BS: Birdwatching Challenge

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 12:38 PM

Wow, 200 posts.

(If this thread was a sitcom, it'd be time for a cheesy "Best of" clip-show.)

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 01:08 PM

Windsinger, does the sparrow with the head stripes also have a little white bib under its beak and look like this:

White Throated Sparrow

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 01:22 PM

Sort of, but without the yellow eye-patches, I think.

(Yeah, I initially thought it might be a white-throated as well.)

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 03:48 PM

Then what about the white-crowned sparrow?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 04:01 PM

Thought about those guys too.

What I'll try -- if I can get the squirrels to stop harrassing the feaders and driving them away -- is to get close enough tomorrow to do a sketch. Or possibly take a picture.

The basic problem with ID'ing little brown striped birds....is that they're all little, brown and striped. :)

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: maeve
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 04:55 PM

February list from Whitefield, Maine
15 species

Black-capped chickadees
American robins
Crows
Ravens
American goldfinch
Downy woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Piliated woodpecker
Great horned owl
Brown creepers
Redpolls
Turkeys
Herring gulls
Red breasted nuthatches
Common nuthatch
(Along with bobcat tracks, a winter weasel, and fox tracks.)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Arkie
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 11:07 PM

Windsinger, you need to be fairly close to see the yellow patches or use binoculars.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Arkie
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 11:10 PM

Also the white-throated sparrows here in Arkansas do not have the pronounced white on their heads during some winter months.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 12:57 AM

Bit late but I can add the following to the list for February:

-Stellars jay
-Anna's hummingbird
-Red shafted flicker
- Western screech owl

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 07:48 AM

OK, this morning's first feeding shift just ended.

The seed-stations are pretty close to our sliding glass door, and the customers are used to me, so I was able to get pretty close. Not close enough to see any yellow eye-patches; but enough to see that some of the stripe-headed sparrows have white bibs, and some do not, or at least not a very pronounced one.

So if the "bibs" are white-throated, the "no-bibs" must be either white-crowned, swamp, or song sparrows. (Swamp is definitely possible, there are wetlands around here.)

There'll probably be one more shift before I go to work. Will try to get another squint before I post my 2006 list.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 10:51 AM

Heh. :) Sussed it; at least two of the stripehead/no-bibs are song sparrows.

The rest of the stripeheads have bibs, and are likely white-throated sparrows.

So here's my list for 2006:

-Black-capped chickadee
-Bluejay
-Canada goose
-Cardinal, male & female
-Common crow
-Dark-eyed junco
-Downy woodpecker, male & female
-Gull (indeterminate species, there's a lot around here)
-House sparrow
-Mourning dove
-Red-bellied woodpecker
-Red-tailed hawk
-Song sparrow
-Starling
-Tree sparrow
-Tufted titmice
-White-breasted nuthatch
-White-throated sparrow

SWISH! :) Not bad for suburban NJ, and a hailing shout from NYC!

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST,DAzbo
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 11:09 AM

Well so far this year:

Wren
Magpie
Pigeon
Collared Dove
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
House Sparrow
Blackbird

(Yorkshire, England)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 01:53 PM

I like squirrels. Always have. I find the continual rabid attacks upon their reputation by bird enthusiasts to be unwarranted. Squirrels are clever and cute. They are entertaining. You can fish for squirrels with a peanut tied (harmlessly, no hook) to the end of a fishing line, and reel them in. You can't do that with birds. Squirrels don't shit on the roof of your car. Squirrels don't yell outside your window at 5:00 AM. Do a good deed today, and feed your local squirrels, I say.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 02:27 PM

Ah yes, but birds don't chew holes in your soffits, climb down into your walls, chew on wiring and plaster, sh*t in your attic, die and stink in the walls, and dig up plants in your garden trying to remember where they buried those pecans last fall.

They do, however, play an important roll in the food chain. I wouldn't see nearly as many birds of prey if it weren't for the little baby squirrels.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 02:51 PM

Funny you should mention "rabid" ... ;P

Janie, I'm with you on this one. We have a terrible squirrel-infestation in this neighborhood; they have been unbelievably destructive to our eaves, outside wires and attic.

At one point my bf's ditzy ex was actually setting out peanut trays for them. Instead of just being grateful, they started storming the house to find the source of the food -- initially just slipping in through open doors and windows, then chewing their way inside once those portals were better guarded.

This doesn't even touch upon the mornings when I'm trying to relax and enjoy the birds' antics -- and the squirrels start screwing their way from one end of our yard to the other.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 02:59 PM

(grrrr....Cookie Monster strikes again.)

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 03:05 PM

Ha! People who hate squirrels are the only people subject to these woes. You know why? Bad karma. Hatred attracts to itself that which it focuses most strongly upon and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I love squirrels, and it has always resulted in mutually friendly relations with them and no damage to anything whatsoever. Even had one as a pet for a few years. He lived IN the house, and was one of the few pets we have ever had that damaged absolutely nothing.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 03:54 PM

Another good thread f*cked.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 04:30 PM

Okay, fine. I will stop defending squirrels, and you lot can stop attacking them, and let's get on with the birds then. What I have seen today was crows. Several. There is a large colony of them somewhere back in the woods, I think, because they can be seen (and heard) on any given day around here.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 04:34 PM

Crows eat baby squirrels. Big hawks and little hawks eat baby squirrels. No wonder Little Hawk likes squirrels.

RAPPPPTORRRRR--Go get your brother...supper's ready.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Ferrara
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 07:06 PM

LittleHawk, I like squirrels too, but ... they are wild and mostly don't make good pets unless they are raised from a pup so's to speak.

My mom fed them, and we had a female black squirrel who would come into the pantry and get nuts for her young when we didn't give her any. Also most of the squirrels in the neighborhood would eat out of our hand. Still, Mom said NOT to reach toward them or get too friendly, because she still had the scar where a "friendly" squirrel bit all the way through her thumb when she was a kid.

We had a friend who was a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She and her husband got so much pleasure from watching the antics of baby squirrels. They are smart (too smart!) and very playful. I remember laughing myself silly at a squirrel in our yard once. It would climb a small tree, run out on a long, low limb, bounce on the limb until it was bounced off, then run back to repeat the process.

We find that putting a 12 inch square sample of aluminum siding between the hanger (a chain) and the top of the bird feeder defeats the little thieves. Their weight makes it tip them to the ground. They slide right off. They chewed through a couple of feeders before we thought of this though.

Rita Ferrara

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 07:59 PM

Yeah, Rita, the one we had as a pet was raised from a tiny infant and had to be fed from an eyedropper, so he grew up accustomed to human company. He was great. He lived with us for three years, but vanished on one of his frequent trips outside. Maybe a predator got him...or a car.

I saw an odd thing once...gang warfare among squirrels. It had to be a territorial fight, but instead of the usual 2 combatants it involved about 8 squirrels fighting in the backyard, rolling and jumping all over the place. Bizarre. What a ruckus.

Here's a puzzle for Raptor. I noticed a brand new hole that had been gnawed or pecked in the side of a cedar tree out back. It was about 3 1/2 feet above the ground, sort of a rectangular area half the size of your palm, dug in about an inch and a half deep in the side of a fresh cedar trunk.   What the heck would do that, and why? That tree is too fresh to have bugs living in the bark or anything like that, and the hole looked too ambitious for a woodpecker, not big enough for a beaver. Would a porcupine do it?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 08:49 PM

Pileated woodpecker!

Now go make a squirrel thread and leave us alone!

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: ragdall
Date: 04 Mar 06 - 07:59 AM

I didn't see many birds in February, here in North Central British Columbia.

Dark eyed Juncos
Black-Capped Chickadees
Crows

---

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 04 Mar 06 - 08:48 AM

I have a feeling one of the Little Brown Birds I've been mistaking for a sparrow all along, is actually a Carolina wren. Hope he comes by again today, so I can get a closer squint.

Fluffy the red-tailed hawk certainly paid another visit, about an hour ago. Dove for the camera, but he didn't stay long enough.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Mar 06 - 09:29 AM

Windsinger, look for a strong black eye strip, a very long, thin bill compared to a sparrow, and a perky tail that the bird tends to hold high. All typical of Carolina wrens.

Every winter, the song sparrows and white throated sparrows seem to flock together here (suburb of Washington, DC). One spring there was a big fight for use of our ornamental yew for nesting. The song sparrows won, and since then the white throats have moved on north when nesting season arrives. The song sparrows stay and sometimes we see the babies in the yard.

We used to have house wrens too, but the Carolina wrens drove them away.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 04 Mar 06 - 09:50 AM

look for a strong black eye strip

The same visitor did come by shortly after last post, but he has a strong white eye strip.



(He, incidentally, was the clever little hoaxster who played dead in front of Fluffy on his first visit.)

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: maeve
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 08:03 AM

Carolina wren it is! Nice photo, as well.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 08:15 AM

Wish I could claim credit for it. :)

Now I'm being tackled by grackles.

Ack. Well, one more for the list.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:09 PM

Thanks, Raptor. Now why would a pileated woodpecker make such a deep hole in the side of a cedar trunk? What was he after?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 10:11 PM

A nest hole.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 10:36 PM

Oh, I see. Well, I'll have to watch and see if he continues with it. It's not big enough yet to make a nest, and it's too close to the ground for safety, I think. Perhaps this particular woodpecker was drunk or maybe he was just practicing. If I was him I would have picked a bigger tree and gone higher up.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 10:37 PM

Not being a "song-bird" the hummer is not a protected species.

Their tongues make for a delightful spoonful - saute in butter with fresh fennel leaf and a small bit of minced clove of garlic.

Mouse traps baited with honey work well; however, clean before rigor-mortise sets in. The best for the cullenary arts is to capture them alive and then wring the neck (like a chicken.) Women's hair-nets placed slightly above a feeder-jar work exceedingly well....before night fall....up to a dozen may be secured.

Since they migratory your current supply will last for up to six weeks this spring.

Also, since they are migratory, (if you have the slightest reservation regarding this delicacy of emperors) recognize that you are performing a service to world-health since the little critters might later carry an out-break of influenza.

Eat and enjoy with good conscience.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 10:44 PM

I have a delightful collective file of small-bird recipes from the French and the Italians....everything from thrush, to squab.

If requested, I consult GASTROMONEQUE and quickly post some suggested combinations, before the season has passed. (Realize that the flavor of the bird is based upon their diet - early spring is best.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Ferrara
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 09:48 AM

Yeah, my dad tells me about seeing young men going out to shoot songbirds for food when he was a kid in Italy (before 1920). The idea was quite repulsive to him -- he liked songbirds for their songs.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 10:21 AM

This may not be the best time to mention that there was a dovecote on my grandfather's farm (Grandma had a taste for squab.)

:/

Any bird-on-a-plate that's smaller than a Cornish hen seems a little creepy to me.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 07 Mar 06 - 12:32 PM

AGAIN with the inundation of grackles this morning.

What gives?

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 08 Mar 06 - 08:59 AM

The male cardinals are starting to feud with one another in pursuit of sweethearts. The male wrens are building nests any and everywhere.

Did see a bluebird, otherwise no new species. The blubirds are supposed to be here year-round, but I never see them in winter. We are not on a major flyway and generally do not get to see many birds in transit. A few years ago I saw a large flock of cedar waxwings feeding in a big-you guessed it--cedar tree. It is the only time I've ever seen them.

SRS--have you told your fellas they are not bird dogs?

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 09 Mar 06 - 10:52 AM

Ugh.

I mean, UGH.

Now that the avian property values have started to plummet in this neighborhood (read: the grackles and starlings and red-winged blackbirds have moved in) ...as of this morning, we have our first brown-headed cowbird.

For the sake of their hatchlings, I hope the smaller songbirds have nested good and friggin' far away.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Bobert
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 07:58 PM

Okay, just for my own accounting, before today:

Titmouse
Cickodee
Gold finch
House finch
Red bellied woodpecker
Downy woodpecker
Peliated woodpecker
wren
Interupted sparrow
Junko
Cardinal
Blue Jay
Crow
Buzzard
Red tailed hawk
dove
stray chicken that escaped from chicken house
_____________________________________________

Total : 17

Today:

Bluebird
Robins (lots)
...and a malard and a drake who landed in our pond this afternoon and may stick around
______________________________________________

New total: 20

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 08:44 AM

20 here too, Bob. :)


Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Ferrara
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 11:44 PM

Me too. Crows and a hermit thrush added in February.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 06 - 11:12 PM

Four and Twenty Black Birds baked in a pie?

Eat them before they eat you.

What better way to help prevent West Nile, and Avian Bird Flu?

To Gargoyle's suggestion - I say - aye - aye!

Please post a couple recipes, any bird except the Robin, I love the little robin's red breast.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 08:55 AM

Adding Song Sparrow. 1st time I've noticed one in my yard. Total of 22 species.

Lots of bluebirds are around now.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: bfdk
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 09:27 AM

Adding a couple of new species to my list:

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) - flock of 7 or 8, a rarity around here, and I was happy I even managed to get a few photos before they took off again.
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - just flying by high up, but there's no mistaking those ;-)

4 + the 14 already listed, total = 18.

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: number 6
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 10:00 PM

Blue bird ... saw one out in the backyard this morning.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Windsinger
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 10:08 PM

The local robins must have been holding out for the Big Dramatic Entrance.

Started showing up all over the place the first day of Spring.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 21 Mar 06 - 12:00 PM

Just a bit of thread drift--I finally rented and watched "Winged Migration" last night. While not particularly informative--it was visually awesome.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 06 - 02:03 PM

"Winged Migration" ... It was visually awesome Janie. I certainly enjoyed it.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Mar 06 - 08:04 PM

Phoebe's

New Total: 21 species

Bobert