birds?

J

Joel Stewart

Joel Stewart
these are our common winter visitors on the kamo river in kyoto these days: eurasion widgeons, mallards, pintails, green-winged teals, pelagic cormorants, black capped gulls (from siberia), japanese sandpiper, little grebe, daurian redstart, japanese grosbeaks just arrived and will stay until the seed fruits are gone (when a flock of them are in the trees nearby, their collective snapping bills, while devouring the seeds, sounds a lot like rice crispies in the open air)...somewhat confusing until you figure out what the sound is coming from way up in the branches above.

year round residents: common egret, gray heron, black crowned night heron, little egret, japanese kingfisher, moorhen, wagtail, white eyed vireo, browned eared bulbul, siberian kite, sparrow hawk, hawk owl, long tailed common tit, some kind of pipit, etc.

anyone else watch these things?
 
Joel,
I do but not in any structured way.
Living along the coast of FL and then in the western mountains of NC, we get a pretty good variety. I won't forget kayaking the inland waterway and coming upon nesting roseate spoonbills.
But more than anything, I remember my Dad sitting on his porch telling me what each peep, cheep and call was from the woods. He'd lived on a farm when he was a boy and again when he retired - he actually picked out the sound a pileated woodpecker makes and they are quite rare.
Best, Jim
 
I used to be a very serious birder, out nearly every day of the year, but that was before our son was born mostly. The 1970's. I still try to get out three or four times per year and I take the binoculars along when we go on a trip. Birding was what gave me an appreciation for the state of New Jersey. Without a good excuse, people stick to the corridor between NYC and Phila, and what they see are tank farms, factories, and gas stations. Birders quickly learn that NJ has some of the most diverse habitat anywhere, which is why the "World Series of Birding" each May usually has a winner from New Jersey. Salt Marsh, mountain bog, fresh water lake, pine barrens, great swamp, sod farms. All of the have their on avifauna.

I miss being out watching birds a lot. On the other hand there is no more vivid reminder of man's heavy pressure on the natural world. The variety of warblers and hawks is down considerably from the 1970's. Habitat is disappearing up here (developments, shopping centers) and in South America where the birds winter as well. It gets downright depressing when you are out there day after day not seeing the birds that used to be there.

F
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
We have loons.
Click to expand...
I thought that was a form of Canadian currency?
We have a huge group of Canadian honkers hanging around this year. A real pain, the champions of defecating birds.
 
It's kind of boring in eastern VA. Lots of Canadian Geese, cormorants near the Elizabeth River, some sort of thrush I've never noticed before with a hint of yellow on it's shoulder, and lots of little black birds that make a lot of noise. Blue Jays seem to be bullying the smaller birds.
 
Does a flock(s) of 20 turkeys count? They were with us nearly every morning for about 20 minutes or so, 4 adults and 16 little ones, for about 3 weeks, and then they moved on.
 
I came home one evening to witness this:
hawk-1.jpg
Some kind of hawk eating a sparrow I believe. I am amazed at the resourcefulness of birds. Last year we had pair of starlings build a nest inside our kitchen vent. By the time I realized they were there they had four chicks squawking every morning and evening for their daily grub. I waited midsummer till all the birds were away from the nest to seal the outside vent with a metal screen. The nest was five lbs of mud, twigs, and grass!
 
chris - where are you? my folks on occasion, get loons in the bay out back in olympia, wa....they are gorgeous haunting birds with that call of theirs.

Jim - was this in florida? if so, i was wondering about the ivory billed woodpecker, which apparently is making a comeback over there.

Joe - i think you can thank mankind for that one

Frank - I wholeheartedy concur, though i don't see the drop offs here, my mom notices the drastic change on the west coast and it does depress. here in kyoto on the other hand it seems like every year i am discovering a new bird or two. i don't know why that is, nor do i get out religiously, but i do have a decent book and some binocs that i am lucky enough to remember to bring once in awhile. i did not now know that about Jersey...quite impressive to have such a range of habitat still functioning.

earlier this year had the rare experience of hearing a commotion moving thru the upper canopy towards us at high speed, only to see a flock wild pigeons burst out over the street where we stood, with a large sparrow hawk in pursuit. he nabbed one of the pigeons mid-flight right over us in a deft graceful move, held on for a second, then somehow miraculously the pigeon broke free and we watched it continually chased high in the sky until both were black dots and the hawk eventually gave up. that was quite a show to see....the chances are low.

Lou - my condolences. those geese should be cooked.

Bill - there's probably a lot more than you think out there
 
originally posted by Ruben Ramos:
I came home one evening to witness this:
hawk-1.jpg
Some kind of hawk eating a sparrow I believe. I am amazed at the resourcefulness of birds. Last year we had pair of starlings build a nest inside our kitchen vent. By the time I realized they were there they had four chicks squawking every morning and evening for their daily grub. I waited midsummer till all the birds were away from the nest to seal the outside vent with a metal screen. The nest was five lbs of mud, twigs, and grass!
Click to expand...

Nice shot, Ruben. that could be a cooper's hawk or a sharp shinned. Where are you? PS - you don't have to be so nice to starlings, they usually spend most of their time pushing native species out of their habitat. looks in fact like your hawk was helping reduce the local population.

MarkS - turkeys count, if they're wild
 
We had a Bobwhite hanging near the house last spring. That was a new one to me here in the western Catskills. Lots of interesting birds come by but my favorite are the common Flycatchers that move into a nest in the eaves each year. I respect their work ethic.

Also I've seen all kinds of hawks snatch up all kinds critters but by far the most dramatic was a rabbit that stood up, fought back and won. Or at least escaped. You all remember the scene from The Holy Grail, it was pretty much just like that.

Don't mess with rabbits.

Best,
Kay
 
I sort of qualify as a birder - not as much of a bird geek as a wine geek, but getting there. Last fall I went to Malheur to bird for a week so I guess that qualifies. We get out to bird probably a couple times a month, and I'm always watching things.

Joel, we get Eurasian Widgeons coming down this way (Seattle) occasionally; they get mixed up in Siberia and come down the wrong coast. Seems like around 1 in 250 are Eurasians. And I think Pelagics are the best.

About a month ago I met my birding goal for the year and saw a Parasitic Jaeger - they come down the Sound on their way from the Yukon to points south:

ajune2006b-144parasitic-1.jpg
A great photo of that starling! I wish they'd all end up like that. I would call that as a Cooper's based on relative size to the starling, but it's hard to get a real gauge on the starling's size. He's got that typical Cooper's bruiser look.
 
Brad thats a great sighting. Very cool looking bird. I'll have to ask mom if they've gotten an occasional flyby down in Budd Inlet.

The folks are on the edge of a forested bluff, so they get both sides of the Olympic corridor type of birds. There is some great birding in Wash....and the south sound area is not lacking at all either. Last summer, I stared into the eyes of a barred owl 15 feet away on my folks' densely wooded drive early one morning. Watched it calmly sit there as 2 jays scolded the crap out of it before they got bored and flew away....only to be next taunted by a gray squirrel, who came over to see what the commotion was about. Finally the owl got tired of all the attention, dropped off his branch, opened his wings and floated right by at eye level, totally silent. No wind whistling in those wings.

I've seen a few Eurasion widgeons down at Nisqually delta before, but I haven't been down since they started taking out the dikes. You? That place can be good....lots of harriers out in the fields and other stuff in the pockets of trees to the north side. (I haven't been down to Malheur yet tho....sounds great).

I guess I'd have to say my bird of the year has been the hawk owl, seen twice at dusk here in kyoto. That is one interesting hybrid looking bird. I'll see if I can dig up a pic.
 
chris - where are you? my folks on occasion, get loons in the bay out back in olympia, wa....they are gorgeous haunting birds with that call of theirs.
Click to expand...

New York City, on a little island in the tidal strait that runs between Long Island Sound and NY Harbor.

I'm rather more partial to our cormorants. They're sinister looking and will vomit on you if you get too close.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
chris - where are you? my folks on occasion, get loons in the bay out back in olympia, wa....they are gorgeous haunting birds with that call of theirs.
Click to expand...

New York City, on a little island in the tidal strait that runs between Long Island Sound and NY Harbor.

I'm rather more partial to our cormorants. They're sinister looking and will vomit on you if you get too close.
Click to expand...

mmm...what a thought. i kinda like watching them dry their wings.

there's a tradition of fishing with them here....still done (for tourists mainly i guess) by firelight on river boats at night. the birds have a ring around their neck and a leash about 20 ft long. guess that ring around their neck keeps them both from swallowing their catch and from spraying their master in vomit as well.
 
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