Birders

[fiberman]

My wife and I saw a bunch of these in Belmar NJ today, A first for us. It is a Brant goose and they were hanging out with the Canadian geese that are everywhere, very cool bird and very exciting to see. It took me awhile to ID it at home now in PA. This picture is from the Cornell Lab website, I believe it is rare around this area. Really bad weather forecast for tomorrow or I would go back and get my own picture. Wow! we were pretty excited but could not take the time to stop, bummer!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/...691-1900px.jpg

[ForeverAutumn]

My wife and I saw a bunch of these in Belmar NJ today, A first for us. It is a Brant goose and they were hanging out with the Canadian geese that are everywhere, very cool bird and very exciting to see. It took me awhile to ID it at home now in PA. This picture is from the Cornell Lab website, I believe it is rare around this area. Really bad weather forecast for tomorrow or I would go back and get my own picture. Wow! we were pretty excited but could not take the time to stop, bummer!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/...691-1900px.jpg

Cool looking bird. And BTW, it's Canada geese, not Canadian geese.

[Duncan Glenday]

Cool looking bird. And BTW, it's Canada geese, not Canadian geese.

Yep. Everyone gets that wrong. Understandable though, I suppose...

[progmatist]

Cool looking bird. And BTW, it's Canada geese, not Canadian geese.

But then, it was Canada geese which "FODed" out the engines, forcing Sully to land in the Hudson River. "FOD" is the military term for F.oreign O.bject D.amage. Any foreign object which gets sucked into, and rips apart a jet engine. In the Navy, we conducted many FOD Walkdowns on the carrier flight deck, and land base runways.

[ForeverAutumn]

Yep. Everyone gets that wrong. Understandable though, I suppose...

Even my mother calls them Canadian geese. LOL!

[Dave (in MA)]

In Canada, they should be known as "Geese".

[ForeverAutumn]

Spotted my first Dark-eyed Junco of the season just now. Like Robins signify spring, Dark-eyed Juncos signify winter here. The snow won't be far behind.

[ronmac]

Up until a few days ago, the bluebirds had been furiously flying back and forth around a bird house outside my office window. I counted at least four of them. Now the activity appears to be gone, so I assumed they were getting ready for vacation and have since migrated south.

On a related note, I finally bought another bag of bird seed at the local COSTCO. It's been a couple of months since I put seed out, because of the virus that had affected them. It's nice to see the activity back, but I have to admit, it was also nice to see fewer chipmunks before. And the price for a 40-lb bag of good seed went from $13 to $20. Still a great deal.

[Duncan Glenday]

Up until a few days ago, the bluebirds had been furiously flying back and forth around a bird house outside my office window. I counted at least four of them. Now the activity appears to be gone, so I assumed they were getting ready for vacation and have since migrated south.

On a related note, I finally bought another bag of bird seed at the local COSTCO. It's been a couple of months since I put seed out, because of the virus that had affected them. It's nice to see the activity back, but I have to admit, it was also nice to see fewer chipmunks before. And the price for a 40-lb bag of good seed went from $13 to $20. Still a great deal.

I put up a bluebird house. They don't seem to care for it - it's been unoccupied for the 3 months since I put it out.

Picky little buggers. Perhaps they want me to remodel the kitchen or something..?

[Nearfest2]

Bluebirds can take some time to move in. We have had one for a few years and no bluebirds, even though we have them in the neighborhood. However, House Wrens have no problem taking over.

I spotted our first junco of the year in the yard yesterday. Winter in coming.

[ronmac]

Yeah, I have a bluebird house in my garden that only had them in it once. The problem is that, in this area, they tend to arrive late. So, other birds take up residence before they get a chance. So, what I try to remember to do is leave the birdhouse's hinged front panel open so no birds move in right away. Then I close it later into the Spring in the hopes that a bluebird finds it.

The birdhouse hanging in front of my house has had them for a couple of years now. That house was previously for other birds, but the little landing post that sticks out the front broke off and the bluebirds (who don't use those posts) found it.

I also have two ten-foot tree stumps that they've found and made homes in.

I NEVER saw bluebirds in my life until one buzzed past me several years ago at a local park. Now, I see them all the time and it's a true joy.

[progmatist]

On a related note, I finally bought another bag of bird seed at the local COSTCO. It's been a couple of months since I put seed out, because of the virus that had affected them. It's nice to see the activity back, but I have to admit, it was also nice to see fewer chipmunks before. And the price for a 40-lb bag of good seed went from $13 to $20. Still a great deal.

With my Dad's declining health, I've helped him move many bags of seed from Costco.

[ForeverAutumn]

Not quite bird-related, but they fly. Does anyone have any experience with bat houses? Hubby and I were talking about putting one or two up next spring.

[ForeverAutumn]

Perhaps they want me to remodel the kitchen or something..?

Hey, it would work for me.

[Dave (in MA)]

Not quite bird-related, but they fly. Does anyone have any experience with bat houses? Hubby and I were talking about putting one or two up next spring.

I put up a bat house on a tree next to the driveway. Bats took up residence behind the shutters across from the tree. The only thing I ever saw living in the bat house were wasps.

YMMV

[ronmac]

Not quite bird-related, but they fly. Does anyone have any experience with bat houses? Hubby and I were talking about putting one or two up next spring.

We put one up ten years ago. Nothing. And we have bats all around.

[markwoll]

Bat houses are very location sensitive. I've had one up for years, no bats. Did a 'by the book' install.
They live around my neighborhood, but my yard lacks some 'Je ne sais quoi' for bats.

You do not want them in your attic though. As a protected species it can be very expensive to exclude and remediate their presence.

[ForeverAutumn]

You do not want them in your attic though. As a protected species it can be very expensive to exclude and remediate their presence.

I don't want anything living in my attic. We know when the mice have moved in because our cat jumps up on our dresser and stares at the ceiling for hours!

It doesn't sound like anyone here has had much success with bat houses. Maybe I should do some research first and see if I can find anyone local who can give us some advice. Thanks for the responses.

[Dave (in MA)]

This article seems to discourage mounting them on trees (like I did).
https://www.merlintuttle.org/2020/09...es-in-america/
Maybe mounting them on a pole makes them feel less threatened by potential predators.

[ronmac]

I mounted mine on a 12-foot post.

Nothing.

[Nearfest2]

I put up a bat house about two years ago... 9' up on a tree, facing southeast, just like the instructions said. No bats yet. They can take a few years before they take residence.

[Garden Dreamer]

Coots showing up in the ponds of Long Island are a good indicator of winter approaching.

[ronmac]

I put up a bat house about two years ago... 9' up on a tree, facing southeast, just like the instructions said. No bats yet. They can take a few years before they take residence.

Mine also faces southeast. More than ten years and zilch.

Re: the bluebirds, they are actually still here in cold Western PA.

[ronmac]

Coots showing up in the ponds of Long Island are a good indicator of winter approaching.

Coots showing up in Florida, too. Different kind of coots, though.

[progmatist]

Here in the Phoenix area (and no doubt South Florida), old coots showing up, driving 35 in a 55MPH zone is an indicator of winter approaching.