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The thread for birds and birding

Re: The thread for birds and birding

aygwm2 said:
Interesting.

Is the Summer Tanager a species you would see in your part of Illinois?
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The Summer looks like we would be right on the northern edge of their summer range (though they apparently go all the way to northern Missouri, the maps I am seeing show them barely in the southern tip of Illinois). I have personally never seen one. We could potentially have scarlet tanagers (very similar except the males will have solid black wings and tail). I have seen flocks of scarlets, but this was in the UP of Michigan at the Mackinaw (quite a few birds cross that area going north) where we went birding for my summer ornithology course at LSSU.

I have a brown thrasher hanging around today taking seeds and insects from the ground. Along with him today so far: goldfinch (male), house finches, mourning doves, downy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, ruby throated hummingbird, cardinals, bluejays, white breasted nuthatch and carolina wrens.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

We had a Red-bellied Woodpecker at the feeder Tuesday AM. Second time this Spring. Pretty good yard bird for manchVegas. Also had two Peregrine Falcons in downtown manch over the weekend at the NH Armory building and a Bald Eagle in Hooksett at the Home Depot parking lot.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

There are some monk parakeets in our area that I see and hear from time to time. One might very well ask, "what are mok parakeets doing in coastal Connecticut?", which is an excellent question!

I've heard various stories, one of which is that they were blown here by a big storm and decided to stay, another in which a breeder brought them here illegally and they escaped and decided to stay.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

FreshFish said:
There are some monk parakeets in our area that I see and hear from time to time. One might very well ask, "what are mok parakeets doing in coastal Connecticut?", which is an excellent question!

I've heard various stories, one of which is that they were blown here by a big storm and decided to stay, another in which a breeder brought them here illegally and they escaped and decided to stay.
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Any number of scenarios is possible.

CarlS- I love the woodpeckers. Some of my favorite birds to have at feeders. Also, you should check out the webcam I posted earlier in the thread of the Peregrine nest box in Ft Wayne Indiana (not far from where I grew up

Edit: here is the link: http://www.aep.com/environment/falconcam/ It looks like the camera may have gotten pushed over to the side and is viewing away from the box. Not sure. might still catch a closeup glimpse of them coming or going.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Rarely get a chance to ride the train during the day, usually it's either early in the morning or late in the evening.

Yesterday afternoon, looking out the window as the train was passing through a saltwater marsh, saw not one but two white egrets.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Moving next week and I have stopped filling my feeders for about a week. Never got a 30th confirmed species :(

Thought I would share the full final list:

Carolina Wren
White Breasted Nuthatch
Red Breasted Nuthatch
Cardinal
White throated sparrow
White Crowned sparrow
House sparrow
House finch
Purple finch
Goldfinch
Tufted Titmouse
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Dark eyed junco
Bluejay
Grackle
Starling
Red Wing blackbird
Brown headed cowbird
Morning dove
Eastern Towhee
Northern Mockingbird
Hairy woodpecker
Brown Thrasher
Carolina Chickadee
Rose Breasted Grosbeak
Ruby throated hummingbird
Indigo bunting
Gray catbird

29 species. Could have had a 30th (or more) for all I know. These were just the 29 species that I saw. Moving to Indiana for what I hope to be a short while as I pursue a permanent job somewhere. Once I land said job I hope to get feeders back up and see what I can get.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Proud2baLaker said:
Moving next week and I have stopped filling my feeders for about a week. Never got a 30th confirmed species :(

Thought I would share the full final list:

Carolina Wren
White Breasted Nuthatch
Red Breasted Nuthatch
Cardinal
White throated sparrow
White Crowned sparrow
House sparrow
House finch
Purple finch
Goldfinch
Tufted Titmouse
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Dark eyed junco
Bluejay
Grackle
Starling
Red Wing blackbird
Brown headed cowbird
Morning dove
Eastern Towhee
Northern Mockingbird
Hairy woodpecker
Brown Thrasher
Carolina Chickadee
Rose Breasted Grosbeak
Ruby throated hummingbird
Indigo bunting
Gray catbird

29 species. Could have had a 30th (or more) for all I know. These were just the 29 species that I saw. Moving to Indiana for what I hope to be a short while as I pursue a permanent job somewhere. Once I land said job I hope to get feeders back up and see what I can get.
Click to expand...

No Robins in Southern Illinois?
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

saw a woodpecker the other day with a black throat and red head. Hear them fairly often, rarely see one though.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

I've never really counted robins. They don't really come to feeders and seed. I mean, I saw them in my yard plenty but never anywhere near feeders. The thrasher for example was picking up seed that I had scattered on the ground. Same with the towhee.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Had a kestrel take a gray catbird from under one of my feeders on Sunday. One happy bird, one sad bird.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

So here's a few photos that I took about an hour ago.

As I mentioned prior, we have hawks in our neighborhood here in southern Wisconsin. We see the remains of their kills from time to time on our lawn or deck and sometimes we even catch them feeding.

This hawk landed in the tree next to our deck while we were eating supper tonight. I could see that he had something and went to get my camera. When I got back out, he was on our neighbor's roof.

The racket that the song birds were making at him was crazy as the sought to drive him off. Eventually, he decided to head home with what looks like the hind leg of a rabbit...

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Re: The thread for birds and birding

Carter said:
Really nice pictures, Gurtholfin!
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Thanks.

Pretty cool to get to witness nature right from my deck. Just hope I never have to witness the actual kill.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Saw a heron in the "wild" yesterday. There is a nature preserve along the border between our town and the one to the east, and I stopped to hike along a path during lunch time yesterday. There is a pond in there with water lilies in bloom. I stepped out onto a rock to get a better look and a heron took flight.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Good visitor to ManchVegas this week - a Calliope hummingbird. Normally resides on West Coast and Central America. Was nice enough to show up at a feeder about 5 mins from my house. First state record for NH and life bird for me (not that I think anyone really cares :)).
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

CarlS said:
Good visitor to ManchVegas this week - a Calliope hummingbird. Normally resides on West Coast and Central America. Was nice enough to show up at a feeder about 5 mins from my house. First state record for NH and life bird for me (not that I think anyone really cares :)).
Click to expand...

That's AWESOME.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

CarlS said:
Good visitor to ManchVegas this week - a Calliope hummingbird. Normally resides on West Coast and Central America. Was nice enough to show up at a feeder about 5 mins from my house. First state record for NH and life bird for me (not that I think anyone really cares :)).
Click to expand...

I read about that. Congrats on the convenient lifer.

We had one here in PA about this time last year, but it was a female or young male. They're definitely being found here in the east more frequently.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

Good news about Kirtland's Warbler in Michigan. But future of protection still in doubt.

Click here.
 
Re: The thread for birds and birding

If you were ever looking for a Snowy Owl - this is the year/season. Yesterday in NH I know of 14 that were seen, there are numerous Snowys in ME, MA, VT, NY. Eighty Snowys in one 20km stretch outside of St. John's Newfoundland; one has been found in North Carolina and this morning there is a picture of a Snowy in Bermuda.
 
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