That's actually a damselfly. Note how the wings fold down along the body.Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
That's actually a damselfly. Note how the wings fold down along the body.
Chad
Thinking a woodpecker species.
I don't know the size, but it looks like a number of owl feathers I've seen online.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Thanks. It was very small so I thought it might not be a dragonfly, but I'm not really up on my insects.
I initially thought so, but what had me wondering were the black legs and feet (which don't really show up in the clip). I don't think I've seen geese that looked like that.
An awesome rarity has been present in eastern Pennsylvania for about a week and a half now. A Swallow-tailed Kite, commonly seen in Florida, has been patrolling the Trexler Nature Preserve northwest of Allentown. I got up there yesterday and witnessed this effortless flyer put on a hell of a show. If you're anywhere nearby, do yourself a favor and go see it. It's spectacular!
Swallow-tailed Kite.jpg
Cool. My brother just saw a bald eagle hovering over the trees in Bethlehem right at Easton Avenue.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
What might have caused our hummingbird feeder that was being emptied every 4-5 days to be totally ignored? Is it because there are so many flowers right now?
That could be part of it, sure. Bees also are prevalent this time of year (go near any trash can at a high school football game) and they love that nectar too.
The liquid isn't going down at all. The "bees" near the trash can in your example are probably yellowjacket wasps.
Sorry. Let me retract the "bees" part - I misunderstood (and yes, yellowjackets).
Bees, wasps and other insects around the feeder will keep the hummingbirds away. They're very sensitive and tiny birds, so a sting from a wasp could be fatal. I'm sure you know to freshen the nectar every few days. If it's gets stale/moldy/contaminated, the birds will stay away too.
The RTHUs are currently fattening themselves up for their long flight south across the Gulf of Mexico. They'll be around for another few weeks at best.
I clean it every 4-5 days, but I'm going to see if maybe I can take the thing apart better and see if it needs cleaning deeper inside. Maybe the plastic "flowers" snap apart and could be dirty.
Like birding too. I know the hobby has a reputation of being pretty much about boring grey old men staring at bushes all day, but there is a lot more to it. I read about bioculars on https://opticzoo.com/canon-10x42l-is-wp-review/ and bought one for my hobby. Now watching birds is easier.
Last edited by summers; 09-01-2019 at 06:53 AM.
Anything that gets people outside looking and listening to something other than a mobile device is a big plus in my book.
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"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Spotted a green heron at Fremont’s Lake Elizabeth. Probably not the best photos you’ll ever see, but at least you can tell what it is:
IMG_20190827_145237~2.jpg
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
I disassembled the thing and found some crud inside, thoroughly cleaned it, broke one of the "flowers" but managed to krazy-glue it back together, made a new batch of nectar by dissolving 1/4 of sugar in a liquid measuring cup with 3/4 water, put it out last night and they drank about an inch of it by the time I checked around noon.
Wow! That's awesome. Good work by you!
There is a lake in Raleigh we always walk around the Friday before Progday after breakfast. My oldest daughter went to NC State Vet School and her apartment backed up to it. There was a hummingbird next to me on a bunch of red flowers but I couldn't get my phone out of the case fast enough to get a picture. I did get a picture of what I think is a white egret but it is too far away to be any good. There must have been well over 100 painted turtles or sliders on logs and in the water.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!
Surely a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Depending on size, the egret was either a Great Egret (tall with long yellow bill and all black legs), a Snowy Egret (shorter with black bill, yellow lores, and black legs with yellow feet) or a Cattle Egret (similar in size to a Snowy, but with a yellow-orange wash on the chest,, wings, and crest and orange-to-gray legs).
I saw a whole group of them yesterday as I was headed to work, but they were in the river this time instead of the road. Based on online image searches of geese and swans with that coloration, I'm guessing they're young adult swans.
My local WBU store posted this on their Facebook page. I thought I'd share it here, for those who have bird feeders.
AVIAN POX
____________
Several birding sites have reported possible sightings of birds that seem to be infected with Avian Pox. This is a highly contagious bird virus that can be spread through biting insects, direct bird to bird contact, or by indirect contact with contaminated surfaces.
A bird with Avian Pox will develop warty like growths on areas that are featherless, especially around the beak and eyes. These tumors, if large enough, can affect the birds vision and ability to eat, making them susceptible to predation. As the name suggests, this virus can not be transferred to humans or other mammals.
What can be done to inhibit the spreading of this virus???
As always, practicing diligent feeder hygiene is essential!!!
Clean and disinfect feeders regularly using a dilute solution of household bleach and water. Vinegar also works as a optimal cleaning solution. Rinse well and allow to dry completely before filling.
Discard any seed that shows signs of mildew or mold. It is a good practice to always have fresh and clean food to fill your feeders.
Clean up beneath your feeding station often or use clean food such as our NoMess Blend seed that is 100% edible because it has no shells.
Empty, clean and disinfect Birdbaths and provide fresh drinking water daily.
Continue to enjoy feeding your feathered friends in your yard worry free by maintaining cleanliness at your feeding stations. The birds will thank you!!!
Finally coaxed a blue jay to land on my hand properly (if briefly!) today. Video here:
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi8nOX...PzeVU?e=evCI26
He did it four times in total, I only managed to film it twice. He was super quick each time, so I had to do a frame by frame to get a good shot of him actually landed on my hand. Boy, you really feel them too.
jay3.jpg
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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^^ That's pretty impressive.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
NICE! Congrats.Finally coaxed a blue jay to land on my hand properly (if briefly!) today. Video here:
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmP_f33sfVbi8nOX...PzeVU?e=evCI26
He did it four times in total, I only managed to film it twice. He was super quick each time, so I had to do a frame by frame to get a good shot of him actually landed on my hand. Boy, you really feel them too.
jay3.jpg
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