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Posted By: Lampshade Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 03:58 AM
What is your favorite bird?

Mine are Downy Woodpeckers.
Posted By: Adrian Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 04:06 AM
Warblers are beautiful little birds, and hummingbirds, and nuthatches. Did we have to choose just one!
Posted By: Lampshade Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 04:21 AM
I love bluebirds too.
Posted By: Adrian Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 04:30 AM
Kingfishers!
Posted By: sonicfox Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 04:56 AM
Call me boring, but mine is the American Robin. They are such a pleasant bird and actually entertaining to watch. They are so common though, not too many people pay attention to them.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 05:12 AM
Robins are the little gentlemen of birds.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 12:09 PM
I like to watch Cardinals.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 12:30 PM
I like Warblers - one of my favorites is the Common Yellowthroat. The males have that black mask that contrasts with the bright yellow. I just think they are cool looking.
Posted By: davidsch Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 12:41 PM
I like Red-Tailed Hawks. We have a stretch of road about a quarter-mile from my house that I can always spot one or two. I have also seen the occasional owl but usually I am in the car and it is near dark so I can't tell the particular species. I go to the beach several times a year and like to watch the roseate spoonbills and scarlet ibis(es?).
Posted By: medic8r Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 01:05 PM
Cool thread. I enjoy birdwatching at Medic8r Manor, and the wife and I just put out the first feed of the year, welcoming back our bluebirds. They usually come back around Valentine's Day but are a little early this year.

When I was in Georgia last year, we had a great horned owl patrol our backyard. It was cool to look for him each evening.

Our most common birds here in Virginia (at least the ones I most often notice, as I suspect there are lots of house finches and sparrows around also) are the bluebirds, goldfinches, nuthatches, and chickadees. We have a number of thistle/niger feeders and often get sights like this pic that I pulled off the web:



We also enjoy feeding the ruby-throated hummingbirds and the various woodpeckers we get. I agree that the downy is a cool little bird. I enjoy how they hop around on the tree. We also get their slightly bigger cousins, the hairy woodpecker.

But to actually answer your question, the bird I enjoy seeing - and hearing - the most is the pileated woodpecker. Whenever I hear one's call, I always look out the window to see if I can spot him.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 01:14 PM
Looks like a Pine Siskin on there amongst the Goldfinches.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 01:15 PM
As far as Birds of Prey, I like the Cooper's Hawks that hunt the birds around my house. A lot of folks don't "cotton" to that - but hey, Hawks have to eat too?
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 01:31 PM
My favorite is the Cheeseburger bird .

Anyone else heard them?
Posted By: Adrian Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 02:19 PM
Speaking of pileated woodpeckers, I saw one up real close on our balcony in Markham years ago. The whole railing shook when he landed on it, man they are huge!! My parents in BC have several pileated woodpeckers in their area that bring their babies around to their suet feeders.

What's the main diet of the pileated woodpecker anyway?
Posted By: davidsch Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 06:39 PM
Cool video!
Posted By: medic8r Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 07:40 PM
I think the diet of that green snake was woodpecker eggs, sadly. Circle of life, I guess.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 07:52 PM
I can't see it here at work.
Posted By: alan Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 08:03 PM
I was staying at the Colquhoun's place a few years ago and I spotted a big noisy pileated woodpecker that landed on a dead tree down near the dock (the tree blew down in a storm later on). I summoned the Colquhouns to come outside and view the pileated. . .

They had never seen one before. I think they're fairly rare in Muskoka. I'd only seen one before up in Georgian Bay.

A young raptor landed on the stern rail of my sailboat last summer, having accidentally dropped his prey into the lake right behind my boat. He couldn't see me and tried a couple of times (unsuccessfully) to pluck the dead bird out of the lake, returning each time to perch on the stern rail. It was really neat watching him from such a close vantage point.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 08:04 PM
Blue Jays, Bluebirds, Orioles, Cardinals, Purple Martins...too many to name...Blue Jays are my favorite. The property also attracts all different types of swallows, finches, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, bats and even Owls. Owls are cool... smile

I would have to get the bird book out to name some of the less common birds that appear.


Posted By: Adrian Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 08:11 PM
Alan, pileated woodpeckers are quite common around here, so I'd hazard a guess that there's even more up in the Muskoka's.

I haven't seen a Scarlet Tanager for years but I've had a few Baltimore Orioles around here each year. On my biking trail off of the Etobicoke creek I've seen them pulling apart tent caterpiller nests, not for the caterpillers but for their own nesting material.
Posted By: alan Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 08:22 PM
There are lots of other woodpeckers I see in Muskoka every summer I visit, but the one at Ian and Amie's was the first pileated one I'd seen. Ian said he'd never seen one before and he grew up there. Purely anecdotal, of course, so I guess I should consult Roger Tory Peterson's Birds of North America to check out the range.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 08:46 PM
Originally Posted By: Adrian

I haven't seen a Scarlet Tanager for years but I've had a few Baltimore Orioles around here each year. On my biking trail off of the Etobicoke creek I've seen them pulling apart tent caterpiller nests, not for the caterpillers but for their own nesting material.


We get Scarlet and Summer Tanager nesting around the house. As for Owls, we have Great Horned, Screech and Barred. The Barred Owls often get into a "conversation" during the Spring & Summer. It is one of the few "Bird Things" that my wife enjoys.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 09:09 PM
One of the more spectacular sights was the Great Blue Heron. I might see them once or twice during the summer months flying away from our pond. I can never see them in the pond since the area around is o'natural and very much overgrown. It's a beautiful thing watching them fly.
Posted By: Adrian Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 09:33 PM
Doc, there is a heronry next to Heart Lake in Brampton. Lots of herons around here, but I think they may have abandoned the heronry once the 410 extention was built. frown
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 10:43 PM
These are badass!


Posted By: bridgman Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 10:49 PM
There are some small hawks which frequent the side of the highway (407 for the locals) that runs beside our office. I guess they're hunting for rodents in the grassy areas beside the highway. Small, spindly trees were planted in the grassy area and have never really grown much, presumably due to the road salt.

The hawks come in and land on tree branches which are far too thin to support their weight, so the branch bends down several feet with the birds wobbling and flapping to maintain balance...

Finally, bird watching becomes an action sport.
Posted By: Wid Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 10:49 PM
One of our, me and the wifes, favorite birds are the bluebird. We have had bluebird houses out for a few years now and just last year finally got a house occupied. They had 4 chicks and we were able to observe them for around ten days. After that there is a risk of them trying to take to flight to early.

Hopefully we can have a repeat this year.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 11:19 PM
I caught these pictures of blue jays feeding on peanuts from the feeder on my parents deck railing.

I was on the deck, about 3 feet away from the jay in the first picture, and I was about 6 feet away, inside the patio door, when I took the rest.














Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: Bird Watchers - 02/10/11 11:32 PM
Those are some awesome pictures you captured wheelz! Such a beautiful bird! Thank you for sharing.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 01:18 AM
Originally Posted By: Dr.House
These are badass!


I was down at the point at Oak Island last year. There is a sandbar that is submerged at high tide but otherwise occuppied by Pelicans, Skimmers, waders etc. I was watching through binocs and had just turned away to go get my scope when all hell broke loose. I thought that maybe some kids had gotten over to the bar.... I looked back and every bird had taken flight - maybe 400 birds. All except one. When I looked back at the lone shape I could see still on the bar it was a Peregrine that had just nailed a Laughing Gull. I ran and grabbed the scope and watched the dinner show. Took 20 minutes and he/she ate everything except the head, spine and feet. Awesome.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 01:43 AM
Originally Posted By: Dr.House
Those are some awesome pictures you captured wheelz! Such a beautiful bird! Thank you for sharing.


Thanks, bud.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 12:23 PM
Cam,
Those are excellent close ups of the jays. As a side note, your parents would attract a greater variety of birds if they were using raw, shelled peanuts. Woodpeckers, titmice, wrens & nuthatches love 'em.......Rob
Posted By: davidsch Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 12:37 PM
Cool pics, Cam. I can no longer keep food in my bird feeder since my cat has become such a good birder. It seems cruel to lure them in and then watch Max tear them apart. Plus, I am the one that has to finish off/dispose of the birds after he tears their wings off.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 12:47 PM
Originally Posted By: davidsch
Cool pics, Cam. I can no longer keep food in my bird feeder since my cat has become such a good birder. It seems cruel to lure them in and then watch Max tear them apart. Plus, I am the one that has to finish off/dispose of the birds after he tears their wings off.

We have a cat too....left over from my daughters's teenage years. The Cat is a stone cold killer. She always decapitates her victims and sometimes devours the edible parts. On a given day a couple of years back, while weeding in the front garden, I found a lizard, frog, squirrel, wren and chipmunk - all missing their heads.....
Posted By: CatBrat Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 12:59 PM
Busy kitty.

I just keep mine indoors all the time.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 01:39 PM
I'm afraid that I would end up decapitated.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 02:19 PM
Once an outdoor cat, always an outdoor cat, I think. The litter box is the worst part, not because of odor, I use the clumping kind that covers up all odors, but because of the dust. That dust can go everywhere if not contained. Right now it's in the bathroom under an unused vanity, so most of the dust gets contained except for a single side that's opened.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 02:26 PM
This is article about man being charged with animal cruelty after his dog kills a raccoon.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 02:52 PM
Thanks again, guys.

Rob, thanks for the tip smile.

David, good call on removing the food from the feeder smile!
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 02:53 PM
Better not let that DA go on a racoon hunt - although I am sure that most racoon hunts are carried out in a humane, politically correct way....
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 03:10 PM
Originally Posted By: Argon
although I am sure that most racoon hunts are carried out in a humane, politically correct way....


Let's be sensitive, now; it's called a raccoon search wink.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 04:10 PM
South of Boston there is a large state park called Blue Hills Reservation. I see Pileated Woodpeckers there sometimes. But at a distance.

I love all woodpeckers. I once had a Northern Flicker at my birdfeeder and I almost fainted.
Posted By: BobKay Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 04:14 PM
Then the next time you come to my house, I'll have a pillow ready for your head and some laundry basket socks to bring you back.

We have had a resident pair of Northern Flickers for a few years. Come over. Bring your epilepsy helmet.
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 05:57 PM
Second the pillow comment. I have Flickers, Red Bellies, Downies, Hairies, Pileated - about 10 miles from the house I can show you Red Headed and maybe 75-100 miles we have the Red Cockaded. Can I have a Tim the Toolman aaugh,aaugh,aaugh?
Posted By: BobKay Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 07:01 PM
Ornitharian Braggart!
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 07:24 PM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Ornitharian Braggart!


"A man's gotto know his limitations"
Posted By: medic8r Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 07:40 PM
The tufted titmouse is another one of my local favorites.

I would imagine that Mr. Bukowinski and Mr. Chenoweth would each like it too, as it's distinctive call is described as "Peter Peter Peter".
Posted By: BobKay Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 07:46 PM
I got into birds when I was a little kid. It still is one of our reg's and one of my faves, but I could never use its name when sharing my enthusiasm with my mother.

Binky Brown, indeed!
Posted By: Argon Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 09:23 PM
I would think the Canadians around here would like the White Throated Sparrow. It's song is characterized as "O Canada, Canada, Canada"
Posted By: BobKay Re: Bird Watchers - 02/11/11 09:29 PM
Originally Posted By: Argon
I would think the Canadians around here would like the White Throated Sparrow. It's song is characterized as "O Canada, Canada, Canada"


They well might-----if it had time sing at all before they grabbed it out of a shrub and stuffed it in their pie holes.
Posted By: Adrian Re: Bird Watchers - 02/12/11 12:36 AM
Speaking of sparrows....when I was a kid, sparrows were everywhere and I only rarely saw goldfinches but now the sparrows seem outnumbered by the goldfinches. Maybe somebody IS stuffing their pie hole with sparrows shocked .
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 04/10/11 09:41 PM
A couple hours ago, my dad took this picture (excuse the quality) of a swan swimming on the lake by their dock (Chemong Lake). It's the first time we've ever seen one at the house. I did some research and I postulate that it's a Mute Swan . My dad said it was absolutely gorgeous.


Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: Bird Watchers - 04/10/11 10:42 PM
Did he talk to the swan?
Posted By: Lampshade Re: Bird Watchers - 04/10/11 11:32 PM
I used to love Swans until the day I saw two of them rampage killing ducklings. It was horrible.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: Bird Watchers - 04/10/11 11:36 PM
That's no swan. That's the gubbmint trying to pull one over on you! It's the Chemong Lake monster. Look at the evidence!
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: Bird Watchers - 04/11/11 12:22 AM
Originally Posted By: danmagicman7
Did he talk to the swan?


It was later on in the afternoon, and my dad does enjoy his beer, so only he will know that answer. It's definitely not improbable though, Dan smile.

Originally Posted By: Ken.C
That's no swan. That's the gubbmint trying to pull one over on you! It's the Chemong Lake monster. Look at the evidence!


I already swam the entire lake thoroughly last year, and you bring this up again?! I guess I'm donning my scuba diving gear next week, just for you, Ken!

That will be it though!
Posted By: Lampshade Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 05:25 PM
My Goldfinches came back yesterday and this morning I had a Snow Bunting sitting on the ground under the feeder. First time for that little guy. Very cute.
Posted By: BobKay Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 06:32 PM
Originally Posted By: Lampaxiom
My Goldfinches came back yesterday and this morning I had a Snow Bunting sitting on the ground under the feeder. First time for that little guy. Very cute.


"MY" goldfinches?
Those are OURS! They were just slumming a coupla miles from home.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 08:32 PM
"slumming" = eating seeds drenched in bacon fat
Posted By: bridgman Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 08:38 PM
Slumming would be "seeds drenched in Miracle Whip", eaten in front of the TV.
Posted By: CV Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 10:19 PM
Man, now I want a big bowl of bacon fat covered in Miracle Whip.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 11:13 PM
Stupid Looking Bird Eating Some Guy.
Posted By: CV Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 11:17 PM
That's not a guy. It's a frog-shaped snot bubble.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: Bird Watchers - 04/17/11 11:48 PM
Are you TRYING to make me get sick again?
Posted By: 2x6spds Re: Bird Watchers - 04/18/11 05:36 AM
First of all, Kishen Mein Tuchas, that's no swan, that White Devil is the Loch Ness Monster.

I love Goldfinches. They fly in front of you when you bike. They dip and rise, dip and rise.

I saw a beautiful blue parrot today on a local golf course.
Posted By: Murph Re: Bird Watchers - 04/18/11 01:16 PM
I think I may have posted this little guy last year. We have a feeder outside our dining room window that has been dubbed "Hummingbird TV" for our inside cat. Our outdoor cat pays no attention. He seems to have lost interest in birds that are a.) more than twice his size or b.) fly faster than 60 mph.


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