Birds

Maxmosbey

Maxmosbey

Final Approach
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
5,247
Location
San Juan, PR/Ames, IA
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I need to get serious.
My in-laws had a bunch of terracing and landscaping done this summer. So for Christmas we decided to get them a real fancy bird bath to put out there. So we ended up at this place called Birds Unlimited. The sales clerk was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about birds that it was infectious. I got very interested in what she was telling me. I've been talking about it ever since. So for Christmas I got a couple of these big balls of bird seed and a metal thing that you hang up to put the ball of seed on. I put it out. I have to say that I have never thought of myself as a 'bird watcher". For a long time my motto was, "if it flies it dies." I see these guys out at the lake when I'm out there this summer with silly hats, and they have their binoculars and they are pointing at birds and I just have always thought, what a bunch of dorks. I want to apologize. I'm not ready for a silly hat yet, but I dug my binoculars out of the basement and I am eagerly awaiting birds to come and feed.
 
Sorry, this was supposed to be in hanger talk, not spin zone. I am boycotting spin zone. Oh well, I'm sure I will get hammered here shortly.
 
The wife and I have been birders for years. We maintain 6 bluebird nests and two martin houses. We have many feeders and enjoy seeing who comes and visits. In the summer we have hummingbirds pass through the area too. It's fun to do, and a great hobbies to pass onto the grand kids.
 
I feed the birds too... among other things.

Visitors to the "bird" feeder over the past couple years.

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For Christmas, two turtle doves... and a flicker.

2008-12-24%2520at%252010-28-31.jpg
 
Nothing yet. I have to leave in a little while to go to my in-laws. I might put out a sign advertising free food for birds. Maybe it is too cold for them right now. I also spread a bunch of bird seek on my front steps. It is supposed to be a Scandinavian tradition.
 
Maxmosbey said:
Nothing yet. I have to leave in a little while to go to my in-laws. I might put out a sign advertising free food for birds. Maybe it is too cold for them right now. I also spread a bunch of bird seek on my front steps. It is supposed to be a Scandinavian tradition.
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It might take them a week or so to find a new feeder in the winter. They have established their feeding territories already. Be patient.


Here is a picture of 2 pheasant's I took a few years ago. No, it is not photo shopped. :nono: Yes, their tails were crossed. :dunno:

2_Pheasants__Small_.jpg



Here is another picture I took of an American Eagle sitting over a deer carcus. He was not happy I was there. :no:

Eagle1.jpg
 
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I have no problems with birds as long as they and I are not trying to disprove the theory that two solid objects cannot occupy the same spot at the same time. Also I wish they would use something other than my cars and boats as a bathroom.
 
Maxmosbey said:
My in-laws had a bunch of terracing and landscaping done this summer. So for Christmas we decided to get them a real fancy bird bath to put out there. So we ended up at this place called Birds Unlimited. The sales clerk was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about birds that it was infectious. I got very interested in what she was telling me. I've been talking about it ever since. So for Christmas I got a couple of these big balls of bird seed and a metal thing that you hang up to put the ball of seed on. I put it out. I have to say that I have never thought of myself as a 'bird watcher". For a long time my motto was, "if it flies it dies." I see these guys out at the lake when I'm out there this summer with silly hats, and they have their binoculars and they are pointing at birds and I just have always thought, what a bunch of dorks. I want to apologize. I'm not ready for a silly hat yet, but I dug my binoculars out of the basement and I am eagerly awaiting birds to come and feed.
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"if it flies it dies." is not a good quote on a pilot forum...:no:
 
We have these three in the house.
 

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EppyGA said:
We have these three in the house.
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We prefer dogs.

I've accompanied bird watchers into some insanely inaccessible places. When they get into it, boy do they get into it. Then again, I've spent a non-trivial portion of my existence getting into insanely inaccessible places just for the sake of getting into insanely inaccessible places.
 
Here is my Blue and Gold.
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I am an avid bird watcher and bore the hell out of my coworker by telling them everything about birds whenever we see one that is a bit out of the ordinary.
 
CapeCodJay said:
Those look like Eurasian Collared Doves to me. They're actually kind of rare feeder birds.
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Interesting. This picture was taken a couple years ago when I first noticed these doves. Now I get many of them at the feeder. It's strange, but lots of different animals seem to have moved into the neighborhood over the past 10 years. I never used to see deer but now they are common. I also never used to hear coyotes but now I hear them almost every night for a few minutes when they start singing.
 
What is this thing, the silly hat? I miss the old feeder I had rigged on the upstairs living room window sill, no binocs needed.

My favs were watching the chickadee chicks learn to fly with a number of crash landings, and then later do perfect vertical dives from high in the trees to get seeds on the ground.
 
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Everskyward said:
Interesting. This picture was taken a couple years ago when I first noticed these doves. Now I get many of them at the feeder. It's strange, but lots of different animals seem to have moved into the neighborhood over the past 10 years. I never used to see deer but now they are common. I also never used to hear coyotes but now I hear them almost every night for a few minutes when they start singing.
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Really neat - of course I've loved your photos of your creature visits!

I emailed by friend who is a serious birder for info on collared doves.
 
Everskyward said:
Interesting. This picture was taken a couple years ago when I first noticed these doves. Now I get many of them at the feeder. It's strange, but lots of different animals seem to have moved into the neighborhood over the past 10 years. I never used to see deer but now they are common. I also never used to hear coyotes but now I hear them almost every night for a few minutes when they start singing.
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Next thing you know you'll have sasquatch transiting your property. :lol:
 
Everskyward said:
Interesting. This picture was taken a couple years ago when I first noticed these doves. Now I get many of them at the feeder. It's strange, but lots of different animals seem to have moved into the neighborhood over the past 10 years. I never used to see deer but now they are common. I also never used to hear coyotes but now I hear them almost every night for a few minutes when they start singing.
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If the coyotes bug you take two pieces of 2 x4 1-2' long and slap them together making a sharp loud noise. It would like a gun shot and they know what that is. They won't be around much longer. ;)

You could always shoot your gun, but neighbors might get nervous, and they would enjoy seeing you standing on your deck slapping two pieces of wood together . :rofl:
 
CapeCodJay said:
Those look like Eurasian Collared Doves to me. They're actually kind of rare feeder birds.
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Good catch! I've been reading up on these guys. Invasive species, but no harm has been found yet, as they don't seem to be aggressive towards indigenous birds.
 
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