Watching The Birds

[Kar3n]

7 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

I saw the hummer this morning.  And then, as if by magic, it was gone.

 

Thanks for the reminder I need to fill my feeder.

There was little guy perched on it this morning wanting a drink and it was empty.

Good thing I have plenty Rueillia to keep them coming back.

 

[Marblehead]

I had a surprise this morning.  I stepped out the front door this morning and saw that hawk take off from the top of one of the trellises.  Seems it is getting a little braver with its attempts for catching a pigeon.  There are also a couple small feral kittens that come over for food and I'm concerned about them becoming the hawk's lunch.

 

[Kar3n]

I'd be concerned about the kittens too.  

 

The pigeon population is out of control at my house this year. They have been reproducing at a rapid rate in my date palms and the American Kestrel that has previously kept them thinned out has been MIA.

 

It's the year of the pigeon!

[blue eyed snake]

here it seems to be the year of the sparrows. I've a row of willows in my view, one of those willows was literally alive with sparrows. never seen that before.

[Starjumper]

My brother called sparrows 'Junk birds from Europe'.  In Seattle there used to be blue birds, yellow birds, red birds, now it's all junk birds.  I was glad when a Sparrow Hawk started hunting around the house.

 

I started feeding crows dog food.  I was talked into it by one brave crow who used to sit on the roof of the house next door and make strange meowing sounds, like a kitten, and when I went into my front yard it would glide down right by my head and land in the lawn.  When I began feeding them this one crow would come to within two feet of my hand but I couldn't get him to eat out of my hand. the rest of them would stay about ten feet away.

 

Later they started raising some babies in the trees nearby and would dive bomb anyone who walked by, which scared my daughter enough that I had to help her walk near the house.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Starjumper

[Marblehead]

I had a nice surprise this morning while taking a break from working in the gardens.  Two hummers came to the feeder at the same time.  First time this year for that.  Both seemed to be the same species.

 

 

[silent thunder]

We had our first hummer visit in months today as well; their colors are just jaw dropping.  She swung by to sample a blooming milkweed that I picked up in the hopes of enticing some Monarchs to our porch.

 

[blue eyed snake]

Since a few weeks I've two magpies in my backyard. They are funny birds, they come over as very self aware, cocky. Hopping around, looking for tasty spiders and such.

 

I sit looking at them, but it feels they are looking at me too. What a strange animal I am. They come real close.

And they're not black and white at all, their wings have a beautiful bluish sheen, and the tail is greenish

 

[manitou]

I saw the most graceful great blue heron this morning, flying low over the stream.  Is there any part of that bird that is not arched, curved, and graceful?  He was hardly flapping his wings but had gathered some pretty good speed.  Even the arch of their wings is breathtaking, the way they caress the air.  I suspect that any other little bird wanting to fly at that speed would have to flap their wings like a 'soam-bitch'.

 

I was the first one on the trail this morning - the same one in the avatar picture.  I know that because I had the dubious honor of clearing all spider webs that were crossing the trail.  With my face.  And why do all gnats, given that they have a full sphere of places to fly, always  end up in the eyeball?

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by manitou

[blue eyed snake]

Hi Manitou, long time no see, good to read you again

 

58 minutes ago, manitou said:

I saw the most graceful great blue heron this morning, flying low over the stream.  Is there any part of that bird that is not arched, curved, and graceful?  He was hardly flapping his wings but had gathered some pretty good speed.  Even the arch of their wings is breathtaking, the way they caress the air.  I suspect that any other little bird wanting to fly at that speed would have to flap their wings like a 'soam-bitch'.

 

had to look up which bird you mean, but indeedie, they are such beauties. except for there tendencie to eat goldfish ( i've got a small pond) I like them

 

Quote

 

I was the first one on the trail this morning - the same one in the avatar picture.  I know that because I had the dubious honor of clearing all spider webs that were crossing the trail.  With my face.  And why do all gnats, given that they have a full sphere of places to fly, always  end up in the eyeball?

 

 

they like the wetness...

 

down here the amount of storks seems to be growing every year, they're back in the meadow and yesterday there were flying about 30 of them, high above my house. I got a little high looking at them.

Edited August 23, 2017 by blue eyed snake

[cold]

In my area the geese are training their young in formation flying.

Mostly low level operations.

With a lot of (encouraging ) honks from the elders...

[blue eyed snake]

1 minute ago, cold said:

In my area the geese are training their young in formation flying.

Mostly low level operations.

With a lot of (encouraging ) honks from the elders...

 

ah...so that's what they're doing.

indeed, a lot of encouraging going on

 

honk honk honk

[cold]

The tip of the v is literally breaking wind, silently for the rest of the flock.

They take turns up front.

Those following fly a bit higher than the first in line and benefit with less effort required to stay aloft.

 

Those following are squawking their appreciation to the leader for her or his efforts on their behalf.

Pelicans and herons often fly within a wing span above the surface of the earth, mostly over water. Less lift is required when in "ground effect" within a wingspan or so of the earth, solo or in a group it does not matter when exploiting ground effect.

 

 

[manitou]

4 hours ago, cold said:

The tip of the v is literally breaking wind, silently for the rest of the flock.

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaah.  So that's what breaking wind means?  

[silent thunder]

7 hours ago, manitou said:

I saw the most graceful great blue heron this morning, flying low over the stream.  Is there any part of that bird that is not arched, curved, and graceful?  He was hardly flapping his wings but had gathered some pretty good speed.  Even the arch of their wings is breathtaking, the way they caress the air.  I suspect that any other little bird wanting to fly at that speed would have to flap their wings like a 'soam-bitch'.

 

I was the first one on the trail this morning - the same one in the avatar picture.  I know that because I had the dubious honor of clearing all spider webs that were crossing the trail.  With my face.  And why do all gnats, given that they have a full sphere of places to fly, always  end up in the eyeball?

 

 

 

Herons are incredible! 

 

They seem to me the epitome of grace, precision and focus. 

Their movements seem effortless, wu wei... totally focused while completely unhindered.

Just incredible.

[Marblehead]

Blue herons used to be a protected species here in Florida.  Don't know if they still are.

 

[manitou]

This has nothing to do with birdies or even nature, unless Appalachian human nature counts.

 

The same sign just came up next to an old general store in Pennsylvania.  It happens just about this time each year when the temps start to dip down at night.  It's spray painted onto a piece of plywood in scrawly handwriting, and it says this:

 

                                                                           got farwood

[Stosh]

On Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at 5:46 PM, manitou said:

 

 

 

Aaaah.  So that's what breaking wind means?  

Yes, It is your duty to break wind when travelling in groups or riding in elevators.Like a flying bird. 

Edited September 12, 2017 by Stosh

[LousyLaoTzu]

This entire thread is beautiful,  thank you all for sharing your observations and experiences. 

[manitou]

3 hours ago, Stosh said:

Yes, It is your duty to break wind when travelling in groups or riding in elevators.Like a flying bird. 

 

Odd.  I often do that, and I've noticed that the flock immediately disassembles

[Stosh]

1 hour ago, manitou said:

 

Odd.  I often do that, and I've noticed that the flock immediately disassembles

Well done, that means you made an impression they respect. 

[Marblehead]

I did see some geese moving yesterday.  They were headed northeast.  

[Stosh]

? I ching, says

The Northeast is a place and season of ordeals and difficult passage to a new life. You have to undergo that sort of challenge alone. You have to part with your friends.

? 

[cold]

2 hours ago, Marblehead said:

I did see some geese moving yesterday.  They were headed northeast.  

 

on their way to

 

On ‎9‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 2:27 PM, manitou said:

 old general store in Pennsylvania.  

 

for the world renown

                                                                            farwood

 

[Stosh]

On 8/23/2017 at 7:57 PM, Marblehead said:

Blue herons used to be a protected species here in Florida.  Don't know if they still are.

 

Yeah they are , but that's pretty much a meaningless designation because under the MBTA listing , practically everything is , including cardinals , mourning doves and herring gulls. There are other such lists as well which are more selective but still include species of least concern and things like alligators are on the list because they look like American crocodiles. 

So these lists don't really mean what people think they mean,  in terms of a birds abundance,  or the threat to their species continuance.