Birders

[ronmac]

Here in Southwest Florida we have many birds. I really love the Osprey, and the Bald Eagles. Also the red breasted Hawks. It always amazes me how these little mocking birds and sparrows attack these majestic birds of prey in mid air with no fear. They literally go after them in flight and try to chase them out of their air space. It is crazy, they could destroy these little birds in a heartbeat, but these little birds have no fear and defend their space instinctively. Amazing, it cracks me up every time I see this. Has anyone ever seen this?

I see grackles and crows trying to bring down hawks all the time. They are too quick and agile for the steady and graceful hawk.

[Nearfest2]

So Chad what is your favorite bird. Is it a bird of prey, a song bird or a 'pretty bird'???

I love me a Northern Parula....

nopa_1440.jpg

Got me a two lifers this weekend: Brown-headed Nuthatch and American White Pelican

[progmatist]

I see grackles and crows trying to bring down hawks all the time. They are too quick and agile for the steady and graceful hawk.

Grackles have been known to dive-bomb cats and humans who got too close to their nest.

[Jerjo]

I've seen smaller birds go after hawks in my days of working on the family farm. Amazing how they get away with it. I only saw a hawk manage to retaliate once, by going away and then returning from above with a spectacular dive. That bird could carry a grudge.

Grackles are a big nuisance out here: loud and territorial, chasing out songbirds and shitting on every available vehicle outside. I've seen cats that have grown wise to the dive-bomb technique and it ain't pretty.

Last week I saw a pair of golden eagles doing slow circles on the steppes above the Missouri River. The sun was setting and the big birds were breath-taking.

[Nearfest2]

Grackles are assholes. They've nested in our yard in recent years. Once the babies are born, the adults clean out the nests of droppings by eating them and then regurgitating them elsewhere. They cough up little white gelatinous blobs of bird shit... and they're everywhere. One year, they kept leaving them on our driveway. Another year, and this was worse, they left them all over our deck. Nasty.

Last week I saw a pair of golden eagles doing slow circles on the steppes above the Missouri River. The sun was setting and the big birds were breath-taking.

That's awesome.

[ForeverAutumn]

Grackles have been known to dive-bomb cats and humans who got too close to their nest.

We had a Robin's nest on an outdoor light right above a big picture window in our sunroom. My husband was in the sunroom taking photos through the window and Mama Robin dove at him and tried to attack him through the window!

[tdotdo]

We had a Robin's nest on an outdoor light right above a big picture window in our sunroom. My husband was in the sunroom taking photos through the window and Mama Robin dove at him and tried to attack him through the window!

In my previous life as a mailman before I retired, nearly every day one Spring I had a crow that would attack me. He (or she) would wait until I was not facing them before starting the attack. I would have to walk down the street backwards to keep from getting dive-bombed.

[tdotdo]

Broad-billed Hummingbird (1024x768).jpgYellow-eyed Junco (1024x768).jpg


In Tucson in September. Got the first one at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and the other up at Mt. Lemmon where the temperature was 57, a little less than the 90s down in the city.

[HONDO]

tdotdo that is too funny. I can just hear people on that street saying here comes that crazy mailman again. WTF why is he walking backwards again!

[Nearfest2]

Broad-billed Hummingbird (1024x768).jpgYellow-eyed Junco (1024x768).jpg
In Tucson in September. Got the first one at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and the other up at Mt. Lemmon where the temperature was 57, a little less than the 90s down in the city.

Nice finds and great pics!

[Garden Dreamer]

This actually made the local newspaper -- Long Island birders are all excited over the sighting of a rare CORNCRAKE!

Corncrake.jpg

Beautiful feathers!

[Garden Dreamer]

I love the cute little COOTS that overwinter in Long Island lakes...

american_coot-2.jpg

[Nearfest2]

I have friends that made the trip to see the Corncrake. Unfortunately, the next morning it was found dead. It was being seen near a busy road and apparently was hit by a car after dark or prior to sunrise.

[Nearfest2]

Ever see the giant feet on an American Coot?

[Duncan Glenday]

I love the cute little COOTS that overwinter in Long Island lakes...

american_coot-2.jpg

Where I used to live, the red Knobbed Coot was very common. Cool soothing cry, but chaos when it takes off to fly by running across the water, flapping madly until it takes flight.

[Garden Dreamer]

I have friends that made the trip to see the Corncrake. Unfortunately, the next morning it was found dead. It was being seen near a busy road and apparently was hit by a car after dark or prior to sunrise.

Oh shoot, I forgot that detail in the story!! Sad...

[proggy_jazzer]

Saw our first pileated woodpecker ever (6 years) in the back yard this afternoon; very cool bird, and much bigger than I had realized. Hopefully he joins our regulars, the red-bellied and downy as a frequent visitor!

[ForeverAutumn]

Nice! I've only ever had two pileated sightings. The first was about 25 years ago. I had a great view, for about five minutes. Unfortunately, it was before the days of cell phone cameras and I didn't have a camera in my car. The second sighting was last summer about 100 kilometres north of where I live. It was just a glimpse as it flew by. But still very exciting!

[proggy_jazzer]

Nice! I've only ever had two pileated sightings. The first was about 25 years ago. I had a great view, for about five minutes. Unfortunately, it was before the days of cell phone cameras and I didn't have a camera in my car. The second sighting was last summer about 100 kilometres north of where I live. It was just a glimpse as it flew by. But still very exciting!

This was for about 5-10 minutes, as he went from tree to tree 15-20 yards away from our back deck. Had the binoculars out immediately and got a good look, but I know from experience that my phone camera doesn't pick up much from that distance through windows. One thing this thread has made me think about is purchasing a real camera!

[ronmac]

I've heard some interesting calls in our neighborhood lately. But, it's too fucking cold to go looking.

[Nearfest2]

I've heard some interesting calls in our neighborhood lately. But, it's too fucking cold to go looking.

Record them then upload the audio clips here. I'd love to help you figure out what they are.

This was for about 5-10 minutes, as he went from tree to tree 15-20 yards away from our back deck. Had the binoculars out immediately and got a good look, but I know from experience that my phone camera doesn't pick up much from that distance through windows. One thing this thread has made me think about is purchasing a real camera!

I love Pileateds. We see and hear them relatively frequently.
pileated.jpg

[Duncan Glenday]

Record them then upload the audio clips here. I'd love to help you figure out what they are.

...

I love Pileateds. We see and hear them relatively frequently.
pileated.jpg

Wasn't "Woody Woodpecker" supposed to be a pileated.?

(And no, Chad, I'm not uploading an audio clip of Woody! )

[Nearfest2]

Wasn't "Woody Woodpecker" supposed to be a pileated.

Yep!

[ronmac]

Record them then upload the audio clips here. I'd love to help you figure out what they are.

I haven't heard them in a couple of days and I'm not spending much time outside.

[Dave (in MA)]

Wasn't "Woody Woodpecker" supposed to be a pileated.?

(And no, Chad, I'm not uploading an audio clip of Woody! )

ha ha ha ha ha