Ornithamateurs - The Birding Thread

[desertslave]

I encountered a roadrunner today hunting on and around a brush pile. Watching its crest rise and fall, the pitch of the head, and body movement, one thought came to mind...dinosaurs still roam the Earth.

I love them so much! I'd lived here in AZ three whole years before I finally saw one in the wild, on my birthday, no less! Since then I've seen several, even in my back yard. One day there was one strutting across the middle of a three-lane road (one direction) as if he owned the world. And all the cars stopped for him!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I encountered a roadrunner today hunting on and around a brush pile. Watching its crest rise and fall, the pitch of the head, and body movement, one thought came to mind...dinosaurs still roam the Earth.

Yes!! Road runners and grackles, both more dino than birdie!

There was a road runner that lived a few houses down from me for a while. A two story house with a flat roof, and he lived on the roof. He would jump to a tree branch one story up, then make one more leap to the roof. I saw him often, he would walk right down the street or sidewalk as if he owned the world. I enjoyed watching him, and had named him.. Rastus He was a voracious hunter. Bugs and lizards beware!!

 

[desertslave]

That's the only part I dislike about the roadrunners. We have cute little lizards that sun themselves and appear to do push-ups (for cooling, I believe), and I don't want them to get eaten. Yeah, yeah, circle of life. We have a few hiding places, and want to construct a little lizard lair with some pieces of slates and other rocks.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

That's the only part I dislike about the roadrunners. We have cute little lizards that sun themselves and appear to do push-ups (for cooling, I believe), and I don't want them to get eaten. Yeah, yeah, circle of life. We have a few hiding places, and want to construct a little lizard lair with some pieces of slates and other rocks.

Ok, lords doing push-ups, that does sound cute!

 

[desertslave]

Not mine, but just like our little guys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW_N3MQBjoE

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

So cute!
And the little Chippy, too

 

[desertslave]

Awesome pic! I used to see blues in PA occasionally, in the unlikeliest places.

One of my favorite big birds here are white egrets. There have been times that they have set up housekeeping in the fields behind our house, when it's been heavily irrigated. Not sure what they were after, but they seemed happy for hours.

Our counselor's office complex has a lake beside it. The last few appointments we've seen Canadian Geese and Coots swimming around and hanging out on the grounds. I was shocked to see the geese, I think of them as east coast residents. (Some flocks have migrated and never left!)

 

[AbsintheFather]

Ha, I found this little thread while stalking Cascadia Good intelligence

I'll share a few of my yard birds.

Mr. Bluebird on the thermometer on a chilly day, yes those are little snowflakes

https://40.media.tumblr.com/2fef5980d55c5120194d95bb1b892776/tumblr_nfao1n933Q1s754npo1_540.jpg

 

[AbsintheFather]

Carolina Wren with a Bluebird in the background

https://40.media.tumblr.com/c8b3e0377fc442ba63e5f92e27f49079/tumblr_nfao1n933Q1s754npo3_r1_1280.jpg

 

[AbsintheFather]

Cute little Titmouse

https://41.media.tumblr.com/cc82e8c7c81dcc8f29287b392ae183ed/tumblr_nfao1n933Q1s754npo4_r1_1280.jpg

 

[AbsintheFather]

Momma Cardinal

https://36.media.tumblr.com/13043a3af9846c3093bf94fe460519d4/tumblr_nfao1n933Q1s754npo6_r1_1280.jpg

 

[AbsintheFather]

Great Blue Heron by the pond on a sunny but frosty autumn morning

https://41.media.tumblr.com/457d1fd78fe9edee99f14e4cc5528531/tumblr_nddrpvqAXb1s754npo3_1280.jpg

 

[AbsintheFather]

. . . . and finally, for now, some turkeys that were in the road one morning on my way to work. They also live in the woods behind my home. Just not this pair.

https://40.media.tumblr.com/1d8150caa603baf483e69776a78c4f59/tumblr_n5tppk3slV1s754npo1_540.jpg

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Glad you found the thread, Abs. You take awesome pics!

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Meanwhile, I am still trying to discover the identity of the trumpeting, trilling birds in the bamboo stand. Starlings are in the stand as well at night, though I have seen Starlings flock with other birds before - grackles and wrens, to name a few. I reallllly don't think baby Starlings honk, so I'm still searching. Naturally I have been busy and missed their evening arrival quite a few days ruining.

In my search I discovered this guide to identifying birdsong. And although it hasn't solved my mystery yet, I wanted to share it anyway. I would hazard a guess that it's not the greatest out there, so if anyone uses a better one please share.

Guide to North American Bird Songs and Sounds

 

[desertslave]

Absinthe, your photos are amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing them. They take me back to my mom's in PA. I loved watching the winter birds at the feeders. I even miss her squirrels.

CnC your 'honking' bird reminded me of a funny. The last few summers we have heard what sure as hell sounded like ducks out in neighboring fields. I Googled this and discovered that there are frogs that appear after rains and make 'ducky' calls. Master didn't entirely believe me. LOL

A few weeks ago we watched a beautiful documentary on "our" desert, and there were the frogs, quacking like crazy! Ha!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

And a splendid pic of a Cooper's Hawk from Pinterest

http://m3.i.pbase.com/o3/93/599593/1/119159663.1eMRnVkp.coopersF5R6444.jpg

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Absinthe, your photos are amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing them. They take me back to my mom's in PA. I loved watching the winter birds at the feeders. I even miss her squirrels.

CnC your 'honking' bird reminded me of a funny. The last few summers we have heard what sure as hell sounded like ducks out in neighboring fields. I Googled this and discovered that there are frogs that appear after rains and make 'ducky' calls. Master didn't entirely believe me. LOL

A few weeks ago we watched a beautiful documentary on "our" desert, and there were the frogs, quacking like crazy! Ha!

Hah! That's great! I wish my mystery were solved as well I'm thinking about googling local birders and asking...

 

[OralDave]

The first time I saw one of these I was astonished. I had no idea what it was at the time. I was convinced I was seeing some sort of atavistic woodpecker.

And if you have ever spent time on the water, love of water and birds can become easily intertwined

Yes! We have a lot of loons-- there are 25 lakes of various sizes in my immediate neighborhood. Loons and water go together.

 

[AbsintheFather]

Meanwhile, I am still trying to discover the identity of the trumpeting, trilling birds in the bamboo stand. Starlings are in the stand as well at night, though I have seen Starlings flock with other birds before - grackles and wrens, to name a few. I reallllly don't think baby Starlings honk, so I'm still searching. Naturally I have been busy and missed their evening arrival quite a few days ruining.

In my search I discovered this guide to identifying birdsong. And although it hasn't solved my mystery yet, I wanted to share it anyway. I would hazard a guess that it's not the greatest out there, so if anyone uses a better one please share.

Guide to North American Bird Songs and Sounds

Cornell has the best site I've been to regarding birds

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/

 

[AbsintheFather]

Thanks for everyone's feedback on my photos - I have plenty more. I'll post some later after I upload them to tumblr for sharing.

Dave . . I think loons are so cool looking and sounding.

Here's the link to the Cornell Loon sound page - They are such cool sounding birds.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Loon/sounds

 

[AbsintheFather]

Love this AF
Thanks for stalking right over here and posting these gems!

My pleasure

Here's Papa Cardinal - their color always stands out in the winter. That's a magnolia tree in the front yard. It always hangs on to some of its leaves.

https://40.media.tumblr.com/b5f08b6c8eb45b4c6c63ae69da25cb23/tumblr_o4rn9zlvjE1s754npo2_1280.jpg

 

[AbsintheFather]

Here's a Grossbeak

https://40.media.tumblr.com/86336a9b40021b1ec3d6167b79b732f6/tumblr_o4rn9zlvjE1s754npo10_1280.jpg

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]