Birding

[Turtle]

Birds are slowly appearing at the feeders. Just now a single House Finch (photos later), a single bedragled Black-capped Chickadee, and a wary Dark-eyed Junko male.

 

Regrettably I am too irresponsible & reclusive to participate in organized counts. :eek: Who ya gonna call? :esmoking:

 

photo now:

[Hill]

Regrettably I am too irresponsible & reclusive to participate in organized counts. :esmoking: Who ya gonna call?

Then I strongly suggest eBird || North America's destination for birding on the Web You can be as reclusive and irresponsible as you want, but still keep records in all kinds of ways. You can also see what others are finding by looking at the public areas, and if you decide to, you can share your counts and photos.

 

Here's a Mountain Chickadee shot near sunset today. Not as sharp as I'd like but the background really makes it "pop".

 

[Cedars]

We had some very warm weather a few days ago which brought in large numbers of migrants. I had a very large number of migrating Robins feasting on the wild grapes. An estimate of 70 or so of these birds in the yard one morning. They have moved away now.

 

Large numbers of Golden-crowned Kinglets were here also over the weekend. I couldnt look out a window without seeing some.

 

Other birds include the Yellow-rumped Warblers, and another yellowish warbler(s) I wasnt able to identify (possibly female and young Blackpoll and /or Pine Warblers) for an all around idea of the look.

 

A possible Ovenbird but it seems too late for one of those.

 

The Red-breasted Nuthatch is still enjoying sunflower seeds and has been around for a week now.

 

The Brown Creeper that was here over the weekend seems to have moved away.

 

A mix of Purple and House Finches were here in numbers the last few days. Only a few Purples and mostly House Finches.

 

The Goldfinches have lost their summer colors and just hold a small hint of yellows underneath the drabber browns of winter.

 

Cold air and high winds seem to have driven many of these guys away. The last few days there has been a large flock of White-throated Sparrows but this morn, they seemed to have grown tired of the weather and I dont see them foraging in the berry bushes.

[Queso]

YouTube - Falcon Attack: Peregrine Divebombs Flock of Starlings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8eZJnbDHIg

[Turtle]

One of my roomies happened on this scene along Marine Drive in Portland Oregon this afternoon. He pulled off to get the shots of the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) on the wire, when it flew down within 20 feet of the car and took the mouse. Swell bit of seizing an opportunity on more than one count!

YouTube - Red Tailed Hawk eats mouse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSvsMWOYrF8

[Cedars]

- Falcon Attack: Peregrine Divebombs Flock of Starlings

 

I dont know if they were starlings or blackbirds. I do love watching swirling blackbirds, and often wonder why more of them dont collide while moving so. I love how the vid shows them almost vanish then reappear in a cloud of black.

[Cedars]

Earlier this year I posted a pic of a batch of swans with 7 babies. On Oct 4 I returned to the meadows and found the family doing well. All 7 have made it so far. I wonder if the third adult in the background is an offspring from an earlier hatch. This pair has been around for a while.

 

They were about 20 feet off the road and I had a recorder with me so I grabbed some of their chatter. I had to try to get wind noise out so the sample has been altered some. I am not sure if some of the weird noises between the honks is quiet chatter from the birds that normally we dont hear or if its left overs from the noise reduction.

[Turtle]

Earlier this year I posted a pic of a batch of swans with 7 babies. On Oct 4 I returned to the meadows and found the family doing well. All 7 have made it so far. I wonder if the third adult in the background is an offspring from an earlier hatch. This pair has been around for a while.

 

They were about 20 feet off the road and I had a recorder with me so I grabbed some of their chatter. I had to try to get wind noise out so the sample has been altered some. I am not sure if some of the weird noises between the honks is quiet chatter from the birds that normally we dont hear or if its left overs from the noise reduction.

 

Well Cedrars, today I went on my first dedicated birding trip to a refuge. :Exclamati :Exclamati Before I go into that, are your swans Tundra or Trumpeter? I have swan vid from today, but not sure of the ID. I may have to post it without positive ID and get your thoughts.

 

So, I went along with Ace Banyon as he wanted to try out his new SLR digital camera on some birds. Seems he & his buds all bought the same camera and challenged themselves to a contest, so I went along for the ride. Destination, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. >> Here's their main page: Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Program: Oaks to Wetlands Adventure

 

Weather was cool and mostly cloudy and we went to the unit you drive through and must remain in vehicle. Here's my starter video with birds I have ID'd. I juiced it up a bit with some titles. :hihi:

YouTube - Birds of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkdHmowrEjo

[Turtle]

More from the Ridgefield trip; American Coots, Red-tailed Hawk, and a large flock of Ducks & Geese in wheeling flight.

 

YouTube - Birds of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Le72p9RdhM

[Turtle]

Here is the video clip of the Swans. I have myself convinced these are Trumpeter Swans, Cygnus buccinator. I see only black on the bills, and the one stretching its neck corresponds to my Audubon's key phrase "holds neck in graceful curve." Is everyone good with that ID?

 

I have no idea what the low thrumming hum is from. Is it a call of some bird/animal perhaps? :snow: Enjoy. :evil:

 

YouTube - Swans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqgVKxUxovY

[freeztar]

I have no idea what the low thrumming hum is from. Is it a call of some bird/animal perhaps? :) Enjoy. :hyper:

 

I can't watch youtube at work, so I haven't seen/heard the video yet, but I know that grouse beat their wings in a technique called "drumming" which creates a sound much like you describe. The first time I heard it (in California), I thought I was going crazy until someone informed me of the source. It's a very strange sound indeed.

[Cedars]

Here is the video clip of the Swans. I have myself convinced these are Trumpeter Swans, Cygnus buccinator. I see only black on the bills, and the one stretching its neck corresponds to my Audubon's key phrase "holds neck in graceful curve." Is everyone good with that ID?

 

I have no idea what the low thrumming hum is from. Is it a call of some bird/animal perhaps? :) Enjoy. :hyper:

 

The swan infront of the bird who stretches its wings is neck banded. Did you note the color and number coding on the band?

 

BBL - Swan Collaring Protocol

 

It looks to me to be a gray band, but sometimes video and lighting can be deceiving. Its very possible you had a mix of both Tundra and Trumpeters due to your location.

 

The noise difference between Tundra and Trumpeter sounds is huge. You cant mistake the variations. This page has good audio of both:

 

The Trumpeter Swan Society

 

The hum. If your talking about the hum going on when the bird is flapping its wings at around the 18 second mark, it could be noise from the swan itself, or a swan nearby voicing some low toned warning about space/boundry.

 

Heres more on variations of bird bands in general:

BBL - All About Auxiliary Markers

[Turtle]

The swan infront of the bird who stretches its wings is neck banded. Did you note the color and number coding on the band?

Good lord no! :) Where you goin' with those sharp eyes anyway? I spent 5 minutes looking at the vid just to see what you saw. That's a bird band eh? :doh: I shot the video from over 100 yards and never laid a naked eye on any more than a bunch of white birds...honest. :D :eek:

 

It looks to me to be a gray band, but sometimes video and lighting can be deceiving. Its very possible you had a mix of both Tundra and Trumpeters due to your location.

 

The noise difference between Tundra and Trumpeter sounds is huge. You cant mistake the variations. This page has good audio of both:

 

The Trumpeter Swan Society

 

I found the Trumpeter listed on the Refuge's page too, but not the Tundra.

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Program: Oaks to Wetlands Adventure

 

The hum. If your talking about the hum going on when the bird is flapping its wings at around the 18 second mark, it could be noise from the swan itself, or a swan nearby voicing some low toned warning about space/boundry.

 

The thrumming I hear starts when the clip starts and goes right through to the end. :) Will check out the sources. I haven't added any new birds to my list in months and this trip was a cornucopia. :hyper: :hyper:

[Cedars]

Good lord no! :) Where you goin' with those sharp eyes anyway? I spent 5 minutes looking at the vid just to see what you saw. That's a bird band eh? :doh: I shot the video from over 100 yards and never laid a naked eye on any more than a bunch of white birds...honest. :D :eek:

 

Still of Band below

I found the Trumpeter listed on the Refuge's page too, but not the Tundra.

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Program: Oaks to Wetlands Adventure

 

Heres a map of their wintering grounds based on the xmas bird count numbers:

 

Tundra swan � Winter distribution map

 

The thrumming I hear starts when the clip starts and goes right through to the end. :) Will check out the sources. I haven't added any new birds to my list in months and this trip was a cornucopia. :hyper: :hyper:

 

OK that sounds to me like motor noise or wind noise or a combo. Did you hear the noise I was talking about at the 18 sec mark?

[Turtle]

Still of Band below

 

Heres a map of their wintering grounds based on the xmas bird count numbers:

 

Tundra swan � Winter distribution map

 

OK that sounds to me like motor noise or wind noise or a combo. Did you hear the noise I was talking about at the 18 sec mark?

 

Roger. Link says Trumpeters have red, green, or yellow bands, and Tundras have gray, black, or blue. All I can say from the images is it's a dark band. ;) My buddy shot some stills of Swans elsewhere in the refuge so I'll have a look at those to see if I can add one or the other type to my book on his evidence.

 

I do hear that sound at the flapping you mention. :naughty:

[Cedars]

Roger. Link says Trumpeters have red, green, or yellow bands, and Tundras have gray, black, or blue. All I can say from the images is it's a dark band. B) My buddy shot some stills of Swans elsewhere in the refuge so I'll have a look at those to see if I can add one or the other type to my book on his evidence.

 

I do hear that sound at the flapping you mention. B)

 

Did you guys bring a good pair of binoculars with you? I like 10x50s for birding, the 7x35s just dont do it for me.

 

Bring a notebook with so you can write some stuff down for reference later. I love having someone with me so one can document while another watches. That way, the observer can just say what they are seeing (bill shape, face and neck colors, wingbars, leg color, tail shapes, etc) on birds your not sure of. Once a run thru is done the documenter can observe (if the bird hasnt taken off). And the info is written down to compare to book ID clues.

 

Now that I have the digital recorder, I hope birding alone becomes easier so I can describe what I am seeing and listen to that info later. What bums me out is sometimes I can narrow it down to one of a few species, but I missed or couldnt see that final piece of the puzzle which would give us a definate ID. Drives me crazy sometimes... er crazier sometimes B)

[Spike Silverback]

___Well, just as the title suggest, this is all about watching birds. How often do you watch them? How serious are you? Do you keep lists? Travel to spot birds? Do you have a bird ID book?

___All things birding then. I live in the Pacific Northwest & have an interest in birding that waxes & wains, but remains an interest. I live on a hill overlooking the Columbia River & I frequently see Osprey (River Eagles) riding the thermal updrafts off the face of the hill. Two days ago I saw a Bald Eagle fly by (which I never saw here before) chased by a crow.

___Other common bird here, the English or House Sparrow, Robins, Jays,& Starlings. More elusive birds I've seen, Rufous Sided Towhees, Casins Finch, Cedar Waxwing (a whole flock on the wire across from the house!), Golden Crowned Sparrow...my memory just dropped out.

___Anyway, you get the idea. Let's go birding! :rolleyes:

 

First post here Turtle,

 

Hoping I'm not off on the wrong foot. Starlings and Sparrows are the only

two birds that are not protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act. They are

an invasive introduced species that are continuing to wreck the habitat for the American songbirds. They are vicious killers of American songbirds. If you are a serious birder, you'd do well to trap and kill every one that you can. It is a constant battle for me to protect my dozen eastern bluebird houses from their relentless attacks. Get a V trap and do your part to protect what is left of the remaining species of American songbirds.

 

Resectively,

 

Spike Silverback