Tarantism Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 went hiking up in the Castle Rock State Park (CA), here is what i saw:Common RavenFox SparrowDark-eyed JuncoStellar's JayAmerican CootDouble Crested CormorantSnowy EgretBlack PhoebeBuffel Head (duck)American Wigdeon (duck)American CrowMallard of course, this is with the helpful eyes of my forementioned grandfather. happy birding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted December 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 went hiking up in the Castle Rock State Park (CA), here is what i saw:Common RavenFox SparrowDark-eyed JuncoStellar's JayAmerican CootDouble Crested CormorantSnowy EgretBlack PhoebeBuffel Head (duck)American Wigdeon (duck)American CrowMallard of course, this is with the helpful eyes of my forementioned grandfather. happy birding! ___Superb Tartan; superb.We had our first big snow of the season this last week. ___What a coinkydink Cedars; we just now are having our first Winter storm. On the upper deck feeder, half a dozen or so House Finches (Finchi?:cup: ) & the Chickadees. At the feeders below deck Chickadees & Flickers. On the ground under deck, Juncos, Towhees, Sparrows, & Squirrels.___The temp is now 26 F, winds steady at 28 MPH with gusts to 60 MPH & 1/4 " of accumulated sleet & snow. I went out & broke the ice out of my gold-pan bird-bath, put it on the ground with a large rock in it, & filled it with hot water. It is dusk now & the birds have returned to other shelter, but they feasted on the cup of seed round the warm water while the light lasted.___The first wave of the storm is nearly spent, but the next is coming by morning. I'll be up early to refresh the water & feed.___Thank you Cedars especially for your commentary on the Cardinals. I see them vicariously through you.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedars Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 (((tartanism))) Sounds like a good day of birding! Enjoy your grandfather as much as possible. Sounds like he is very good at spotting and identifying the birds. Turtle I had a lone male Purple Finch at the feeder yesterday. I havent seen him again today. Yesterday afternoon the pair of Pleated Woodpeckers were together eating the suet. I do enjoy seeing that they made it thru another summer. I did see the Sharp-shinned hawk this afternoon. I am more convinced now that my guess on the demise of the Mourning Dove was accurate. The hawk hung around for about an hour, even staying in the tree when I went out to check the mail and toss more seed on the ground. I saw the hawk drop down over the snow area I had shoveled. I think the bird was trying to flush out a mouse or shrew. Too no avail. The Chickadees were hiding under my truck. About 10 of them flew out as I passed by. The feeder remained empty of birds until about 5 minutes after I saw the hawk fly towards the deeper woods. Then the birds came back in numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 As I was out to fetch my mountain bike for a ride early in the morning I encountered a flock of Robins on the ground "grubbing" for insects!:cup: :cup: It seems Robins like to group together." Birds of a feather flock together "They are a nice bird" Rockin' Robin Tweet Tweet, Rockin Robin, Tweetle eett... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted December 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2005 ...Turtle I did see the Sharp-shinned hawk this afternoon. I am more convinced now that my guess on the demise of the Mourning Dove was accurate. ...___I haven't watched the birds steadily for a while, but I got to it today for several hours. One of the Mourning Doves showed up on the ground to feed, which surprised me as I hadn't seen either of them in weeks. Now with the leaves fallen & a clear view I may yet have a hawk or owl hunt my slope. As I was out to fetch my mountain bike for a ride early in the morning I encountered a flock of Robins on the ground "grubbing" for insects! ___I haven't seen a Robin here in quite a while, although they may have moved to the front yard to feed in the grass where it is warmer for worms and insects. :eek2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedars Posted December 24, 2005 Report Share Posted December 24, 2005 The snow has been melting here the last few days. Bad news for the animals such as the owls who need to be able to bust thru the snow to catch their mice. Once we freeze up again they will be in trouble. The spots in my yard where I shoveled have cleared now to the green below. This will help them to find mice and shrews later in the year. But it wont be enough. Right now the sharp shinned hawk is back, sitting high in the oak over the feeding area. So now there is only the hawk in my yard. I do enjoy that this bird has learned there is food here. I feel that once you begin to attract the predators, you have achieved a wholeness with nature. Back to the melting snow. I had to get up on the roof yesterday to shovel the edges to make sure I dont get ice dams. As I brought the ladder around I saw many feathers hanging over the edge of the roof. I got up there to shovel and I found the mourning dove (what was left). It was the hawk that had taken the bird for sure. What a great perch for a hawk to feed in safety!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted December 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2005 Right now the sharp shinned hawk is back, sitting high in the oak over the feeding area. ... I feel that once you begin to attract the predators, you have achieved a wholeness with nature. ___You take care up on that roof Cedars! Just a bit ago my housemate Ace called me hurriedly to his room to see some new birds gathered at his feeders on the upper deck. We have tentatively identified them as Bushtits, but we still have to get a good photo. Rather small birds in a flock of about 12 to 15 & feeding with Juncos & Chickadees.___I told Ace about your Sharp Shinned Hawk & he says he has seen two hawks sitting in our Oaks this past week. Besides the birds on my slope I have mice, Western Gray Squirrels, and Least Chipmunks for the raptors to eat. ___Off to try for a photograph!:shrug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted December 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2005 ___No photos of the Bushtits yet; they may have just stopped on their way South. ___I checked my rain guage today & on the slope in the past two days 2.1" of rain fell. I did a little figuring yesterday & found that on average a minimum of fifty individual birds of at least ten species visit our feeders every day. I love my avian neighbors!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 As Iwas cruising down the Discovery trail today, in an effort to dodge traffic congestion on my mtn. bike, I rode upon a lone Great Blue Heron! :) I had startled it and it took its flight path right in front of me!It had a tremendous wing span in conjuction with its long legs.Quite majestic it indeed was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarantism Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 the otehr day i was in the rain at a lake in the same area that is forementioned on my hike, and i saw a few more snowy eagrets sitting in the rain. the funny thing is, no ducks were on the lake, as they usually are. where do they go in the rain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drip Curl Magic Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 I would guess that they take cover under some brush or something. But it's surprising that a bird as well acclimated to water as a duck would feel the need to hide during rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedars Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 This morn, as I went out to toss seed for the birds, I heard two great horned owls hooting. It seemed they were around the fenceline, which would be about 500 feet away. The trees are still snow covered from the snow we had yesterday. The winds have been extremely calm thru the storm and to now. I tried to spot the birds thru the trees but its all white. As I tossed the seed I heard a third great horned to the south farther away. Cool! Three owls. This bird was at least 1000 feet away maybe as much as 2000 as a guess. Then a 4th owl hooted from the north! This bird was much more faint than the 3rd owl but clear enough to hear. I read somewhere (but unsure of the accuracy) that the great horned nest in january or february. Maybe this was a courtship competition going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taraxanoid Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I'd watch more birds if they were easier to watch. They're all so fast and fleeting that watching them is like observing a heated relay in a tennis match - only with multiple, winged balls..But I don't mind slipping a glance at the 5 or so different bird species that I know of in this vicinity >.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted December 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I'd watch more birds if they were easier to watch. They're all so fast and fleeting that watching them is like observing a heated relay in a tennis match - only with multiple, winged balls..But I don't mind slipping a glance at the 5 or so different bird species that I know of in this vicinity >.> ___Part of the joy in watching the birds is of course that it is hard. It requires patience, study, & will. It is often its own reward. Just ask Cedar's Owls who is who. :xparty: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted January 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 ___Another part of the joy in bird watching is sharing; sharing experiences, stories, photos, news, & interest. Without further ado, Ace has just captured the Bushtits with photographs & gives me permission to share them. Happy New Year!:xparty: :lol: http://hypography.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=676&c=3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queso Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 "overhead an albatross hangs motionless upon the air..."pink floyd + echoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigDog Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I remember bird watching with my grandparents when I was a kid. We lived with my grandparents during the summer of 1974 in Tombstone AZ. They kept a bunch of birdfeeders out and basicaly lived on the back porch of their home. There were always binoculars around to see what birds came to the yard to feed and play. What I remember the most were the Humming Birds. Dozens at a time of all varieties. Plus Orials, Jays, Robins, Cardinals... When I lived in Colorado we had a number of raptors around. Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, and various hawks. The prarie dogs kept them all well fed. Then the prarie dogs mysteriously disappeared, and the regular sightings of the raptors went shortly after that. I love spotting a cool bird, but rarely go out of my way to spot them. Maybe I'll hang some birdfeeders here in Ohio and see what flies by. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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