogs about grazing (what to eat grass-wise and tree-sprout-wise). Last week as I looked in disgust at 5 or 6 crows in the back by the fence I said "Zeke, get rid of those crows!" and threw my arm in a point at them.

By George! he got it! He raced back, barked, and they all flew off, he was so pleased with himself, and now my sweetheart Zeke has a JOB in the yard, to chase off big black birds. I've seen him do it several times since. (My dogs race to the back to bark at possums, skunks, coyotes, etc.)

SRS (I know, more of a dog story than a bird story.)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 May 12 - 11:49 PM

For those of you who can access the Mudcat Facebook page, I just "shared" some pix by my son of a nesting pair of Great Horned Owls with two fluffy chicks. It's incredible how the adults are so well camouflaged against the bark of a cottonwood tree. The nest is right outside a condo bedroom window of a fellow tenant. She's been really nice about letting the property manager, and my son, his asst., to come in and take pix. This is basically in the middle of a small city, near a lake and lots of prey. My son said the detritus at the bottom of the tree every day is quite interesting...bits of fluff, regurgitated stuff, bits the chicks apparently didn't like and spit out.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ragdall
Date: 02 May 12 - 09:02 PM

SRS,
Thank you. The warbler wasn't borrowed. It was in my backyard. The photo wasn't high enough resolution for a full size image.

The crows here always like to wash/soak their food before eating it. It's a challenge to keep any water clear of crow debris.

JHW,
I've often wondered the same thing (is the nutrition worth the effort it takes to get it?) Birds must have much more efficient metabolism than humans do?

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Jeri
Date: 02 May 12 - 12:51 PM

I looked out my door on May 1st to see pairs of two different types of grosbeaks in my feeder: evening and rose-breasted. In addition to:

black-capped chickadee
tufted titmouse
cardinal
gold finch
bluejay
house sparrow
hairy woodpecker
downy woodpecker
white-breasted nut hatch
mourning dove
crow
starling
grackle
red-bellied woodpecker
american robin
red-winged blackbirds (in a flock--probably passing through)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: JHW
Date: 02 May 12 - 12:11 PM

My hanging Peanut Feeder (with outer squirrel guard cage) is used by Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Long Tailed but today I saw a House Sparrow HOVERING with wings going flat out to peck a peanut from the feeder it is not built to cling to. Never seen this before but in minutes a Robin was doing the same, indeed they were taking turns.
I've often wondered how far a bird can go on a seed, i.e. is the nutrition worth the effort it takes to get it?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 12 - 09:41 PM

rags, your photos are always wonderful, and these are no exception. Looks like you borrowed the yellow-rumped warbler, but all things considered, that's fine.

I'm beginning to think we have the Crows From Hell here this spring. They usually pass through, but these have stayed and are nesting. And they're dragging all sorts of food into my bird baths. Bread, hotdog buns, hot dogs. Lizards. Birds. Yes, I'm finding bits of animals they have eaten in the bird bath water. Perhaps they are picking up roadkill - I think the hotdogs are coming from the other side of a busy boulevard. But this is really bizarre this year, and even people who rarely notice birds have remarked on their unusual behavior.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 01 May 12 - 08:36 PM

I like that distinction (spelling?), Tami.

I'm an avid birdwatcher from my front window, but not a birder by any definition.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ragdall
Date: 01 May 12 - 05:53 AM

April 2012 backyard tally = 14

White-crowned Sparrow
American Robin
Pine Siskin
Common Redpoll
Purple Finch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-capped Chickadee
House Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
American Crow

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ranger1
Date: 01 May 12 - 05:11 AM

This past weekend, the park I am leaving ans the park I am transferring to held a joint bird-watching festival geared toward families and people who are bird watchers rather than birders. We had around 600 people, mostly families with young children. Sunday, I got to stand with a spotting scope trained on an osprey nest and invite people to look at one of my favorite birds for four hours and get paid for it! I think after this weekend, many of them will return to follow "our" osprey.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Janie
Date: 30 Apr 12 - 10:58 PM

Two species in my yard spotted this weekend that I have not seen before in this particular location.

Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Harrier

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 30 Apr 12 - 09:01 PM

This has been a rather eventful month for birding here in the southern tip of the Arkansas USA Ozarks. First ever sighting for me of the Northern Parula, and visits from the Brown-headed Nuthatch, Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, and Rose Breasted Grosbeaks as well as Collared Doves and White Winged Doves. The Hummingbirds returned last week.

Here is my list for the month.


Bluebird
Blue Jay
Canadian Goose
Brown Thrasher
Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee
Cowbird
Crow
Dove, Eurasian Collared
Dove, Mourning
Dove, White Winged
Finch, House
Finch, Purple
Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed
Goldfinch
Grackle
Grosbeak, Blue
Grosbeak, Rose Breasted
Hummingbird, Ruby Throated
Indigo Bunting
Killdeer
Mockingbird
Northern Parula
Nuthatch, Brown-Headed
Nuthatch, White Breasted
Pine Siskin
Purple Martin
Redwing Blackbird
Robin
Sparrow, Chipping
Sparrow, House
Sparrow, White Crowned
Starling
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Buzzard
Woodpecker, Downy
Woodpecker, Red-Bellied

Subject: BS: Bird Apps
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 02:31 AM

So far, the most interesting applications for "smart" phones and tablets, are bird identification apps. I have a trial version of iBird Pro, and I really like it. There are so many others, and I wonder if anybody has had any experience with them.
Oh - any good wildflower guide apps?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 01:31 AM

I won't make a list, but I have a couple of bird observations.

There is a nest in my back yard, a small pointy-headed bird with a pink/orange beak. Most probably a cardinal. It is a horribly constructed nest in a precarious set of small branches in the vitex in my back yard. The vitex my pit bull patrols under because she is interested in birds. I am going to try to block the space under the tree this year to keep her from killing (by playing with) or eating the fledglings. When she is interested in something she stubbornly goes back again and again . . . you should have seen her hunting lizards last summer. Oy.

On the other hand, I have my best friend's chocolate lab here, we are in our fourth month (she is in rehab after many weeks in the hospital - as a pedestrian she was hit by a car in the parking lot at work). He is getting the idea of what it is that my dogs race to the back of the yard to bark at, but he isn't so interested in the barely-visible spectres they ward off. Today there were four crows in the yard at the back. We never had crows here until last year, and then I only glimpsed them. Now I'm seeing crows instead of many of the songbirds that used to be around the yard. Someone is feeding the birds bread and they bring it to my birdbaths. They're here, but I haven't seen any cardinals (except for the nest) and jays and bluebirds and such. I used to think crows were just wonderful, I helped a friend raise a chick that fell out of the nest many years ago, but here and now, they are a problem. I saw some swarm an owl a couple of weeks ago and I do believe they killed it. The ruckus in the woods was incredible, and after a lot of crow squawks I heard a different bird, the cry was loud but defensive - I think it was the owl.

Anyway, Zeke and I made eye contact, and though I didn't think he'd understand me I pointed and said "get rid of those crows, Zeke!" and off he went at a tear, headed straight for the birds, who flew off when they saw him. I think Zeke knows his role in the yard now, and I am sad to say that my old favorite birds now seem to be harbingers of not-so-great-climate-change to come.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: ragdall
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 12:53 AM

Near the rivers, the eaglets have hatched, Ospreys are nesting, many hundred gulls rest on sandbars. Hundreds of Canada Geese, Trumpeter Swans and assorted ducks have migrated in and staked claim to nesting sites, or moved on in search of better ones. Mountain Bluebirds, American Robins and Varied Thrush are here, Townsend's Solitaires are more plentiful this year than I can ever remember. Dozens of Long-billed Curlew can be seen foraging in the fields again.

My back yard tally for March is 10

House Sparrow
Black-capped Chickadee
Northern Flicker
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
House Finch
American Crow
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Red-winged Blackbird

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: Arkie
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 07:52 PM

I would like to see less of the House Sparrows and Starlings. The Grackles may have moved on. And possibly the Juncos. I did not see any this week. The Goldfinch have been turning yellow and over the past week may have made the transition. The Cowbirds have been hogging my feeders. The big thing for me was the return of the Purple Martins. I love watching them and listening to them. Today it looked like they might be mating. Here is my list for the month. Here in north central Arkansas on the southern edge of the Ozarks. Was excited to see the Brownheaded Nuthatch. Only saw it twice.


Bluebird
Blue Jay
Canadian Goose
Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee
Chipping Sparrow
Cowbird
Crow
Finch, House
Finch, Purple
Goldfinch
Grackle
Junco
Killdeer
Mockingbird
Mourning Dove
Nuthatch, Brown-headed
Nuthatch, White Breasted
Purple Martin
Sparrow, House
Sparrow, White Throated
Redwing Blackbird
Robin
Starling
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Buzzard
Woodpecker, Downy
Woodpecker, Red-Bellied

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: NightWing
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 08:38 PM

January: 13
February: 8
March: 15

January
Canada Goose [Branta canadensis]
Red-tailed Hawk [Buteo jamaicensis]
Eurasian Collared-Dove [Streptopelia decaocto]
Great Horned Owl [Bubo virginianus]
Downy Woodpecker [Picoides pubescens]
Northern Flicker [Colaptes auratus]
Blue Jay [Cyanocitta cristata]
American Crow [Corvus brachyrhynchos]
American Robin [Turdus migratorius]
European Starling [Sturnus vulgaris]
Dark-eyed Junco [Junco hyemalis]
House Finch [Carpodacus mexicanus]
House Sparrow [Passer domesticus]

February
Blue Jay [Cyanocitta cristata]
American Crow [Corvus brachyrhynchos]
Black-capped Chickadee [Poecile atricapillus]
American Robin [Turdus migratorius]
European Starling [Sturnus vulgaris]
House Finch [Carpodacus mexicanus]
American Goldfinch [Spinus tristis]
House Sparrow [Passer domesticus]

March
Canada Goose [Branta canadensis]
Killdeer [Charadrius vociferus]
Ring-billed Gull [Larus delawarensis]
Eurasian Collared-Dove [Streptopelia decaocto]
Mourning Dove [Zenaida macroura]
Great Horned Owl [Bubo virginianus]
Downy Woodpecker [Picoides pubescens]
Northern Flicker [Colaptes auratus]
Blue Jay [Cyanocitta cristata]
American Crow [Corvus brachyrhynchos]
White-breasted Nuthatch [Sitta carolinensis]
American Robin [Turdus migratorius]
European Starling [Sturnus vulgaris]
House Finch [Carpodacus mexicanus]
House Sparrow [Passer domesticus]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Making a total of 19 species for the year at my home near Denver, Colorado, USA.

As of today, 108 species for the year. 84 for the month, including two Lifers for me: the pair of Purple Finch [Carpodacus purpureus] I described a couple of weeks ago and a pair of Black-and-white Warbler [Mniotilta varia]. The latter were not as exciting a sighting as the Purple Finch was because I couldn't see the birds very well. Basically, what I had was two birds acting like Nuthatch, but with bold, black-and-white stripes across head, back, wings, and flanks.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: maeve
Date: 29 Mar 12 - 07:20 PM

Logistics...he'll likely be a young male from last year's clutch, Mary, and has been sent out into the world to make his way. Let him be and he should wander along to seek his fortune in the world of turkeys.

Gnu- Any more Canadian canary sightings? What a surprise, and oh what a miserable canary!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: gnu
Date: 29 Mar 12 - 02:33 PM

"wondering about the logistics of adopting a huge bird."

375F

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Mar 12 - 12:39 PM

A very large and very lost turkey has taken up residence on my lawn. His cries are pathetic - a cross between a croak and a gobble. Poor baby is away from Mom for the first time. Hope his family comes back today to claim him.
SINS, wondering about the logistics of adopting a huge bird.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2012
From: olddude
Date: 28 Mar 12 - 01:20 PM

big flock of turkey today roaming in my yard. They walked through the bushes from the grape vine ... not afraid of anything just pecking my yard. It was wonderful