Author Topic: Birding, how to get started?  (Read 41041 times)

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #100 on: July 05, 2019, 10:02:44 PM »
I went to mammoth cave in Kentucky for vacation this past week.  I added a lot of new birds to my list.  I used the Merlin app on my phone to identify all of them.

All new additions to my list:

Indigo bunting
Summer tanager (yellow female and red male pair)
Eastern bluebird
Belted kingfisher
Prothonotary warbler
Eastern meadowlark
Northern mockingbird
Carolina wren
Eastern Phoebe
Wood Thrush
Louisiana waterthrush
Song sparrow
Wood duck

This brings my 2019 total up to 41 species.

Good list!  I just visited Mammoth Cave a couple years ago for the first time.  Lots of waterthrushes!

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #101 on: July 09, 2019, 06:29:06 PM »
A great blue heron I think, first I've seen in salt water though

BikeFanatic

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #102 on: July 09, 2019, 07:11:11 PM »
I LikeLesliethebird nerd on youtube,shorteducationalvideos of birds in Newfoundland.

check it out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTL9QGcPsK0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCbh0nfPdig

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #103 on: July 15, 2019, 11:23:54 AM »
Went on a trip to Florida. Here are some photos that I got using my phone.

The osprey was sunning itself and talking to another osprey sitting on the mast of a boat. It was so confused when I used the merlin app to verify the bird call.

My sisters house had a small pond behind where I saw this great egret.


wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #104 on: July 15, 2019, 11:27:36 AM »
I love when this thread updates.  I enjoy other bird-watchers' enjoyment.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #105 on: July 15, 2019, 11:33:54 AM »
I love when this thread updates.  I enjoy other bird-watchers' enjoyment.

I've not been posting lately, but I enjoy the others posting.

My birds are the common one. Every walk I take, I hear birds and think @wenchsenior or @Parizade would be able to tell me what those birds are. Long way to go for me, baby steps ....

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #106 on: July 15, 2019, 11:35:08 AM »
Some more from that trip. A brown pelican. I am surprised I got that from my phone.

Sat for lunch at on the terrace and when the table next to me left, this sea gull tried to get the left overs :-)

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #107 on: July 15, 2019, 11:38:26 AM »
A muscovy duck!


wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #108 on: July 15, 2019, 11:38:50 AM »
Some more from that trip. A brown pelican. I am surprised I got that from my phone.

Sat for lunch at on the terrace and when the table next to me left, this sea gull tried to get the left overs :-)

Laughing gull.  One of the few I find easy to id.  DH and I always joke about how we check out when surrounded by gull species (which is rare b/c we don't live near water) b/c there are so many species, we don't have a lot of time to sit and practice with them, and they have several age-plumages, too.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #109 on: July 15, 2019, 11:46:37 AM »
Some more from that trip. A brown pelican. I am surprised I got that from my phone.

Sat for lunch at on the terrace and when the table next to me left, this sea gull tried to get the left overs :-)

Laughing gull.  One of the few I find easy to id.  DH and I always joke about how we check out when surrounded by gull species (which is rare b/c we don't live near water) b/c there are so many species, we don't have a lot of time to sit and practice with them, and they have several age-plumages, too.

Did not know that there are many species of gull! Thank you.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #110 on: July 15, 2019, 11:49:23 AM »
Great Blue Heron enjoying breakfast.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #111 on: July 15, 2019, 11:50:09 AM »
Those are some fine action shots @CowboyAndIndian, amazing you could get them with a phone. Good job!

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #112 on: July 15, 2019, 11:51:38 AM »
Those are some fine action shots @CowboyAndIndian, amazing you could get them with a phone. Good job!

Thank you. As usual, I forgot to pack binoculars or a better camera. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #113 on: July 15, 2019, 11:53:26 AM »
Last one, one I could not identify. Merlin cannot find out what it is. Again, in St Petersburg, FL, right next to water.
The photo is quite poor and the details are not clear, the damn bird would not sit still and pose ;-).

Any ideas?



« Last Edit: July 15, 2019, 11:57:20 AM by CowboyAndIndian »

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #114 on: July 15, 2019, 12:43:49 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #115 on: July 15, 2019, 01:14:36 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

Yes, or a mockingbird.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #116 on: July 15, 2019, 01:38:51 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

Yes, or a mockingbird.

I have common grackles in NJ and it did not look like those.

Going thru Merlin, I see it could be a mockingbird.

Let me try reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird and see what they say.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #117 on: July 15, 2019, 02:00:49 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

Yes, or a mockingbird.

I have common grackles in NJ and it did not look like those.

Going thru Merlin, I see it could be a mockingbird.

Let me try reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird and see what they say.

I was looking at the tail all flared out and thinking Boat-tailed grackle but you would have seen the same iridescence you see in the common grackles of NJ

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #118 on: July 15, 2019, 02:15:54 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

Yes, or a mockingbird.

I have common grackles in NJ and it did not look like those.

Going thru Merlin, I see it could be a mockingbird.

Let me try reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird and see what they say.

I was looking at the tail all flared out and thinking Boat-tailed grackle but you would have seen the same iridescence you see in the common grackles of NJ

Mockingbirds tend to flick their tails up and also flare their wings pretty frequently. If you saw any white on the wings or tail (outer feathers), that would indicate a mockingbird.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #119 on: July 15, 2019, 02:35:44 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

Yes, or a mockingbird.

I have common grackles in NJ and it did not look like those.

Going thru Merlin, I see it could be a mockingbird.

Let me try reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird and see what they say.

I was looking at the tail all flared out and thinking Boat-tailed grackle but you would have seen the same iridescence you see in the common grackles of NJ

Mockingbirds tend to flick their tails up and also flare their wings pretty frequently. If you saw any white on the wings or tail (outer feathers), that would indicate a mockingbird.

My observation skills are poor. Don't remember any iridescence or white on wings or tail.

Sorry....

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #120 on: July 15, 2019, 06:17:49 PM »
Here is an Eastern Phoebe. The photo was taken by my friend G. Hegde, who is a phenomenal photographer, but unfortunately not into birding.


Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #121 on: July 15, 2019, 06:22:49 PM »
It's hard to say from that photo @CowboyAndIndian, my guess would be a grackle of some kind.

Yes, or a mockingbird.

I have common grackles in NJ and it did not look like those.

Going thru Merlin, I see it could be a mockingbird.

Let me try reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird and see what they say.

I was looking at the tail all flared out and thinking Boat-tailed grackle but you would have seen the same iridescence you see in the common grackles of NJ

Mockingbirds tend to flick their tails up and also flare their wings pretty frequently. If you saw any white on the wings or tail (outer feathers), that would indicate a mockingbird.

My observation skills are poor. Don't remember any iridescence or white on wings or tail.

Sorry....
If you enlarge the photo there appears to be some white on the underbelly and under the tail, but it's hard to tell if that's just a trick of light.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #122 on: July 19, 2019, 02:42:42 PM »
I broke down and got myself a cheap telephoto lens for my Sony Alpha 6000. 55-200 (82-310 for 35mm) 4.5-6.3 .

Photo of a cardinal taken thru the window and screen, so not of the highest clarity.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 02:58:22 PM by CowboyAndIndian »

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #123 on: July 19, 2019, 02:48:06 PM »
Some questions for the bird knowledgeable.

Common grackles were the most common bird at my feeder, but they have deserted my feeder in the last 3-4 weeks. The grackles had 10+ nests in my garden and I do not see them now.

Any idea what could be the cause? I did get rid of some dead branches on trees in my garden, could that be the cause? I am seeing a lot more crows around, could that be a cause?
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 04:00:29 PM by CowboyAndIndian »

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #124 on: July 19, 2019, 04:13:14 PM »
It's pretty hot there now isn't it? Your birds might be hanging out in cool shady places or closer to water sources, do you have a birdbath in your yard?

Have you changed what you put in your feeder? Different food will attract different birds.
Food and Feeder Preferences of Common Feeder Birds

Also I think grackles prefer to eat insects in the summer so if it's a good year for bugs your grackles are filling up on them.

ANd yes, crows can be bullies chasing away smaller birds.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #125 on: July 19, 2019, 04:25:40 PM »
It's pretty hot there now isn't it? Your birds might be hanging out in cool shady places or closer to water sources, do you have a birdbath in your yard?
Yes, bird bath is within a few feet of the feeder. I refresh the water every couple of days.

Quote
Have you changed what you put in your feeder? Different food will attract different birds.
Food and Feeder Preferences of Common Feeder Birds
No, just the sunflower seed that they seem to prefer.

Quote
Also I think grackles prefer to eat insects in the summer so if it's a good year for bugs your grackles are filling up on them.
Good. Natural insect control!

Quote
ANd yes, crows can be bullies chasing away smaller birds.
Yikes.

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #126 on: July 19, 2019, 05:09:10 PM »
Grackles will likely have all their fledglings out now, as well (our great tailed grackles are long-fledged down here in the south), and protein/fat is more the food the growing birds need, so they are probably wandering more widely in search of food.  But the crows could definitely be a factor. 

Blue jays, crows, and roadrunners (in the southwest) will all regularly predate squirrel babies, as well as nestlings and fledglings of other bird species, but I'm not sure exactly how that plays into post-fledging behaviors.  Squirrels will also eat nestling birds.  Incidentally, I assume grackles do as well.  I caught one harassing a baby box turtle in my backyard recently, and I bet it was testing its luck at eating it (it gave up, eventually).

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #127 on: July 24, 2019, 08:20:27 AM »
This peacock showing off for the ladies.

Taken in Central NJ at Grounds for Sculpture a couple of years ago.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #128 on: July 30, 2019, 11:59:51 PM »
Went on another whale watching tour today and saw my first puffin in the wild!

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #129 on: July 31, 2019, 08:18:58 AM »
EEEE!!!!!  :has seabird envy:

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #130 on: July 31, 2019, 08:33:20 AM »
All the little Mississippi Kite babies have started fledging around town.  Growing up, on their way to being lovely, elegant adults.

Pics all by my DH.

Adult kite carrying nesting material.
Adult kite building nest.
Juvenile near fledging age.
Adult kite perched.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #131 on: July 31, 2019, 08:56:55 AM »
Oh they are lovely @wenchsenior, what a treat to watch a family of them

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #132 on: August 04, 2019, 08:46:51 AM »
Beautiful pictures @Parizade and @wenchsenior


CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #133 on: August 04, 2019, 08:52:24 AM »
Went to Cape Cod for a wedding and went to charge my car, thinking it would be a boring 45 minutes. In the parking lot saw a birding family with a big tripod and a huge lens on their camera, watching/photographing an osprey nest.

In the osprey nest were 3 juveniles, with the parents very busy trying to feed them and help them learn. The birder told me that it is very rare to have 3 juveniles in one nest. Learned a lot about ospreys.

As usual, I forgot my camera and binoculars (who takes those to a wedding?), so this is a cell phone picture.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2019, 10:18:32 AM by CowboyAndIndian »

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #134 on: August 04, 2019, 10:07:11 AM »
Three juvies!  That's a lot of noisy food begging LOL.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #135 on: August 04, 2019, 10:08:53 AM »
I love ospreys, what a great experience @CowboyAndIndian!

I think sometimes I "forget" my camera subconsciously on purpose when I'm craving a more in-the-moment experience. While it's great to have photos of all the birds I see, sometimes it's more fun to just enjoy the experience without trying to capture it.

I've been watching The Bird Nerds on Youtube, it's fun to see their adventures.
 


CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #136 on: August 04, 2019, 10:41:59 AM »
I've been watching The Bird Nerds on Youtube, it's fun to see their adventures.

Nice. Thanks for the suggestion, I have subscribed.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #137 on: August 06, 2019, 02:20:53 PM »
White-breasted nuthatch.

I kept thinking it was a woodpecker since it kept hanging like a woodpecker and digging into the crevices of the tree. Sorry for the poor quality, taken thru glass and screen.

Not my identification, but used reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird/).
« Last Edit: August 06, 2019, 02:32:52 PM by CowboyAndIndian »

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #138 on: August 06, 2019, 02:28:18 PM »
Two new birds in a day, I am very happy! And I did not even have to leave my sofa for this ;-)

I think this might be a Carolina Chickadee or a black-capped chickadee, seen here with a house finch.

With the help of Merlin, I  thought it was a Carolina Chickadee, but Reddit says it could be a black-capped chickadee.

This is what the user kiwikiu thought on Reddit.

Quote
the border between Black-capped and Carolina in NJ is pretty much a straight line between Trenton and Perth Amboy, with Black-capped on the north side and Carolina on the south. The two species are basically impossible to reliably separate by eye, so call (Carolina is higher-pitched) or location is the way to go

I am pretty much on the straight line between Trenton and Perth Amboy so location did not help. I  did not hear the call.

What got me into birding was finding a bird that captured my imagination. The Black-Cappped Chickadees is my bird. They're super common where I live and after I was able to hand feed them, I was hooked. They are the cutest damned things and seeing them up close and interacting with them on their terms is really cool.

After those initial encounters, I gobbled up everything I could find about them online via Wikipedia and Cornell.

Learning about related species in other parts of the country and world is also fun. Whenever my wife and I travel, to a spot we know has a different chickadee species, we try to see them. There are 7 in North America and we've managed to see 4 of them (black capped chickadee, mountain chickadee, carolina chickadee, and chestnut backed chickadee). In addition to the chickadees, we've been able to see and identify a ton of other bird species too. I find that birding makes traveling more interesting. You pay closer attention to the wildlife around you.

@mies , any ideas which chickadee it is?
« Last Edit: August 06, 2019, 03:11:08 PM by CowboyAndIndian »

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #139 on: August 06, 2019, 04:39:20 PM »
I miss seeing nuthatches.  We only get them occasionally down here.

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #140 on: August 07, 2019, 08:02:47 AM »
I can't help with the chickadee ID, sorry. They are wonderful little visitors though, so friendly.

I put up a hummingbird feeder on Saturday, it's already seeing a lot of action. I think this is a female Anna's. Haven't seen any males yet.

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #141 on: August 07, 2019, 05:41:44 PM »
Two new birds in a day, I am very happy! And I did not even have to leave my sofa for this ;-)

I think this might be a Carolina Chickadee or a black-capped chickadee, seen here with a house finch.

With the help of Merlin, I  thought it was a Carolina Chickadee, but Reddit says it could be a black-capped chickadee.

This is what the user kiwikiu thought on Reddit.

Quote
the border between Black-capped and Carolina in NJ is pretty much a straight line between Trenton and Perth Amboy, with Black-capped on the north side and Carolina on the south. The two species are basically impossible to reliably separate by eye, so call (Carolina is higher-pitched) or location is the way to go

I am pretty much on the straight line between Trenton and Perth Amboy so location did not help. I  did not hear the call.

What got me into birding was finding a bird that captured my imagination. The Black-Cappped Chickadees is my bird. They're super common where I live and after I was able to hand feed them, I was hooked. They are the cutest damned things and seeing them up close and interacting with them on their terms is really cool.

After those initial encounters, I gobbled up everything I could find about them online via Wikipedia and Cornell.

Learning about related species in other parts of the country and world is also fun. Whenever my wife and I travel, to a spot we know has a different chickadee species, we try to see them. There are 7 in North America and we've managed to see 4 of them (black capped chickadee, mountain chickadee, carolina chickadee, and chestnut backed chickadee). In addition to the chickadees, we've been able to see and identify a ton of other bird species too. I find that birding makes traveling more interesting. You pay closer attention to the wildlife around you.

@mies , any ideas which chickadee it is?

Whoops. Just saw this :D It looks like you get both kinds in New Jersey, and by appearance, they look pretty much identical from far away. Plus this one looks all ratty from climbing in and out of knot holes all summer, which further muddies the water.

The easiest way to tell them apart is by their call. Black caps have a essentially a two note see-bee call. Carolinas have a four note call. If you live where their ranges overlap, that can also make it difficult to ID them. They can learn each other's calls and interbreed.

Sorry I can't give a positive ID!

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #142 on: August 07, 2019, 11:41:42 PM »
Had a fun day on the tidal flats, saw kildeer, herons, osprey, eagle, and a ruddy turnstone (my first!). Along with many seagulls, crows, and robins.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #143 on: August 09, 2019, 02:23:31 PM »
Apologies in advance. This is not a bird-related post.

In a previous post, I had mentioned that I had used mosquito control last year and I had no insects in my garden and hence did not see any birds or bats. And then @wenchsenior posted pictures of her beautiful garden and I was very, very jealous ;-). So I decided to dedicate a small part of my garden for butterflies, more specifically Monarch butterflies. The local Audobon society had a native plant sale and I bought a couple of pots of milkweed and planted in the corner that I had dedicated to butterflies. There were enough nectar plants, so I hoped it would work in attracting monarchs and other butterflies.

I am not sure I have seen any monarchs in my garden before this year. It could be that I was not looking or was working and did not see them. Now I see one or two a day. I am very thrilled. If you see the bottom left corner of the pictures, I see an egg which I hope is a monarch egg.


« Last Edit: August 09, 2019, 02:34:49 PM by CowboyAndIndian »

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #144 on: August 09, 2019, 02:36:52 PM »
Had a fun day on the tidal flats, saw kildeer, herons, osprey, eagle, and a ruddy turnstone (my first!). Along with many seagulls, crows, and robins.

@Parizade, your pictures clearly show the "M" that the osprey wing makes, especially if you compare it with the eagle.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #145 on: August 09, 2019, 09:33:26 PM »
Your monarchs are beautiful, good for you for planting milkweed for them. They need allies.

The osprey was an incredibly graceful glider, I barely saw it move its wings at all.

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #146 on: August 11, 2019, 03:20:50 PM »
Saw a chestnut backed chicadee at the feeder today and thought of you @mies. Saw lots of black capped chicadees as well, they seem to be more agressive and try to chase off the chestnut backed. They were going for different food too, which I found interesting.

Monocle Money Mouth

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #147 on: August 11, 2019, 03:40:48 PM »
Saw a chestnut backed chicadee at the feeder today and thought of you @mies. Saw lots of black capped chicadees as well, they seem to be more agressive and try to chase off the chestnut backed. They were going for different food too, which I found interesting.

Awesome! I love these guys. I got to see them in Redwood National Park a couple of years ago.

I’m not surprised the black capped chickadees we’re doing that to the chestnut backs. There’s a woman on YouTube called Leslie the bird nerd that does videos on the birds where she lives in Canada. She gets boreal and Black capped chickadees and says the black caps are aggressive towards the boreals.

In other chickadee news, while I was in a garden at the zoo today I saw some fledgling chickadees begging and being fed by their parents. Mom and dad looked ragged. They were probably getting close to being done with them. The babies looked like they had lost the yellow around their beaks.

Parizade

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #148 on: August 12, 2019, 02:03:18 PM »
A rufous hummingbird visited our feeder this morning. These tiny creatures migrate over 2000 4000 miles!
« Last Edit: August 12, 2019, 02:11:19 PM by Parizade »

wenchsenior

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Re: Birding, how to get started?
« Reply #149 on: August 12, 2019, 02:05:44 PM »
A rufous hummingbird visited our feeder this morning. These tiny creatures migrate over 2000 miles!

I love them.  We get them occasionally on migration.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!