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Old 05-19-2020, 04:57 PM   #81
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I was out walking the dogs when I noticed this feisty little killdeer standing in my path, obviously defending his mate's nest. They have a deception technique of feigning injury to distract predators. Here's a picture of this guy's act:

Attachment 35049
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Old 06-05-2020, 04:25 PM   #82
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Originally Posted by harllee View Post
I really like the Black Skimmers, especially the parent and baby.
It's a real treat when several Black Skimmers put on a synchronized flying show on the pond. Dragging a beak in the water doesn't seem like an effective way of feeding, but they've never asked for my opinion.

I've gotten a kick out of watching a newly-fledged hawk try to make its way in the world. It hops around in my yard and looks a bit bewildered as a parent calls in the distance. The bird has not yet received the news that an apex predator shouldn't be fascinated by a butterfly.
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Old 06-06-2020, 06:51 AM   #83
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Cool! I’d love to see a hawk distracted by a butterfly!

Yeah those skimmers are really cool. And I have occasionally seen them catch something! There is clearly a benefit to their approach, otherwise they wouldn’t exist.

We’ve been enjoying a ton of summering birds on DF’s farm: blue grosbeaks, indigo buntings, great crested flycatcher, yellow-billed cuckoo, a yellow-breasted chat often calling, wood thrush, brown thrasher, orchard oriole, eastern kingbird, eastern bluebird, summer tanager, white-eyed vireo, common yellowthroat, pine warbler, northern shrike, a few sparrows I need to id by song plus a couple more singing warblers. We had a gorgeous redheaded woodpecker come through the yard, and have pileated woodpeckers around. The usual mockers, cardinals, Carolina wrens, blue jays, barn swallows and house finches nesting on the house, chimney swifts, purple martins, eastern meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, of course. Red-tailed hawk and fish crow, common crow, cattle egrets.

And no house sparrows- yeah! I assume because we are out in the country.
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Old 06-06-2020, 07:56 AM   #84
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We have been "bird watching" from our porch and have counted 25 different species without leaving the porch. Can anyone beat this "stay at home" challenge?
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:42 AM   #85
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We have been "bird watching" from our porch and have counted 25 different species without leaving the porch. Can anyone beat this "stay at home" challenge?
  • robin
  • indigo bunting
  • cardinal
  • crow
  • chipping sparrow
  • song sparrow
  • house finch
  • goldfinch
  • black capped chickadee
  • downey woodpecker
  • red bellied woodpecker
  • yellow sapsucker
  • ruby throated hummingbird
  • carolina wren
  • towhee
  • great blue heron (we have fishpond in the backyard)
  • belted kingfisher
  • red breated nuthatch
  • white breasted nuthatch
  • red tail hawk
  • blue jay
  • starling
  • brown thrasher
  • brown headed cowbird
  • mockingbird
  • tit mouse
  • grossbeak
  • house sparrow
  • martin
  • white crown sparrow

This is what I have seen in the past week in my backyard. The indigo bunting was a first for me. There have been others in past like vultures, american redstart, yellow warbler, baltimore oriole, cedar waxwing, etc, but not this week.
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:47 AM   #86
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We have been "bird watching" from our porch and have counted 25 different species without leaving the porch. Can anyone beat this "stay at home" challenge?
Harllee, you have me way beat! I can only see 6 species! Cardinals, starling, robin, crow, some unknown 3 shades of grey bird, red wing blackbird, and once in a while, a beautiful hawk. Used to have black and yellow birds, but none so far this year.
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Old 06-06-2020, 10:20 AM   #87
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Originally Posted by MissMolly View Post
  • robin
  • indigo bunting
  • cardinal
  • crow
  • chipping sparrow
  • song sparrow
  • house finch
  • goldfinch
  • black capped chickadee
  • downey woodpecker
  • red bellied woodpecker
  • yellow sapsucker
  • ruby throated hummingbird
  • carolina wren
  • towhee
  • great blue heron (we have fishpond in the backyard)
  • belted kingfisher
  • red breated nuthatch
  • white breasted nuthatch
  • red tail hawk
  • blue jay
  • starling
  • brown thrasher
  • brown headed cowbird
  • mockingbird
  • tit mouse
  • grossbeak
  • house sparrow
  • martin
  • white crown sparrow

This is what I have seen in the past week in my backyard. The indigo bunting was a first for me. There have been others in past like vultures, american redstart, yellow warbler, baltimore oriole, cedar waxwing, etc, but not this week.
Great job Miss Molly! I have several of the same ones from my porch but no great blue heron (no pond nearby) and no house sparrow (yah!). I have seen 3 species of hawks--red tail, red shoulder and merlin-- from my porch. I have also heard a Barred Owl at night.
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Old 06-06-2020, 10:24 AM   #88
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Harllee, you have me way beat! I can only see 6 species! Cardinals, starling, robin, crow, some unknown 3 shades of grey bird, red wing blackbird, and once in a while, a beautiful hawk. Used to have black and yellow birds, but none so far this year.
Could the 3 shades of grey bird be a catbird? A pretty grey bird that has a darker patch on the top of the head and mews like a cat (but can sing other songs too). The catbird often sites on the top of a bush or fence post --hence the phrase "sitting in the catbird's seat."
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:13 PM   #89
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Could the 3 shades of grey bird be a catbird? A pretty grey bird that has a darker patch on the top of the head and mews like a cat (but can sing other songs too). The catbird often sites on the top of a bush or fence post --hence the phrase "sitting in the catbird's seat."
Ha. So that's where that expression came from! In the catbird seat! Well I don't think I ever heard it make a sound of any kind, but I'll pay more attention now. They are pretty bold, and don't fly away until you get fairly close to them. And they are pretty. Much prettier than the robins and crows.
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Old 06-07-2020, 04:25 AM   #90
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I spent the entire winter hiking in search of pileated woodpeckers. Saw several, but couldn't get close enough for a good photo. Then a few days ago. one flies up and lands in a tree 20' from DW and I while we were eating dinner on our deck. No pic of that one either, but it was great that he was so close to us. Here's a blue heron I saw on a recent bike ride.
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Old 06-07-2020, 05:14 AM   #91
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I spent the entire winter hiking in search of pileated woodpeckers. Saw several, but couldn't get close enough for a good photo.
Just put out a suet feeder.
pileated.jpg
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Old 06-07-2020, 06:10 AM   #92
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We have probably the largest population of Pileateds in the country at Congaree National Park.

My favorite bird apps: Song Sleuth, Merlin Bird ID, Audubon, eBird.
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Old 06-07-2020, 06:29 AM   #93
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Just put out a suet feeder.
Attachment 35233
Oh cool! A pileated! In the 25 years we've lived in our home, I've only seen one twice, and both times it was years ago. I have never had one at the suet feeder. What a great sighting.
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Old 06-07-2020, 07:17 AM   #94
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Just put out a suet feeder.
Attachment 35233
I have a suet feeder. I've seen lots of birds feed from it, but never a pileated woodpecker. Maybe I need one just like the one in your pic.
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Old 06-07-2020, 07:22 AM   #95
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That was at our last house. It was very popular with hairy and downy woodpeckers as well as red-bellied. Pileateds didn't show up often but it was always a treat when they did. That was in southwestern Ohio.
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Old 06-07-2020, 08:44 AM   #96
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Have been avid bird watcher since I was 5. Went back to school to study wildlife sciences and took as many ornithology courses as I could. Once I get to fully retire I plan on visiting many of the hotspots. Living in south Texas, I have been able to add a few to the life list. Also was able to see my first red-cockaded woodpecker while living in Florida!

Chihuahua Raven
Curve-billed Thrasher
Painted Bunting
Caracara
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Old 06-07-2020, 09:51 AM   #97
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Here in very south Arizona we get Caracara, but I have only seen them from Mexico to Costa Rica.
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Old 06-07-2020, 11:51 AM   #98
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We have probably the largest population of Pileateds in the country at Congaree National Park.

My favorite bird apps: Song Sleuth, Merlin Bird ID, Audubon, eBird.
I love Congaree National Park--a hidden gem with a neat boardwalk.

On my porch birding challenge -- I added 2 more birds yesterday--an Indigo Bunting and some Chimney Swifts. The Chimney Swifts are neat birds that soar all day and then spend the night in their nests that they have made inside of chimneys.

Now I have seen 27 bird species from my porch since the beginning of March.
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Old 06-07-2020, 11:58 AM   #99
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Originally Posted by fisemper View Post
Have been avid bird watcher since I was 5. Went back to school to study wildlife sciences and took as many ornithology courses as I could. Once I get to fully retire I plan on visiting many of the hotspots. Living in south Texas, I have been able to add a few to the life list. Also was able to see my first red-cockaded woodpecker while living in Florida!

Chihuahua Raven
Curve-billed Thrasher
Painted Bunting
Caracara
Where we are we have tons of Caracaras and Curve-billed Thrashers nest in our yard. You can also see Harris’ Hawks. We get some see painted buntings in the spring and summer. Occasionally a Chihuahua raven seen here, but better luck on the way to Big Bend NP.

I’ve seen Caracaras all along the Texas Coast.
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Old 06-07-2020, 05:08 PM   #100
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One of my most memorable birds was the blue bird I saw when at Hawk Mountain off of Route 78 in eastern Pa, looking for hawks in the late 90's or early 2000's. It was like a blue neon sign it was so bright. Just sitting on a branch.
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