Birders

[Yves]

The Peregrine Falcon is definitely making a home for itself in urban settings. We have a family that lives beneath an underpass near my house. I've had a chance to photograph them, and will hear and spot them chasing pigeons over my yard.

[Duncan Glenday]

After NEARfest ended, I had a lot of free time. It took two years to find a new "hobby", but in 2014 I became a birder. I've learned a lot in three short years. I've also equipped myself with a nice camera and zoom lens, good binoculars, a spotting scope, waterproof boots and other accessories. I've even enrolled in an intensive online ornithology course at Cornell Lab.

I used to be HEAVILY into birding when I lived in Africa. There's far more variety there, and a far greater abundance, which made it more fun.

But in the last 20 years I've main;y been a backyard birder.

I have about half a dozen books, and I record my sightings in one of them.

So, it's not "bird watcher" anymore it's "birder"?

Yes.

Canada Geese, not Canadian Geese.

A common misnomer! "Canada geese" is correct.

Because of the OTHER kind of birds in Britain, the watchers are called HORNYoligists....

LOL

(For the Americans - in the UK, "birds" is often used where Americans use the word "chicks", to describe women.)

[Duncan Glenday]

Question for Chad:

What's this? (I took the pic on a hike 2 weeks ago.)

A sharp-Shinned Hawk, or a Cooper's?

[Nearfest2]

Question for Chad:

What's this? (I took the pic on a hike 2 weeks ago.)

A sharp-Shinned Hawk, or a Cooper's?

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk. Rounded tail, white terminal band on tail, large head (as compared to SSHA). Adult would have rufous streaks on the chest and a dark cap on the head.

Great shot!

[Duncan Glenday]

That's because the Robin is generally accepted to be the British Robin, much like the "OPEN" in golf.

There is the American Robin and the European Robin. The AMRO is named after the EURO due to the orange breast, but they are not related birds. AMRO is a thrush and EURO is an Old World flycatcher. They are each commonly called just "robin" by the local population. Additionally, outside of vagrants, their territories do not overlap, so there is little need to qualify which type of robin it is, unless you are reporting your sightings to an organization like Cornell Lab (i.e. eBird, etc.).

The American robin is larger and can carry a coconut easier that a European robin or European swallow...

The American "Robin" is actually a kind of thrush, AFAIK. I haven't researched this - but it has the look, size, and "jizz" of a thrush.

The only thing they have in common with the English Robin is a red(ish) chest and blue eggs.

(No, not that kind of "jizz"! Is the word "jizz" used in American birding, to describe overall attitude and appearance? It is used in the UK.)

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk. Rounded tail, white terminal band on tail, large head (as compared to SSHA). Adult would have rufous streaks on the chest and a dark cap on the head.

Great shot!

Many thanks!

[Duncan Glenday]

The American "Robin" is actually a kind of thrush, AFAIK. I haven't researched this - but it has the look, size, and "jizz" of a thrush.

The only thing they have in common with the English Robin is a red(ish) chest and blue eggs.

Yep - 45 seconds on Google confirms what I always suspected - the American Robin is a kind of thrush.

[Yves]

You really captured it Duncan! Superb photo!

[Rune Blackwings]

There's a kind of thrush...all over the world tonight...


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[Mister Triscuits]

There's a kind of thrush...all over the world tonight...

[Dave (in MA)]

Dammit Rune, I was going to make that joke.

[Dave (in MA)]

We get a lot of pigeons nesting inside the parking garage at work, up on top of the beams near the ceiling. There have been hawks spotted flying into the garage and flying away with fresh squab for their luncheon.

[Jefferson James]

Likely the coolest bird-related thing I ever saw was when I lived near the Sepulveda Dam Basin, basically a series of interconnected swamps serving as flood control. There was an astounding array of bird life centered there.

It was a rainy day (like today) and as I was taking the trash through the backyard (I forget her name), there on the concrete before me was a red-tailed hawk tearing the chest out of a mourning dove. The hawk immediately flew away without the dove, which was a big, big bummer to me. A huge waste of precious energy for the hawk, you know?

As for the unfortunate dove, I cupped her body in my hands and tossed her skyward, releasing her into the trash can.

One time while backpacking I saw a rattlesnake, stopped to watch it, and it began regurgitating what turned out to be a heavily saliva-coated mouse. I guess my presence threatened her (the rattler, not the mouse) and I hoped she'd re-eat the tasty, partially-digested protein sludge. How hard does a rattlesnake have to work to catch a mouse?

[Nearfest2]

the American Robin is a kind of thrush.

You doubted me?

Is the word "jizz" used in American birding, to describe overall attitude and appearance? It is used in the UK.

No. It pretty much only has the sexual connotation.

[Duncan Glenday]

No. It pretty much only has the sexual connotation.

Pity ... it's a bad word with a valuable meaning in birding. It's speaks to a loosely defined combination of behavior, attitude, stance, etc. It can be helpful when trying to separate LBJs.

Is that a birding word here? LBJ means "little brown job" ... i.e. the passerines etc.

[Nearfest2]

Pity ... it's a bad word with a valuable meaning in birding. It's speaks to a loosely defined combination of behavior, attitude, stance, etc. It can be helpful when trying to separate LBJs.

Is that a birding word here? LBJ means "little brown job" ... i.e. the passerines etc.

Nope. LBJ was an American President.

We usually just call out what family the bird looks like and maybe a color. "It's acting like a flycatcher." or "I saw a flash of yellow."

[Mister Triscuits]

Disagree, I've often heard nondescript birds called LBJs here. In fact I always assumed it was a specifically American term because of the joke on the presidential initials.

[Nearfest2]

Fair enough. I've never heard it used in my area.

[ronmac]

Fair enough. I've never heard it used in my area.

Me, neither. To me, LBJ was the prez.

[Socrates]

Me, neither. To me, LBJ was the prez.

I first heard it from a Canadian but I think it is also used in the UK.

[Progbear]

Fair enough. I've never heard it used in my area.

Out on the West Coast, we use LBB (Little Brown Bird).

[notallwhowander]

Out on the West Coast, we use LBB (Little Brown Bird).

I'm in California, and this is what I've heard too.

[Vic2012]

20170323_082129.jpg

Not sure what species of water fowl this. I was in some Podunk town called La Belle, FL yesterday and saw this little guy.

[Yves]

I believe that is an egret, but I'll let the experts confirm it.

[Mister Triscuits]

Specifically, a cattle egret.

[Nearfest2]

Took this today. Red-tailed Hawk, looked up from eating a raccoon.
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